Coming Up – Alaska Anchorage (September 21, Anchorage, Alaska, 8:00 p.m.), Alaska Fairbanks (September 23, Fairbanks, Alaska, 8:00 p.m.).
COMPLETE MEDIA GUIDE
Live Stats/Live Video – Live Stats and Live Video of both of SMU's Volleyball Matches will be available with links found on smusaints.com. Live stats and video will be produced by the Host School.
Social Media – Follow the Saints on Facebook (Saint Martin's University Volleyball) and follow SMU Athletics on Facebook (Saint Martin's Saints), Twitter (SMUAthletics), Instagram (saints_athletics) and YouTube (SMU Athletics).
Ticket Information - SMU students get in free to all SMU home games with a valid student ID card and tickets are available for only five dollars. Seniors/Military/Non-SMU Students get in for three dollars. Children under the age of 11 get in free.
Saints Split First Two GNAC Games To Open Conference Season – The Saints fell in straight sets to the Wolves of Western Oregon (25-15, 25-14, 25-19) to begin the 2017 GNAC conference season. The Saints (5-4, 0-1 GNAC) took the early advantage over the Wolves (5-3, 1-0) after kills from
Megan Vernoy and
Rebecca Mitchell put the Saints up 5-2. WOU chipped away at the Saints' lead until they trailed by one at the 10-9 mark. Western Oregon rallied behind a 15-3 run to secure the 25-15 set victory. The Wolves established control in the second set with another 15-3 run, this time to begin the set. The Saints outscored the Wolves in the second half of the set, 11-10, but ultimately fell 25-14. In the final set, the Wolves jumped out to an early 9-5 lead. Kills from
Rachel Gondrezick and
Nicolette Nesbitt jump started the Saints' attack and began a 4-0 run that was highlighted by kills from
Emily Gooding, Mitchell, and a service ace by Gooding. The Saints closed Western Oregon's lead to 20-19 before the Wolves ended the match on a 5-0 run. Fueled by a career-high 25 kills for
Rebecca Mitchell and
Megan Vernoy tying the single game four set service ace record at seven, the Saints upended Concordia 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18) in front of a rowdy Marcus Pavilion crowd. The Saints (6-4, 1-1 GNAC) stormed out to an early 13-5 lead in the first set over Concordia (6-3, 1-1) backed up kills from
Nicolette Nesbitt,
Emily Gooding and company. The Cavaliers rallied behind a 6-0 run later in the set to draw within one point of the Saints lead and later tied the score on three different occasions. With the set knotted at 22-22 a piece, Gooding and Nesbitt provided the final blow and sealed the 25-23 victory. Concordia gained the early advantage in the second set, taking a 13-8 lead. The Saints battled back with kills from
Rachel Gondrezick, Mitchell and a service ace from Nesbitt to tie the set at 15-15. CU used a 4-0 run to jumpstart their offense and finish the set out with a victory 25-22 to even the match. Concordia held the slight lead in the early goings of the third set, 11-8, before kills from Mitchell sparked a 6-1 run for SMU, highlighted by kills from Gondrezick, Vernoy and Gooding. Leading 18-16, Saint Martin's rattled off four straight points, including three straight kills from Mitchell to take command of the set and the eventual 25-20 victory. In the fourth and final set, Rebecca once again lead the Saints by delivering with four kills in the first five Saints' points. After a service error by Concordia tied the set at 9-9, Vernoy gave the Saints the lead with three straight service aces. Mitchell connected on three more balls for kills to go along with a service for Nesbitt to keep the Saints ahead 18-15. After a kill for Concordia brought the Cavaliers to within two, 18-16, the Saints closed out the match on a 7-2 run, capped off by two more Vernoy aces and two kills from Gondrezick. The Saints 3-1 victory over Concordia was the first in program history after the Saints had dropped the first seven meetings.
Rebecca Mitchell's Career Game – In the 3-1 victory over Concordia,
Rebecca Mitchell set a new career-high in kills with 25. After already tying and eventually breaking her kills record this season, Mitchell set a new high by four kills in the match on Saturday.
Saints First Win Over Concordia in NCAA D-II Era – For the first time in Saint Martin's NCAA D-II history, the Saints defeated Concordia after losing the first seven meetings.
Alaska Anchorage Preview – After starting the season 4-4, the Seawolves are currently on a three-game winning streak with a 2-0 record in GNAC play. Coming off a 3-1 victory over Montana State Billings, the Seawolves are led by Chrisalyn Johnson, who leads the team with 130 kills and 2.83 kills per set. Leah Swiss (127 kills, 22 service aces) and Diana Fa'amausili (117 kills, 42 blocks) support the UAA attack. Swiss is second on the team in digs with 109 only to Keala Kaio-Perez's 198. As a whole, UAA has recorded 539 total kills compared to their opponents 508 kills. Alaska Anchorage has tallied a total 489 assists, 93 aces, 686 digs and 101.5 blocks. The Seawolves are 2-1 in three set matches, 3-0 in four sets, and 2-3 in five sets.
Alaska Fairbanks Preview – The Nanooks went 7-2 in nonconference play and faced Alaska Anchorage and Montana State Billings in their first matchups, falling in both. UAF will host Seattle Pacific before they face the Saints. Leading the charge for UAF is Gabby Lerma, who in 38 sets has managed 104 kills with a team leading 2.74 kills per set. Lahra Weber, Maddie Davis and Markie Miller have tallied 91, 90 and 85 kills respectively, making up most of the Nanooks' offense. Jenna Hickel leads the team with 193 digs while Riley Podowicz leads in blocks with 23 total. UAF leads the conference in service aces with 82 and is averaging 13.2 kills per set, 11.9 assists per set, 2.1 service aces per set, 14.9 digs per set and 1.2 blocks per set.
GNAC Review – Entering the second full week of GNAC play, Northwest Nazarene has yet to fall on the losing side of the scoreboard, going 10-0 and 2-0 in conference. Alaska Anchorage (7-4, 2-0) remains unbeaten in conference while Western Washington (8-3, 2-1) sits third. Concordia (6-3, 1-1), Seattle Pacific (6-4, 1-1), Central Washington (6-4, 1-1), Saint Martin's (6-4, 1-1), Western Oregon (5-4, 1-1), and Montana State Billings (5-6, 1-1) all sit tied among the GNAC standings. Alaska Fairbanks (7-4, 0-2) and Simon Fraser (3-8, 0-3) are still looking for their first win in the GNAC.
