Scoreboard

#16 Crusaders sweep battle of GNAC leaders

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

#16 Crusaders sweep battle of GNAC leaders

ANCHORAGE – The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team could not capitalize on a quick start Saturday as 16th-ranked Northwest Nazarene rallied for a 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 victory at the Alaska Airlines Center in a battle for first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Junior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders had a team-high 14 kills for the Seawolves (17-4, 11-2 GNAC), who had their seven-match winning come to an end. Junior right-side hitter Julia Mackey came off the bench in the second set and finished with nine kills on .615 hitting, but it wasn't enough against NNU, which finished with hefty advantages in attack percentage (.248 to .133) and digs (67-55).

The Crusaders (19-2, 12-1) were led by 15 kills on .522 hitting from junior middle blocker Andrea Terpstra, plus 11 kills on .400 hitting from freshman outside hitter Kendra Bodine. Setter Michelle Terpstra had 40 assists and 10 digs, and libero Taylor Roberts made an impressive 29 digs as the visitors from Idaho swept the season series.

Should the GNAC race end in a UAA-NNU tie, the Crusaders would now earn the league's automatic postseason bid. The initial NCAA Div. II West Region rankings come out Wednesday.

Just as they did in a 25-13 first-set win over 24th-ranked Central Washington two nights ago, the Seawolves came out firing and took a 17-12 lead on a kill by Kayla McGlathery (6 kills, 4 block assists). But the momentum completely shifted at that point as NNU answered with a 9-1 run. UAA pulled back within 22-21 before the Andrea Terpstra blasted a kill and the Crusaders took the final three rallies.

NNU controlled play throughout the second and third sets, getting six kills and five total blocks from Taylor VanValey as well.

UAA was defensively by senior libero Quinn Barker's 19 digs, plus 10 digs from junior outside hitter Sarah Johnson. Sophomore setter Morgan Hooe had 30 assists and eight digs.

The Seawolves hit the road for their next three matches, beginning with Thursday's 6 p.m. first serve against Western Oregon in Monmouth, Ore.


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Players Mentioned

Sarah Johnson

#12 Sarah Johnson

OH
6' 1"
Freshman
Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

RS
5' 11"
Freshman
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

OH
5' 9"
Freshman
Quinn Barker

#1 Quinn Barker

L
5' 4"
Junior
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

S
5' 6"
Freshman
Kayla McGlathery

#12 Kayla McGlathery

MB
6' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Sarah Johnson

#12 Sarah Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
OH
Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

5' 11"
Freshman
RS
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

5' 9"
Freshman
OH
Quinn Barker

#1 Quinn Barker

5' 4"
Junior
L
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

5' 6"
Freshman
S
Kayla McGlathery

#12 Kayla McGlathery

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB