Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho — A raucous, black-clad crowd of more than 700 cheered their Crusaders on, and it looked like an upset might be in the making.

The defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions won a first-set slugfest, rallied when down two sets to one, but in the end came up just short against 15^th-ranked Western Washington on Saturday night at the Johnson Sports Center, falling 29-31, 25-11, 25-14, 16-25, 15-10.

"It doesn't feel good at all, we think we're a really good volleyball team so when we lose to good teams it's not fun," said NNU head volleyball coach Doug English whose team has now gone five sets with three Top 25 teams, only to see all three matches escape his Crusaders.
 

Blocking proved to be the difference in the match, much to the chagrin of the Crusaders (5-7 overall, 2-2 GNAC), as the Vikings had 20 points off blocks in the win, setting the tone with eight blocks for points in the opening set.

A tandem block from Abby Phelps and Michaela Hall put NNU in a 17-12 hole in the opener, but a determined Crusader crew rallied, grabbing a 20-19 lead for itself on an Elayna Rice kill.

Both teams traded big blows as the set rolled on until a Madi Farrell kill followed by — ironically enough – a Crusader block by Farrell and Hailey Cook finished off the opening win.

But from there the Vikings block took control, slowing NNU's offense and scoring two big set wins to put the Crusaders back against the wall.

Out came NNU, even more determined, as a kill each by Taylor VanValey and Farrell, and two from Rice, gave the Crusaders a quick 4-1 edge in the fourth set, re-establishing the reigning GNAC champs confidence.

"I was really proud of how we responded after losing sets two and three because we haven't done that, so that was nice to see," English said.

A Jenna Caywood kill put NNU up 14-9, a Farrell blast made it 19-13, then back-to-back kills from Kendra Bodine and Caywood set up set point for the Crusaders, who went to a fifth set for the third time in four matches with a top 25 opponent.
 

But in the decisive fifth, a solo block by Jennica McPherson then a tandem block by Arielle Turner and Kayleigh Harper put the Vikings  (10-2, 4-0) on top, 2-0, and … .

"They got a couple really big blocks at the start of set five and that kind of set the tone," English said.

Bodine and Rice each had enormous nights in the five-set battle for NNU as Bodine had 19 kills and 13 digs and Rice added 16 kills and 23 digs.

Hailey Cook dished out 50 assists and added 10 digs, Linnea Phillips contributed 27 digs and Jacquelyn Johnson had 12 digs for NNU, which hits the road for matches at Concordia and Western Oregon next Friday and Saturday.