NAMPA, Idaho (Sept. 25) – Julia Mackey tied her career high with 18 kills but it wasn't quite enough for the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team Thursday as 23rd-ranked Northwest Nazarene prevailed 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23 at the Johnson Sports Center.

The Seawolves (10-3, 4-1 GNAC) also got 16 kills from junior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders and 12 kills from sophomore middle blocker Kayla McGlathery in a battle of the last two remaining teams with perfect Great Northwest Athletic Conference records.

The Crusaders (11-1, 4-0) got 16 kills and 13 digs from outside hitter Elayna Rice, plus 14 kills from Kendra Bodine to take over first place in the early GNAC race. NNU out-hit the Seawolves .290 to .206, powered by 47 assists from setter Michelle Terpstra.

The fourth set was a tight affair until the Crusaders finally pulled ahead 23-20 with a 3-0 run. A pair of kills by UAA's Brooke Pottle brought the deficit down to 24-23 before the Crusaders earned match point on the Seawolves' ninth service error of the night.

Mackey, a junior right-side hitter from Fairbanks' West Valley High School, matched her career-high for the third time, notching her 18 kills on .351 hitting. Sophomore Erin Braun finished with nine kills and Pottle added seven, while sophomore setter Morgan Hooe dished a career-high 54 assists.

On the back row, senior libero Quinn Barker made a team-high 22 digs for the Seawolves.

UAA heads west for another key match against a top-25 team when it visits 13th-ranked Central Washington on Saturday at 6 p.m. ADT.