Tuesday, October 11, 2022

SEAWOLVES, VIKINGS REMAIN AT THE TOP: The conference’s two nationally-ranked teams continue to hold serve as the second half of the GNAC season begins.

Alaska Anchorage succeeded in running through the first half of the conference season undefeated, completing the run with a three-set sweep at Central Washington on Thursday and a four-set victory at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. With the victories, the Seawolves have won 11 in a row and improved their overall record to 19-1.

Western Washington improved its current win streak to five matches and maintained second place in the GNAC with two wins over the weekend. The Vikings scored a four-set win at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a three-set sweep of Western Oregon on Saturday. Western Washington improved to 13-4 on the season.

Both teams maintained their spots in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll with Alaska Anchorage at No. 9 and Western Washington at No. 11.
The schedule sets up well for the Seawolves with five of their nine remaining matches at the Alaska Airlines Center. Western Washington will play four of its remaining nine at home and will host the Seawolves next week.

The conference’s hottest team, however, continues to be Seattle Pacific. The Falcons have now won five straight matches and closed the first half of the conference season with a three-set sweep of Montana State Billings.

After opening the season with a 2-6 record in non-conference play, Seattle Pacific now sits in third place in the conference with a 6-3 record. The Falcons will be road tested this weekend, playing at Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday. The Seawolves will welcome Montana State Billings on Saturday.

Western Washington plays just once this week, traveling to Simon Fraser on Saturday.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Ellen Floyd, Alaska Anchorage
S • 5-10 • Senior • Pensacola, Fla.

Floyd averaged 9.57 assists, 1.29 kills and 3.43 digs per set as UAA went 2-0 on the road and closed the first half of the GNAC season undefeated. Floyd compiled 25 assists, eight digs, five kills and a block in Thursday’s three-set sweep at Central Washington. She then added totals of 42 assists, 16 digs, four kills and three blocks in Saturday’s four-set win at Northwest Nazarene.

Also Nominated: Rilee White (Alaska), Emma Daoud-Hebert (Central Washington), Olivia Wright (Northwest Nazarene), Hannah Hair (Central Washington), Jocelyn Sherman (Simon Fraser), Sarah Crowell (Western Oregon), Malia Aleaga (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Eve Stephens, Alaska Anchorage
RS • 6-1 • Senior • Palmer, Alaska

Stephens averaged 4.14 digs, 1.71 blocks and 3.86 kills per set in two road victories. She opened with 10 digs, six blocks and 11 kills to go with two assists and two aces in Thursday’s three-set sweep at Central Washington. On Saturday, Stephens led the way with 19 digs, six blocks, 16 kills and an ace in a four-set win over Northwest Nazarene.  

Also Nominated: Jessa Long (Alaska), Caroline McMahon (Northwest Nazarene), Kalissa Beltran (Simon Fraser), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• It was a tough week for the Nanooks, who dropped a pair of three-set road matches to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Rilee White led Alaska with averages of 2.33 kills and two digs per set. White turned in nine kills and 10 digs to lead UAF at Northwest Nazarene. She added five kills, two digs and four blocks at Central Washington. White ranks 10th in the GNAC with 2.78 kills per set. She is second in the GNAC with 0.53 aces per set and is 14th in Division II with 41 aces.

• Sophomore outside hitter Karli Nielson averaged 1.67 kills per set, paced by her eight kills and four digs at Northwest Nazarene. Nielson enters the week averaging 2.72 kills per set.

• Freshman setter Ainsley Smith led Alaska’s two-setter system by averaging 4.67 assists per set, led by her 19 at Northwest Nazarene. Smith is sixth in the GNAC with 5.47 assists per set.

• Alaska enters the week averaging 12.26 kills per set and is fourth in the GNAC with 14.04 digs per set. The Nanooks lead Division II with 193 total blocks and rank second in the GNAC and 11th in Division II with 2.47 blocks per set.

• The second half of GNAC play for Alaska begins at home with the Nanooks hosting Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage made the turn on the GNAC season with a 9-0 record, completing the first half with a three-set win at Central Washington on Thursday and a four-set win at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Senior setter Ellen Floyd was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 9.57 assists, 3.43 digs and 1.29 kills per set in the two wins. Floyd opened with 25 assists, eight digs and five kills at Central Washington. She then added totals of 42 assists, 16 digs, four kills and three blocks at Northwest Nazarene. Floyd is second in the GNAC with 10.33 assists per set and is tied for sixth with 0.41 aces per set.

• Senior right-side hitter Eve Stephens earned weekly honors for the fifth time this season and for the first time was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after she averaged 4.14 digs, 1.71 blocks and 3.85 kills per set. Stephens finished with 10 digs, six blocks, 11 kills and two aces at Central Washington. She then added a double-double of 19 digs and 16 kills with six blocks and an ace at Northwest Nazarene. Stephens leads the GNAC and is eighth in Division II with 4.48 kills per set. She is second in Division II with 5.55 points per set and 15th with 0.61 aces per set, leading the GNAC in both categories.

• Senior outside hitter Lisa Januet averaged three kills per set with a .259 hitting percentage. Jaunet finished with nine kills at Central Washington and 12 kills at Northwest Nazarene. Jaunet is sixth in the GNAC with 3.04 kills per set.

• Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC and ranks fifth in Division II with a .285 hitting percentage. The Seawolves lead the GNAC and rank 45th in Division II with 13.13 kills per set and also lead the conference and rank 20th in Division II with 2.28 aces per set.

• Alaska Anchorage retained its No. 9 position in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• The Seawolves return to the Alaska Airlines Center this week to host Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split at home against the Alaska schools last week, losing in three sets to Alaska Anchorage on Thursday before scoring a three-set sweep of Alaska on Saturday.

• Sophomore middle blocker Emma Daoud-Hebert led CWU with 2.83 kills and 1.50 blocks per set. Daoud-Hebert came up with eight kills and two blocks against Alaska Anchorage before coming up with nine kills and seven blocks against Alaska. She enters the week averaging 1.80 kills per set and leads the conference and ranks second in Division II with 1.43 blocks per set.

• Junior setter/outside hitter Tia Andaya averaged five assists, 2.50 kills, two digs and 0.67 blocks per set. Andaya posted totals of 15 assists, seven kills, four digs and two blocks against Alaska Anchorage. She added eight kills, 15 assists, eight digs and two blocks in the win over Alaska. Andaya is eighth in the GNAC with 2.88 kills per set and 10th with 5.22 assists per set.

• Junior outside hitter Ashley Kaufman paced the defense with four digs per set to go with 1.67 kills per set. She opened the week with six kills, and 10 digs against Alaska Anchorage. She then added four kills, 14 digs and three aces against Alaska. Kaufman is fifth in the GNAC with 3.09 kills per set.

• Central Washington enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with 12.62 kills per set while averaging 13.20 digs per set. The Wildcats lead the conference and rank ninth in Division II with 2.52 blocks per set.

• Central Washington received votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll for the seventh straight week, picking up 22 points.

• The Wildcats continue a four-match homestand this week, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings lost its only match of the week, falling in three sets at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Freshman outside hitter Caty Havekost led the Yellowjackets in the loss with nine kills, one ace and one block. She enters the week ranked ninth in the GNAC with 2.82 kills per set.

• Junior outside hitter Olivia Schwartz also finished with nine kills in the loss. She enters the week averaging 1.82 kills per set.

• Senior setter Hannah Hashbarger finished with 26 assists to go with an ace and a block. She ranks fifth in the GNAC with 6.65 assists per set.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 11.42 kills per set and is second in the conference with 14.68 digs per set.

• The second half of the GNAC season begins on the road in Alaska, traveling to play the Nanooks on Thursday and the Seawolves on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene split its matches in the opening weekend of a four-match homestand, beating Alaska in three sets on Thursday before falling in four sets to Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• Senior middle blocker Olivia Wright averaged 3.86 kills and 0.86 blocks per set to lead the Nighthawks in the two matches. She led NNU in the win over Alaska with 14 kills, four blocks and a .571 hitting percentage. Wright then added 13 kills and two blocks against Alaska Anchorage. Wright is third in the GNAC with 3.54 kills per set and fifth with 1.11 blocks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Natalie Sullivan averaged 3.71 kills, 3.14 digs and 0.43 aces per set. She posted double-doubles in each match, finishing with 12 kills, 10 digs and a block against Alaska along with 14 kills, 12 digs, three aces and a block against Alaska Anchorage. Sullivan ranks fourth in the GNAC with 3.52 kills per set.

• Junior libero Caroline McMahon led all GNAC players last week with an average of 5.86 digs per set, finishing with 16 against Alaska and 25 against Alaska Anchorage. She ranks third in the conference with 4.38 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene is second in the GNAC with 12.95 kills per set. The Nighthawks lead the conference with 16.53 digs per set while ranking second in the GNAC and 42nd in Division II with a .236 hitting percentage. The team also leads the GNAC and ranks 46th in Division II with a .143 opponent hitting percentage.

• The NNU homestand continues this week with matches against Western Oregon on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s took two losses to close the first half of the conference season, dropping a four-set match to Western Washington on Thursday and a three-set match to Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Tia Allen averaged 2.71 kills and two aces per set to lead the Saints. She finished with nine kills, six digs and four blocks against Western Washington before posting totals of 10 kills and eight digs against Simon Fraser. Allen ranks second in the GNAC with 3.69 kills per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Emmy Hansen averaged 2.43 kills per set. She led the Saints against Western Washington with 12 kills and a .529 hitting percentage. She added a five-kill performance against Simon Fraser. Hanson, who has played in 16 of the Saints’ 19 matches as a freshman, is averaging 2.06 kills per set for the season.

• Freshman setter Karla Soto averaged 9.43 assists per set in the two matches. She came up with 36 assists, two aces and six digs against Western Washington followed by 36 assists, four kills, three digs and three blocks against Simon Fraser. Soto is fourth in the GNAC with 9.61 assists per set.

• Saint Martin’s is averaging 12.43 kills and 13.99 digs per set and ranks fourth in the conference with a .184 opponent hitting percentage.

• Saint Martin’s opens the second half of the conference schedule on the road with matches at Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific was a winner in its only match of the week, scoring a three-set win over Montana State Billings on Saturday in Seattle.

• Junior middle blocker Hannah Hair led the way with another near-perfect match, finishing with 10 kills and six blocks with a .667 hitting percentage. She committed no errors on 15 attack attempts. Hair enters the week averaging 1.89 kills per set and ranks 10th in the GNAC with 0.92 blocks per set. She is also second in the GNAC with a .383 hitting percentage.

• Senior opposite Ashley Antoniak added nine kills, eight digs and two blocks in the victory She enters the week averaging a team-leading 2.48 kills per set and 2.03 digs per set.

• The two-setter system worked well for the Falcons with senior Lindsey Lambert finishing with 19 assists and sophomore Emily Tulino finishing with 17 assists. Tulino is averaging 4.80 assists per set while Lambert is averaging 4.17 assists per set.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week averaging 11.43 kills and 12.71 digs per set. The Falcons rank fourth in the GNAC with 1.82 aces per set.

• Seattle Pacific is on the road to open the second half of conference play, competing at Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser ended the opening half of the conference season with a split, dropping a five-set match at Western Oregon on Thursday before scoring a three-set victory at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Jocelyn Sherman led the way with averages of 3.62 kills and 2.50 digs per set. She shared top offensive honors at Western Oregon, finishing with 14 kills and nine digs. Sherman led the way at Saint Martin’s with a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs. Sherman enters the week averaging 2.42 kills and 2.17 digs per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Brooke Dexter averaged 2.43 kills, 1.86 digs and 0.71 blocks per set in the two matches. Dexter posted a double-double of 14 kills and 10 digs with four blocks at Western Oregon. She had a quieter night at Saint Martin’s, finishing with three kills, three digs and a block. Dexter ranks seventh in the GNAC with 2.92 kills per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Sophie Lachapelle also averaged 2.43 kills per set, which included an eight-kill performance at Western Oregon and a nine-kill, three-dig, three-block performance with a .421 hitting percentage at Saint Martin’s. Lachapelle enters the week averaging 1.16 kills per set.

• Simon Fraser is averaging 11.30 kills and 13.70 digs per set. The Red Leafs are 35th in Division II with 160 total blocks.

• The second half of the GNAC season begins with one match at home this week for Simon Fraser, welcoming Western Washington on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split to close the first half of the GNAC season, scoring a five-set win over Simon Fraser at home on Thursday before taking a three-set loss to Western Washington on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Sarah Crowell averaged 3.38 kills and 0.62 blocks per set to lead the Wolves offensively. She led the way in the victory over Simon Fraser with 17 kills, four digs and five blocks. Crowell then came up with 10 kills against Western Washington. Crowell has played in 12 of the Wolves’ 17 matches this season and averages 2.53 kills per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Madison Hornback averaged 2.62 kills and 2.62 digs per set. She posted a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs against Simon Fraser. Hornback added 11 kills and eight digs against Western Washington. Hornback enters the week averaging a team-leading 2.59 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Delaney Smith averaged 2.38 kills and 0.75 blocks per set with a .447 hitting percentage in the two matches. She finished with 13 kills and five blocks against Simon Fraser before notching totals of six kills and one block against Western Washington. Smith averages 1.72 kills per set. She leads the conference and ranks 24th in Division II with a .384 hitting percentage.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 12.48 kills and 13.17 digs per set. The Wolves rank fifth in the GNAC with 11.75 assists per set.

• The Wolves hit the road this week, playing at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington has now won five matches in a row and improved to 8-1 in GNAC play with a four-set win at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a three-set win at Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman led the Vikings with averages of 2.71 kills and 3.14 digs per set. Gunterman posted a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs with a .471 hitting percentage against Saint Martin’s. She then added totals of nine kills and nine digs at Western Oregon. Gunterman enters the week averaging 2.43 kills and 2.70 digs per set.

• Senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn posted averages of 2.71 kills and 2.57 digs per set. Heilborn finished with nine kills, seven digs and a pair of aces at Saint Martin’s. She then turned in a double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs with three blocks at Western Oregon. Heilborn is averaging a team-leading 2.60 kills per set and ranks 10th in the GNAC with 3.24 digs per set.

• Senior middle blocker Chloe Roetcisoender added 2.57 kills and one block per set in the two victories. She finished with nine kills in both matches, adding three blocks and an ace at Saint Martin’s along with four blocks and a .474 hitting percentage at Western Oregon. Roetcisoender averages 2.56 kills per set. She is second in the GNAC and 11th in Division II with 1.27 blocks per set.

• Western Washington ranks third in the GNAC with 12.69 kills per set while averaging 14.44 digs per set. The Vikings are third in the GNAC and 19th in Division II with 2.44 blocks per set.

• Western Washington retained its No. 11 spot in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Western Washington opens the second half of conference play with one match at Simon Fraser on Saturday.