Boxscore

LACEY, Wash. – Lindsay Grant led the Crusaders with 11 kills as the Northwest Nazarene University volleyball team defeated Saint Martin's University 3-0 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match on Thursday night at the Marcus Pavilion in Lacey.

The Crusaders (10-5, 3-1 GNAC) swept past the Saints 25-9, 25-16, 25-23 to pick up their third conference win of the season.  

Highlighting the NNU effort was Eki Punimata, who finished with 21 assists and seven service aces in just three sets.

“Eki started us off with an incredible serving run and it seemed like we were playing downhill the rest of the way,” commented NNU head coach Jared Sliger.  Punimata, the first Crusader to serve in game one, ran off a streak that found the Crusaders leading 11-1 before a successful SMU side-out.

Alaina Barber finished with nine kills to join Grant in leading the NNU offense, while Haley Hevern and Grant paced the defense with 14 digs each.

The Crusaders held the Saints to a .099 hitting percentage and out-dug the hosts 39 to 22.

NNU will now travel to Monmouth, Ore. to face the defending GNAC champions, Western Oregon University at 7:00 p.m. at the New PE Building on the WOU campus.  The game will be webcast free of charge at www.greatnorthwest.tv