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Cobey Amerson

Nighthawks Hit the Road for Pair of GNAC Matchups

NAMPA, Idaho — Northwest Nazarene volleyball hits the road this week for two more GNAC matchups, traveling to Lacey, Washington, to take on Saint Martin's on Friday before facing Western Oregon on Saturday. The Nighthawks enter the week 7-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play after splitting their first two home matches of the season last weekend.

NNU battled No. 19 Alaska Fairbanks through five sets on Thursday before falling 3-2, then bounced back with a 3-1 win over Alaska Anchorage on Saturday. The victory was NNU's first of the season in GNAC play, while the Seawolves entered the matchup receiving votes in the national rankings. Saint Martin's comes into the week at 5-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Western Oregon sits at 6-5 overall and 2-1 in the GNAC.

Nighthawks' Season So Far:

Northwest Nazarene heads into the upcoming slate with a 7-4 overall mark and a 1-3 GNAC record following its inaugural league win last weekend. The Nighthawks started the weekend with a grueling five-set battle against 19th-ranked Alaska Fairbanks, dropping a 3-2 decision before bouncing back to claim a 3-1 victory over an Alaska Anchorage squad receiving votes in the national poll. The result gave NNU its initial conference win of the campaign.

The Nighthawks' attack has been spearheaded by Abby Black, who is posting 3.70 kills per set along with 4.31 points per set across 11 matches while attacking at a .248 clip. Hailey Cheney has contributed 2.93 kills per set and leads the roster with a .359 hitting percentage. Maddy Hellem has provided 1.91 kills per set, while Jenna Holm is hitting .328 while chipping in 1.27 kills per set. 

On the season, NNU is averaging 11.39 kills, 10.36 assists, 15.69 points, 15.18 digs, 2.17 blocks and 2.14 service aces per frame. Kayci Spray paces the defensive effort with 4.09 digs per set, followed by Abby Black at 3.02 digs per set and Morgan Wilding at 2.00 digs per set. Net defense features Cheney with 39 total blocks and Jenna Holm with 41. Overall, Northwest Nazarene is hitting .208 while holding opponents to a .186 attack percentage.  

NNU hits the road this weekend, visiting Lacey, Washington, for a Friday match against Saint Martin's at 1 p.m. Pacific time before squaring off against Western Oregon on Saturday at 7 p.m. Pacific time.

Saint Martin's:

Saint Martin's enters the week at 5-6 overall and 1-2 in GNAC play after splitting its first two conference matches last week. The Saints opened the week with a 3-0 sweep of Montana State Billings on Sept. 17 before falling 3-0 at Seattle Pacific on Sept. 19.

Against Montana State Billings, Saint Martin's earned its first GNAC victory of the season behind 16 kills each from Emily Garten and Olivia Bassett. Sophie Fast recorded 39 assists, while Tiffany Lam led all players with 17 digs. The Saints followed with a road matchup at Seattle Pacific, where Garten and Bassett each recorded nine kills. Fast finished with 19 assists, while Ashli Lum led the Saints with 12 digs.

Garten has led the Saints offensively through 11 matches, averaging 3.36 kills and 3.94 points per set while hitting .172. Bassett has added 2.72 kills and 3.07 points per set, while Zoey Crimin is averaging 1.44 kills per set. Hanna Ligons is hitting a team-best .257 while averaging 1.29 kills per set. Fast has directed the Saint Martin's offense with 7.59 assists per set.

As a team, the Saints are averaging 10.83 kills, 9.60 assists, 14.31 points and 1.45 aces per set while hitting .162. Defensively, Lam leads Saint Martin's with 3.83 digs per set, followed by Garten with 2.12 and Sophie Fast with 1.97. The Saints are averaging 13.45 digs and 2.02 blocks per set while holding a .911 reception percentage. At the net, Crimin leads the Saints with 31 total blocks, while Ligons has added 39 and DePiano has 33. Opponents are averaging 14.24 digs and 1.83 blocks per set while hitting .207.

Saint Martin's will host Northwest Nazarene on Friday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. Pacific time in Lacey, Washington, before facing Western Oregon on Saturday at 7 p.m. Pacific time.

All-time vs Saint Martin's:

The Nighthawks have faced the Saints 45 times in their Division II history, holding a 41-4 all-time record. Their last matchup came on Nov. 8, 2025, when NNU found themselves in a closely contested battle with SMU. After taking the first set 25-20 the Nighthawks were unable to hold the momentum to the end falling in set two 22-25. After regaining their rhythm in the third set the Saints took the fourth forcing the game into the fifth and deciding set where they surpassed the Nighthawks taking the 3-2 victory.  

Western Oregon:

Western Oregon enters the week at 6-5 overall and 2-1 in GNAC play after splitting its two conference matches last week. The Wolves opened the week with a 3-2 loss at Seattle Pacific on Sept. 17 before responding with a 3-1 victory at Montana State Billings on Sept. 19.

Against Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon took the opening set 26-24 and the third set 25-19 before the Falcons rallied to win the final two sets and take the match. The Wolves then bounced back at Montana State Billings, dropping the opening set before winning three straight. Western Oregon hit .302 for the match and recorded eight blocks, including hitting .520 in the second set and .367 in the third.

Payton Davis has led the Wolves offensively through the team's first nine matches, averaging 3.83 kills and 4.20 points per set while hitting .235. Kate Markley has added 2.79 kills per set, while Malena Mathis is averaging 2.09 kills per set. Vivian Yount has provided an efficient offensive option, averaging 2.58 kills per set while hitting .343. Samantha Darby has directed the Western Oregon offense with 7.00 assists per set.

As a team, the Wolves are averaging 12.29 kills, 11.26 assists, 16.14 points and 1.89 aces per set while hitting .188. Defensively, Madi Noel leads Western Oregon with 3.03 digs per set, followed by Payton Davis with 2.71 and Kilinoelehua Helm with 2.33. The Wolves are averaging 14.83 digs and 1.97 blocks per set while holding a .926 reception percentage. At the net, Kate Klobas leads Western Oregon with 39 total blocks, while Finley Buman has added 23 and Malena Mathis has 19. Opponents are averaging 15.26 digs and 2.03 blocks per set while hitting .181.

All-time vs Western Oregon:

The Nighthawks have faced the Wolves 48 times in their Division II history, holding a 29-19 all-time record. Their last matchup came on Nov. 6, 2025. The Nighthawks rallied together to take a 3-2 victory over the wolves after winning the first set 25-20, the third set 25-22, and the fifth set 15-8.
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