NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene volleyball was able to take a set against 8
th-ranked Simon Fraser on Saturday, but the Red Leafs would emerge victorious by a 3-1 final.
SFU showed their strength early, taking the first set 25-13 while hitting .407. The Nighthawks regrouped, though, and kept set two closer before falling 25-18.
The Nighthawks' improvement continued in set three as they went back and forth with the Red Leafs throughout the frame. After SFU took an 11-6 lead, NNU responded with six straight points to grab a 12-11 advantage.
Maddy Hellem had three kills in the run.
A service error ended the run, but the Nighthawks then took the next three points to go up 15-12. SFU tied things up at 18, though, and would eventually take a 21-20 lead. NNU bounced back with four unanswered, as kills from
Hailey Cheney and
Abby Black, a Hellem ace, and a Red Leaf error gave the Nighthawks set point at 24-21.
SFU would storm back to even the score at 24 apiece. NNU didn't fold, though, as a service error brought another set point before Black ended the frame at 26-24 with a kill. The Nighthawks hit an impressive .378 in the set.
Set four was tied at 9-9, but the Red Leafs went on a 10-4 run from there to take a 19-13 lead. A few points later, SFU ended the set and the match with five unanswered to take the frame 25-15.
Hailey Cheney had 13 kills, three blocks, an ace, and hit .478 to lead the Nighthawks.
Abby Black was just behind her with a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs.
Kayci Spray led the team with 13 digs, while
Morgan Wilding tallied 42 assists and 10 digs.
After a six-match homestand over the last two weeks, NNU now heads back out on the road to take on Central Washington in Ellensburg next Saturday.
