Northwest Nazarene University Athletics

No.15 Vikings sweep Crusaders

11/13/2010 10:45:14 PM | By: Craig Stensgaard, NNU Sports Information Director

The Crusaders prepare at WWU on Saturday night

Boxscore and Stats

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Northwest Nazarene University volleyball team completed the 2010 season on Saturday night, falling 11-25, 21-25, 19-25 at nationally-ranked Western Washington University in Bellingham.

The Vikings, ranked No.15 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll and No.3 in the West Region, improved to 19-3 overall and tied for first place in the GNAC with Seattle Pacific at 16-2. They await word Sunday (7 p.m.) of their seed and opponent in the West Regional of NCAA Division II National Tournament on Nov. 18-20.

Northwest Nazarene finished 7-17 overall and 7-11 in conference play. Haley Abbott led the Crusaders with 15 kills, and Reisa Fessler added 12.

Abbott his .387 in the match and had just three hitting errors in 31 total attacks.

Haley Hevern led the Crusaders with 14 digs and finishes her career as the all-time dig leader at NNU in rally scoring with 1,525 career digs. She finishes only 13 digs behind side-out scoring dig leader Liz Benear (1,538) and also completes her career ranked 6th all-time in the GNAC.

The Vikings trailed by at least three points early in all three sets, but used big runs to come back each time.

Northwest Nazarene jumped to a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but Western asserted control by scoring 17 of the next 18 points to take an 18-5 lead.

The Crusaders led as late as 11-10 in the second set, but the Vikings ran off five straight points to take a 15-11 advantage and never led by less than two points after that.

In the final frame, Northwest Nazarene went in front early again, taking a 10-5 lead. Western rallied with six straight points, but the set was still tied at 15-15 before the Vikings took control with an 8-0 run.

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