NAMPA, Idaho. - In a battle of regionally ranked teams, the Northwest Nazarene University volleyball team defeated Seattle Pacific University 30-27, 30-21, 28-30 and 30-19 on Saturday night in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match in Nampa.

The Crusaders, ranked eighth in the NCAA Division II Pacific Region poll released earlier this week, improve to 12-6 overall and 6-4 in GNAC action. The Falcons, who entered the regional poll in the 10th position, fall to 9-9 overall and 4-6 in league play.

Cami Dranginis led the NNU offense with 17 kills and Lindsay Forseth led the defense with 24 digs as the Crusaders defeated the Falcons for the first time since September 27th, 2003.

Alyssa Given paced the Falcons with a match-best double-double of 18 kills and 18 digs and Angie Wodrich and Sara Risser both reached double-figures with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.

The Crusaders hit .176 in the match and held SPU to a .075 hitting percentage, forcing 41 hitting errors to the Crusaders 21.

NNU held strong at the net, out-blocking the Falcons 14 to 8, with Dranginis leading the way with 10, including six solo.

Loni Evenson had 10 kills and 18 digs to post the only double-double for the Crusaders. Defensively, Jackie Bourdon and Kristy Wigren hustled for 15 and 11 digs each, while Allison James had 38 assists and 10 digs.

The Crusaders will host league-leading Western Oregon next Thursday night and Saint Martin's University on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m.