By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – A five-set win over reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion Seattle Pacific last Thursday provided an equal sense of relief and belief for the Northwest Nazarene volleyball team, which was named the GNAC Team of the Week on Monday.
 
The Nighthawks (5-7, 2-2 GNAC) entered last week with a bitter taste in their mouths, on the heels of three consecutive five-set defeats including losses to Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon to open conference play. All was forgotten when the final point hit the floor at Johnson Sports Center last Thursday, as NNU picked up its first conference win of the season winning the decisive frame over the Falcons 15-12. “Some of the emotions come from the week before where we lost two five-set matches 15-13 to Western Oregon and Saint Martin’s,” said NNU head coach Doug English, who is in his 12th season leading the program.
 
The win over SPU did not come easy, as the Nighthawks watched a 2-0 advantage disappear when the Falcons won two straight sets to even the match. Keeping their composure on their home floor, the Nighthawks rallied to avenge the previous week’s losses and finish the job in the final set. “We got up 2-0 to SPU, then found ourselves back in a fifth set,” said English. “Our players did a good job of being aggressive in the fifth set, which we weren’t able to do a week before. Being home with the crowd and our experience from last weekend helped with the game Thursday.”
 
NNU followed the triumph over the Falcons with a solid 3-1 result over Montana State Billings on Saturday. NNU followed its season-high 16 blocks against the Falcons with a dozen more against the Yellowjackets,

marking two of its three highest block totals of the season. After averaging 1.59 blocks per set in their first 10 matches, NNU upped its performance by averaging 3.11 blocks per set last week. “On Saturday, we continued that momentum we had from Thursday, especially in blocking,” English said. “Improving our blocking numbers made a big difference for us. Jenna Holm did a nice job on the right side for us stepping in at a place she hasn’t played for us this year.”
 
Leading the barrage of blocks was GNAC Defensive Player of the Week Madi Smith, who racked up 15 total blocks and averaged 1.67 blocks per set in the wins last week. The junior from Olympia, Wash., had seven total blocks against the Falcons, including a combo block with Abby Black that sealed match point in the fifth set. Hailey Cheney had a team-high eight block assists while Black had six and Miya Koch chipped in five in the win over the Falcons. In addition to Smith’s team-high eight against the ‘Jackets, Holm came through with five total blocks to go along with seven kills. “Our blocking found some momentum and we had probably three or four stuff blocks at the end of that fifth set,” English said on closing out the SPU match. “When you’re in fifth sets, there is nothing like a stuff block to give you momentum moving forward. In timeouts we talked about being aggressive, and we got some big kills at the end. McKaylee Becker came in and served a great ball on the last point, and we just got some momentum-making plays.”
 
On the offensive side of the ball, senior outside hitter Maren Machado led the way averaging 3.33 kills per set and 0.78 aces per set. Machado, whose career began in 2020, came through with a career-high seven aces in the win over the Falcons. Her previous career single-match best in the category was four aces. Machado had double-doubles in both wins, with 11 kills and 16 digs against SPU and 19 kills to go with 18 digs against MSUB. “Maren has done everything we have asked her to do,” English said. “She played outside to start the season, moved to libero and now has moved back to outside. She has been very team-first for us in that role. As she has gotten older, she has become a great passer and defender for us. Maren has grown into a really good attacker as well. She has lots of shots and does not make many errors. She has become a glue piece for us, and helps get us out of trouble.”
 
Black, a sophomore from Wenatchee, Wash., was the other Nighthawk to reach double figures in kills in both matches. She had a season-high 16 – the second-highest total of her career – against the Yellowjackets after notching a dozen against the Falcons. Holm had 10 kills against SPU, and Koch came through with 11 against SPU.
 
NNU also relied on the presence of freshman libero Kayci Spray and the setting tandem of Gabi Moore and Morgan Wilding. Spray averaged 4.11 digs per set, with 19 against the Falcons and 18 against the Yellowjackets. “Kaci played libero this week and had great defensive matches against both SPU and Billings,” English said. “SPU went cross court a lot at her, and she made some great plays. We asked her to change her role and pick up tips against Billings, and her job is to make that first ball better for us.”
 
Moore had a team-high 22 assists against SPU, before Wilding led the team with 27 assists against MSUB. The duo averaged 5.22 assists/set and 5.00 assists/set, respectively on the week. “Gabi and Morgan did a nice job following the scouting report both days,” English said. “They were able to get the ball to kids who can score points. They both executed the game plan how we wanted them to.”
 
NNU’s success last week sets up a showdown in its lone match this week, which is slated for 1 p.m. (MT) on Saturday when GNAC preseason favorite Central Washington (6-4, 4-0) visits Nampa. The Wildcats are at the top of the GNAC standings, after also topping both SPU and MSUB at home last week. “We know we are playing one of the best teams in the conference on Saturday,” English said about his squad’s upcoming match. “We have to keep working and doing what we’ve done the past few weeks. The team is doing a great job every week of growing and getting better. We will try to do the same thing this week and put ourselves in a spot to be able to win.”