Wednesday, October 27, 2021

The second half of the GNAC season could not have started better for Seattle Pacific.

After dropping a pair of road matches at Western Washington and Simon Fraser the weekend before, the Falcons proved once again that they are unbeatable at Royal Brougham Pavilion.

Seattle Pacific recorded its biggest win of the season on Thursday, sweeping aside then-No. 24 Alaska Anchorage in four sets. While handing the Seawolves their first GNAC loss of the season, the Falcons also snapped UAA’s 14-match GNAC win streak dating back to 2019 and a streak of 29 consecutive GNAC matches without being swept dating back to 2018.

It was also the Falcons’ first win over Alaska Anchorage on their home floor since October 29, 2011.

Seattle Pacific prevailed in a trio of close sets, hitting .232 in the contest with nine team blocks. Sophomore Allison Wilks led the way. The outside hitter finished with 10 kills, five blocks and two digs in the victory.

The Falcons followed that win up with a five-set victory over Alaska on Saturday. The two teams traded sets until SPU prevailed in the deciding frame. Senior Maddie Batiste led the way with a double-double of 18 kills and 10 digs.

Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Hair earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after she averaged 1.75 blocks and 2.38 kills per set. Her week was topped by a double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs against Alaska.

With the two wins, Seattle Pacific is now 9-0 in matches at Royal Brougham Pavilion this season. Including the 2020-21 COVID-shortened season, SPU is 16-3 at home over the last two seasons, including 12 straight wins.

SIMPLY THE BEST: The following GNAC plays have been named to all-tournament teams during the 2021 season.

Seawolf Invitational (Sept. 2-4): Cate Whiting (UAF), Ellen Floyd (UAA), Eve Stephens (UAA).
Yellowjacket Invitational (Sept. 3-4): Tia Allen (SMU, MVP), Kylie Alos (SMU), Joelle Maohwald (MSUB), Bayli Monck (MSUB).
WWU Invitational (Sept. 3-5): Malia Aleaga (WWU, MVP), Gabby Gunterman (WWU), Olivia Fairchild (WWU), Tess Biscup (WWU), Marianna Payne (CWU), Tia Andaya (CWU).
CWU/SPU Invitational (Sept. 9-11): Hannah Hair (SPU), Emily Tulino (SPU), Erin Gould (SPU), Hannah Stires (CWU), Leanna Shymanski (CWU), Ashley Kaufman (CWU), Brooke Dexter (SFU), Julia Tays (SFU), Bailee Hartsook (WOU).
Hawaii Challenge (Sept. 9-12): Bayli Monck (MSUB).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Julia Tays, Simon Fraser
S • 5-10 • Junior • Winnipeg, Man.

Tays averaged 12.62 assists per set to help lead Simon Fraser to a pair of victories. Tays finished with 39 assists, 10 digs, three blocks, two aces and two kills in Thursday’s three-set win over Central Washington. Tays had a bigger double-double of 62 assists and 22 digs to go with three aces and a block in Saturday’s five-set win over Northwest Nazarene.

Also Nominated: Bayli Monck (Montana State Billings), Emily Gooding (Saint Martin’s), Lindsey Lambert (Seattle Pacific), Bella Maclellan (Western Oregon), Olivia Fairchild (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Hannah Hair, Seattle Pacific
MB • 6-1 • Sophomore • Walla Walla, Wash.

Hair averaged 1.75 blocks per set along with 2.38 kills per set as Seattle Pacific scored two wins over the Alaska schools. She opened the week with four blocks, eight kills and a dig in Thursday’s three-set upset of No. 24 Alaska Anchorage. Hair then had a double-double of 10 blocks and 11 kills with a dig in Saturday’s five-set win over Alaska.

Also Nominated: Joelle Mahowald (Montana State Billings), Kylie Alos (Saint Martin’s), Bianca Te (Simon Fraser), Sophie Matlock (Western Oregon), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska dropped a pair of five-set heartbreakers on the road last week, falling to Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Lahra Weber averaged three kills and 2.30 digs per set to lead the Nanooks. She posted double-doubles in both matches, finishing with 14 kills and 12 digs at MSUB and then 16 kills, 11 digs and four blocks at Seattle Pacific. Weber enters the week averaging 2.17 kills and 2.14 digs per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Rilee White averaged 1.80 kills and a team-leading 2.80 digs per set. After managing five kills and 14 digs at MSUB, White notched a double-double of 13 kills and 14 digs to go with two assists, two aces and four blocks at Seattle Pacific. White is averaging 2.12 kills and 1.88 digs per set.

• Senior middle blocker Emily Moorhead had 15 blocks on the road trip, finishing with 10 kills and three blocks at MSUB and six kills and 12 blocks at Seattle Pacific. Moorhead is fourth in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with 1.21 blocks per set. She is sixth in Division II with 98 total blocks.

• Alaska enters the week averaging 12.52 kills per set, ranks second with 1.73 aces per set and a .152 opponent hitting percentage and third with 16.17 digs per set. The Nanooks are 12th in Division II with 2.47 blocks per set and fifth with 217.5 total blocks.

• The Nanooks return home for a pair of matches this week, hosting Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage saw its eight-match conference win streak in 2021 come to an end in a three-set loss at Seattle Pacific on Thursday before rebounding for a three-set win at Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Thursday’s loss snapped a 14-match GNAC win streak dating back to 2019 and a streak of 29 straight GNAC matches without being swept dating back to 2018.

• Junior right-side hitter Eve Stephens paced the UAA offense once again, averaging 4.33 kills per set. Stephens led the Seawolves with 14 kills, seven digs and two blocks at Seattle Pacific. She then posted totals of 12 kills and five digs at MSUB. Stephens leads the GNAC and is 11th in Division II with 4.78 points per set. She is also second in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with 3.92 kills per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lisa Jaunet averaged 3.17 kills per set. Jaunet finished with 11 kills and a block at Seattle Pacific and then added eight kills and two blocks at MSUB. Jaunet is averaging 2.65 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Vera Pluharova averaged 1.83 blocks and 2.67 kills per set last week. At Seattle Pacific, Pluharova finished with five kills and nine blocks. She then finished with 11 kills and two blocks at MSUB. Pluharova is eighth in the GNAC with 1.05 blocks per set.

• Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC and is 41st in Division II with a .236 hitting percentage. They are averaging 12.83 kills and 14.49 digs per set. The Seawolves also lead the conference and are 15th in Division II with 2.15 aces per set.

• With the loss to SPU, Alaska Anchorage dropped out of the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll but remains second among teams receiving votes with 45.

• Alaska Anchorage returns home this week to host Simon Fraser on Thursday and co-league leader Western Washington on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington dropped a pair of three-setters on the road last week, losing at Simon Fraser on Thursday and at Western Washington on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Kaufman led CWU on both ends of the floor, averaging 2.67 kills and 3.33 digs per set. After a six kill, six dig performance at Simon Fraser, Kaufman posted a double-double of 10 kills and 14 digs at Western Washington. Kaufman leads the Wildcats with 2.94 kills per set and is averaging 2.44 digs per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Marianna Payne averaged 2.17 kills per set, finishing with six kills at Simon Fraser and seven kills at Western Washington. Payne is averaging 2.81 kills per set this season.

• Freshman libero Hannah Stires averaged 5.50 digs per set. She posted totals of 11 digs and three assists at Simon Fraser before adding 22 digs and four assists at Western Washington. Stires leads the GNAC with 4.80 digs per set.

• Central Washington enters the week averaging 11.98 kills and 15.16 digs per set. The Wildcats are third in the GNAC and eighth in Division II with 2.52 blocks per set and also third in the GNAC with 1.62 aces per set.

• Central Washington dropped out of the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll after receiving votes in the last four polls.

• Central Washington plays in just one match this week, traveling to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings picked up a split at home to open the second half of GNAC play, scoring a five-set win over Alaska on Thursday before taking a three-set loss to Alaska Anchorage on Saturday. The Yellowjackets opened up the week with a three-set non-conference sweep at Rocky Mountain.

• Senior right-side hitter Bayli Monck led the Yellowjackets with averages of 3.38 kills and 1.75 digs per set in the weekend matches. She led all players in the win over Alaska with 19 kills, 10 digs, three blocks and a .311 hitting percentage. Against Alaska Anchorage, Monck finished with eight kills, four digs and two blocks. Against Rocky Mountain, she finished with 13 kills and 12 digs. Monck is fourth in the GNAC with 3.49 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Joelle Mahowald averaged 3.27 kills, 1.36 digs and 1.09 blocks over the three matches. She was big against the Nanooks with 15 kills, eight digs and seven blocks. Mahowald added nine kills, three digs and four blocks against Alaska Anchorage and then posted 12 kills and four digs at Rocky Mountain. Mahowald is averaging 2.20 kills per set and is seventh in the GNAC with 1.06 blocks per set.

• Freshman libero Christine Funk averaged 5.09 digs per set in the three matches. She posted totals of 19 digs against Alaska and 14 against Alaska Anchorage before coming up with 23 in the three sets with Rocky Mountain. Funk is fourth in the GNAC with 4.25 digs per set.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 11.27 kills and 14.86 digs per set. The Yellowjackets rank sixth in the GNAC with 2.08 blocks per set.

• Montana State Billings hits the road for two matches this week, playing at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene took a pair of losses near the border last week, dropping a three-set match to Western Washington on Thursday and a five-set battle to Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Freshman defensive specialist Molly Anderson led the Nighthawks with totals of 2.62 kills and 3.25 digs per set. Anderson finished just short of a double-double with nine kills and nine digs at Western Washington and then posted a double-double of 12 kills and 17 digs at Simon Fraser. Anderson is averaging 1.95 kills and 3.10 digs per set.

• Junior outside hitter Natalie Sullivan averaged 2.29 kills and 2.86 digs per set on the road trip. After a quiet match on Thursday, Sullivan came alive to finish with 15 kills and 17 digs with two assists at Simon Fraser. Sullivan is third in the GNAC with 3.78 kills and 4.67 points per set.

• Sophomore libero Caroline McMahon averaged 3.25 digs per set, finishing with 13 digs in each match. She is second in the GNAC with 4.47 digs per set. Freshman defensive specialist Megan McKinney averaged 4.14 digs per set, topped by her 20 digs at Simon Fraser. McKinney is averaging 2.33 digs per set.

• The Nighthawks enter the week averaging 11.96 kills per set and rank second in the conference with 17.13 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene will host Westminster (Utah) for its final non-conference match of the season on Wednesday before hosting Central Washington for its lone conference match of the week on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• After opening the week with a four-set non-conference win at Linfield on Tuesday, Saint Martin’s picked up a three-set win over Western Oregon in the team’s lone GNAC match of the week.

• Senior right-side hitter Emily Gooding led the Saints with averages of 3.86 kills and 2.86 digs per set in the two wins. She registered a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs with a block at Linfield before posting 12 kills and eight digs against Western Oregon. Gooding is averaging 2.69 kills and 1.11 digs per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Tia Allen averaged 2.86 kills and 3.71 digs per set. She opened the week with nine kills and 15 digs at Linfield. Against Western Oregon, Allen had a double-double of 11 kills and 11 digs. Allen is sixth in the GNAC with 3.01 kills per set while averaging 2.88 digs per set.

• Junior libero Kylie Alos averaged 5.86 digs per set in the two matches, finishing with 23 digs and six assists at Linfield and 18 digs against Western Oregon. Alos is sixth in the GNAC with 4.06 digs per set.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week averaging 12.16 kills per set. The Saints lead the GNAC and rank 35th in Division II with 17.89 digs per set. The Saints also rank 41st nationally with 38.07 team attacks per set

• The Saints will wrap up a three-match homestand this week, hosting Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• It was a big week for Seattle Pacific as the Falcons scored a three-set upset of then-No. 24 Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and a five-set win over Alaska on Saturday.

• Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Hair was named the GNAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week after she averaged 1.75 blocks per set while also averaging 2.38 kills per set. Hair finished with four blocks and eight kills against Alaska Anchorage before scoring a double-double with 10 blocks and 11 kills against Alaska. Hair is third in the GNAC and fourth in Division II with 1.37 blocks per set. She is also averaging 2.41 kills per set.

• Senior outside hitter Maddie Batiste paced the offense with averages of three kills and 1.62 digs per set. Batiste finished with six kills, three digs and two aces against Alaska Anchorage before notching a double-double with 18 kills and 10 digs with three blocks against Alaska. Batiste leads the Falcons with 2.75 kills per set and is averaging 2.18 digs per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Allison Wilks averaged 1.50 kills and 1.50 blocks per set. She led the Falcons with 10 kills and five blocks in the win over Alaska Anchorage before posting totals of two kills and seven blocks against Alaska. Wilks is averaging 1.38 kills per set and is 10th in the GNAC with 1.02 blocks per set.

• Seattle Pacific ranks second in the GNAC with 13.15 kills per set and is also second in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 12.49 assists per set. The Falcons are second in the GNAC and fifth in Division II with 2.62 blocks per set.

• The Falcons hit the road to play at Western Oregon on Thursday and at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened the second half of GNAC play with two victories, scoring a three-set sweep over Central Washington on Thursday and a five-set win over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Senior setter Julia Tays was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 12.62 assists, four digs and 0.62 aces per set in the wins. Tays finished with 39 assists, 10 digs, three blocks and two aces against Central Washington. She added 62 assists, 22 digs, three aces and a block against Northwest Nazarene. Tays leads the GNAC and is 12th in Division II with 11.14 assists per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Camryn Vosloh averaged 3.88 kills and 3.12 digs per set in the two matches. Vosloh had double-doubles in both matches, finishing with 13 kills and 10 digs against Central Washington along with 18 kills and 15 digs against Northwest Nazarene. Vosloh is averaging 2.87 kills per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Kalyn Hartmann averaged 2.62 kills and 1.38 blocks per set. She finished with eight kills and five blocks against Central Washington and then added totals of 13 kills and five blocks with a .480 hitting percentage against Northwest Nazarene. Freshman Abby Willett also had 11 blocks on the week, including nine against Northwest Nazarene.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is 29th in Division II with 13.55 kills per set. Simon Fraser also leads the GNAC and ranks 25th in Division II with 12.64 assists per set.

• Simon Fraser received 39 votes in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. The team has earned votes in eight of the year’s nine polls.

• Simon Fraser heads north this week to face Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon lost its lone match of the week to open the second half of GNAC play, losing in three sets at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Hurliman led the Wolves with totals of seven kills and 10 digs. Hurliman enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC with three kills per set while also averaging 2.70 digs per set.

• Sophomore Lauren Smith added six kills and four digs. She enters the week averaging 1.64 kills per set.

• Freshman defensive specialist Sophie Matlock finished with 20 digs while freshman setter Laney O’Neil added 10 digs to go with nine assists. Matlock is seventh in the GNAC with 3.94 digs per set.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 10.64 kills and 14.50 digs per set.

• Western Oregon returns home this week to host Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington extended its win streak to eight matches with a pair of three-set home wins over Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

• Junior middle blocker Olivia Fairchild averaged 3.33 kills and 1.67 blocks per set with a .400 hitting percentage to lead the Vikings. She opened with nine kills and six blocks against Northwest Nazarene before finishing with 11 kills and four blocks against Central Washington. Fairchild ranks second in the GNAC and third in Division II with 1.40 blocks per set while also averaging 2.51 kills per set.

• Junior middle blocker Chloe Roetcisoender averaged 2.83 kills and 1.50 blocks per set in the wins. She finished with seven kills and five blocks against Northwest Nazarene and added 10 kills, four blocks and two aces against Central Washington. Roetcisoender is sixth in the GNAC with 1.07 blocks per set while averaging 1.78 kills per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn averaged 2.33 kills and six digs per set. She just missed a double-double against Northwest Nazarene with eight kills and 13 digs. Heilborn then added totals of six kills and 23 digs against Central Washington. Heilborn is fifth in the GNAC with 3.13 kills per set.

• Western Washington is third in the GNAC with 12.84 kills and 11.94 assists per set. The Vikings lead the conference and rank fourth in Division II with 2.62 blocks per set and 47th with a .231 hitting percentage

• Western Washington stayed at No. 19 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll. It is the 117th consecutive week that WWU has appeared in the top 25.

• The Vikings head north this week to face Alaska on Thursday and conference co-leader Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.