NAMPA, Idaho - Amanda Boschma led the Crusaders with 11 kills as the Northwest Nazarene University volleyball team completed the season sweep of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, defeating the Nanooks 27-25, 25-22, 25-13 on Thursday night in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at the Johnson Sports Center.

 

Boschma, who had seven kills in game two alone, hit .348 for the match and .545 in the second set.  "Amanda was the spark that we needed to separate us from this very good team," commented NNU head coach Jared Sliger as his team improved to 6-4 in GNAC play and 12-7 overall.

 

Cammy Dranginis also finished in double-digits with 10 kills and Lindsay Forseth and Kailey Trautmann had seven and six kills, respectively.

 

"Our setters did a nice job running the show when they had their chances," Sliger added.  Eki Punimata finished with 21 assists and Amy Higginson chipped in with eight.

 

Haley Hevern led all defenders with 13 kills, Forseth added 12 and the Crusaders out-blocked the Nanooks 6-3.

 

Megan Thigpen paced UAF with a match-high 13 kills and Korlyn Bolster had 12.  Alexa Sherman finished with a match-high 33 assists and Thigpen posted the night's only double-double, adding 12 digs to her effort.

 

The loss was just the third of the conference season for the Nanooks who are now 7-3 in GNAC action and 13-6 overall.  NNU accounts for two of the three losses, having also defeated UAF in Fairbanks on September 20th.

 

The night began with the Crusaders kicking-off their Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, handing out pink bags to interested fans to collect money and then return the bags to the NNU match on October 30th, which is NNU Breast Cancer Awareness Night.  The money will be combined into one large pink bag and donated to cancer research.  Fans that return with ten dollars or more will receive a pink NNU Volleyball t-shirt.

 

Now winners of four-straight, the Crusaders will look to extend the streak on Saturday night when they host the University of Alaska Anchorage at 7:00 p.m.

Short Box Score (Match)
The Automated ScoreBook
Alaska Fairbanks vs Northwest Nazarene (Oct 23, 2008 at Nampa,Idaho)

  Northwest Nazarene def. Alaska Fairbanks 27-25,25-22,25-13

  Alaska Fairbanks (7-3 GNAC, 13-6) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
  Thigpen,Megan 13-2-0; Bolster,Korlyn 12-0-2; Lyons,Heather 5-0-0;
  Wikander,Marybeth 4-0-1; Hill,Jessica 2-0-1; Totals 36-2-3.0.
  (Assists) - Sherman,Alexa 33. (Dig leaders) - Thigpen,Megan 12;
  Lyons,Heather 10; Holland,Jennifer 10

  Northwest Nazarene (6-4 GNAC, 12-7) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
  Boschma,Amanda 11-1-1; Dranginis,Cammy 10-0-3; Forseth,Lindsay 7-2-2;
  Trautmann,Kailey 6-0-0; Punimata,Eki 3-0-0; Higginson,Amy 2-0-0;
  VanElderen,Kelly 1-0-2; Abbott,Haley 0-0-1; Hevern,Haley 0-2-0; Totals
  40-5-6.0. (Assists) - Punimata,Eki 21. (Dig leaders) - Hevern,Haley
  13; Forseth,Lindsay 12; Boschma,Amanda 8

  Site: Nampa,Idaho (Johnson Sports Ctr.)
  Date: Oct 23, 2008   Attend: 383   Time: 1.5hrs
  Referees: Gerrod Shumway, Conrad Johnston