Box Score



NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders made a strong case for a repeat trip to the NCAA National Tournament, and they did it at the expense of rival Central Washington.

Northwest Nazarene's offensive was on fire Tuesday night as three players pounded out double-digit kills in NNU's 25-22, 25-20, 27-25 sweep of the Wildcats in a battle for third place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

"Every match is a desperation match for us in order to have a chance to get into the playoffs, so this is a great win," said NNU head volleyball coach Doug English.
 

"Our heart was really in it tonight," added Crusader senior outside hitter Elayna Rice, who had 10 kills and nine digs in the win. "It felt good to get them in three."

The win gives NNU (18-9 overall, 15-4 GNAC) a split this season against the top three teams in last week's NCAA West Region poll — top-ranked Western Washington, second-ranked Alaska Anchorage and third-ranked CWU — as the Crusaders prepare for their final match of the regular season on Thursday night at 7 against Montana State Billings at the Johnson Sports Center.

The Crusaders hope not the last match of the season, though, as they came out making their case for a berth to the NCAA tournament — the top eight teams in next Monday's West Region poll earn berths — by hammering away at the Wildcats.

A Taylor VanValey kill sparked a 9-3 charge in the opening set, a run that saw Madi Farrell pound down three kills and that was capped by back-to-back tandem blocks by Kendra Bodine and Jenna Caywood to put NNU on top, 17-13.

NNU went up as much as 24-18 on another Farrell kill before taking a one set to none lead on a Wildcat hitting error.

The second set followed much the same patterned as a Kendra Bodine kill tied it, 15-15, and sparked a 7-2 surge by NNU that saw VanValey — who had a match-high 14 kills — put away three balls for the Crusaders.

Farrell capped the run with a kill, putting NNU on top 21-17, and she finished off the second set with another blast for a comfortable two set to none lead.
 

Then came the dramatic third and final set, which saw the Wildcats (19-7, 15-4) on the verge of a victory up 24-20 after a Kiah Jones kill.

But NNU simply refused to lose, starting a thrilling comeback with a Bodine kill.

A trio of CWU miscues aided the comeback, as did a VanValey kill, as the Crusaders earned a match point after fending off four set points.

The Wildcats prolonged the match, but only briefly, before a VanValey kill snapped a 25-25 tie, then a tandem block by Farrell and Rice completed the sweep.

"I think we just stayed calm and we knew we could do it," Rice said of the dramatic comeback. "There didn't seem to be any doubt in anyone's mind, just do what we know how to do and get it done."

Bodine finished the night with 12 kills and 14 digs for NNU, which also got 14 digs from Linnea Phillips and 46 assists from Hailey Cook in the victory.