ANCHORAGE ? Senior Rhea Cardwell smashed 18 kills and libero Stacie Meisner made 25 digs as the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team started its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule on the right foot Thursday, defeating Northwest Nazarene 25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 25-17 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The Seawolves (9-5, 1-0 GNAC), who won just one league match a year ago, also got 13 kills from sophomore middle blocker Courtney Lundberg and 10 kills and 10 digs from senior outside hitter Rachel Kidwell to snap an 11-match home GNAC losing streak.

The Crusaders (6-3, 0-1) did not have any individuals reach double-figures in kills as all-league middle blocker managed nine. Outside hitter Amanda Boschma led the visitors from Nampa, Idaho, with 22 digs.

The result also ended a nine-match NNU winning streak in the series that dated to 2003.

Despite a solid second set by the Crusaders, UAA controlled play throughout the match, building early leads in the first, third and fourth sets that it would not relinquish.

Meisner equaled a pair of personal and Seawolf season-bests with her 25 digs and four aces. Senior Joanna Johnson had eight kills and three aces as UAA out-aced NNU 11-2.

Lundberg was once again a hitting star for the Seawolves, finishing with a .545 attack pct. (13 kills-1 error-22 attempts), including .857 (6-0-7) in the fourth set. It was the fifth match this year that the JC transfer (Miles [Mont.] CC) has had at least a .500 attack percentage.

Meanwhile, Cardwell led the Seawolves in kills for the 10th straight match, finishing with an impressive .327 attack pct. (18-2-49).

The Seawolves return to action Saturday night when they host Seattle Pacific (2-8, 0-1) at 7 p.m. at the WFSC.