NAMPA, Idaho — Northwest Nazarene volleyball returns home this week for a pair of GNAC matchups, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. before welcoming Montana State Billings to Johnson Sports Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m. The Nighthawks enter the week at 9-4 overall and 3-3 in GNAC play after a perfect 2-0 conference weekend on the road.
NNU opened the weekend with a sweep of Saint Martin's on Friday before defeating Western Oregon 3-1 on Saturday. The two victories moved the Nighthawks to 3-3 in conference play and gave the team its first two-match GNAC winning streak of the season.
Nighthawks' Season So Far:
The Nighthawks' attack continues to be led by Abby Black, who is averaging 3.80 kills and 4.37 points per set while hitting .256 through 13 matches. Black was recognized for her strong performance last week by being named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after helping NNU to a 2-0 conference weekend with back-to-back double-doubles.
Hailey Cheney has been one of NNU's most efficient attackers, averaging 1.76 kills per set while hitting a team-best .365. Maddy Hellem is contributing 1.88 kills per set, while Lily Kinloch is averaging 1.45 kills per set.
Morgan Wilding leads the Nighthawks with 5.22 assists per set, while Addison Lynn has added 4.13 assists per set. At the service line, Cheney leads the team with 27 aces, followed by Black with 16.
Defensively, Kayci Spray anchors the back row with 4.18 digs per set, while Black has added 3.08 digs per set. At the net, Jenna Holm leads NNU with 51 total blocks and 1.00 blocks per set. Holm was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after leading all conference players with 1.43 blocks per set during NNU's two wins last week.
As a team, NNU is averaging 15.47 digs and 2.21 blocks per set, while opponents are averaging 15.55 digs and 1.86 blocks per set. The Nighthawks are hitting .204 on the season while holding opponents to a .175 attack percentage.
Seattle Pacific
Seattle Pacific enters Thursday's matchup with NNU at 9-4 overall and 4-1 in GNAC play, riding a three-match winning streak and victories in four of its last five conference matches. The Falcons opened GNAC play with a loss to Alaska Anchorage before bouncing back with a 3-2 victory over Alaska Fairbanks. SPU has since won three straight conference matches, including a 3-2 comeback against Western Oregon followed by sweeps of Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings.
SPU returned home last week after traveling the first three weeks of the season and made the most of its home schedule. The Falcons rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the fifth set to defeat Western Oregon before sweeping Saint Martin's 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-23). SPU followed that with another sweep of Montana State Billings, winning 25-13, 25-13, 25-16.
The Falcons have been led offensively by Amaya Evans, who is averaging 2.80 kills per set while hitting .291, while Megan Omlid is contributing 2.76 kills per set and Joslyn Greff is averaging 2.67. Audra Rose adds 1.98 kills per set while also hitting .291. Peyton Ensign has directed the offense with 5.56 assists per set.
SPU's recent success has also come from a strong defensive effort. The Falcons are averaging 2.04 blocks per set, led by Rose with 0.98 blocks per set and Brooke Williams with 0.92. Evans is adding 0.64 blocks per set, while Christina Lopez anchors the back row with a team-high 4.32 digs per set.
In the sweep of Saint Martin's, Omlid and Greff each recorded 10 kills, with Omlid adding 17 digs for a double-double. SPU also set a season high with 20 total blocks, including 12 in the second set. Rose led the Falcons with 13 kills and four blocks in the sweep of Montana State Billings, while Omlid added 11 kills and seven digs. Evans contributed seven kills and three blocks, and Ensign finished with 30 assists.
As a team, SPU is hitting .219 on the season while averaging 12.38 kills and 11.38 assists per set. The Falcons are also averaging 14.88 digs and 2.04 blocks per set, while opponents are hitting .207 and averaging 1.48 blocks per set.
All-time vs Seattle Pacific:
The Nighthawks have faced the Falcons 49 times in their Division II history, holding a 21-28 all-time record. Their last matchup came on Nov. 1, 2025, when NNU found themselves outmatched by the SPU squad. After fighting to take the first set 27-25 the Nighthawks were unable to hold the momentum, losing the next three 17-25, 21-25, and 20-25.
Montana State Billings
Montana State Billings enters Saturday's matchup with NNU at 3-11 overall and 0-5 in GNAC play. The Yellowjackets are coming off a pair of conference losses, falling 3-1 to Western Oregon before dropping a 3-0 decision at Seattle Pacific.
MSUB opened its match against Western Oregon with a strong first-set performance, hitting .293 while holding the Wolves to a .122 clip to take a 25-17 lead. Western Oregon responded by hitting over .300 in each of the final three sets, eventually taking the match 3-1. The Yellowjackets were led by Allie Dorman, who recorded 15 kills and 10 digs for a double-double, while freshman Mikayla Champlin added 11 kills while hitting .444. Emma Fairbairn contributed nine kills and six digs, and Avarie Gutierrez led MSUB with 15 digs.
The Yellowjackets then traveled to Seattle Pacific, where the Falcons swept MSUB 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-16). Dorman and Fairbairn each recorded five kills, while Addyson Quandt added four kills and hit .300. Avery Starr directed the offense with 13 assists, and Avarey Stuff led the Yellowjackets with seven digs.
Dorman has been MSUB's primary offensive threat throughout the season, averaging 3.02 kills and 3.30 points per set. Fairbairn follows with 2.44 kills per set, while Quandt is averaging 1.29 kills per set and leads the team with a .278 hitting percentage. Starr has run the offense with 7.33 assists per set.
Defensively, MSUB is led by Dorman with 2.37 digs per set, while Stuff is averaging 2.38 and Starr is contributing 2.14. At the net, Laina Whitney leads the Yellowjackets with 0.75 blocks per set, followed by Quandt at 0.57 and Champlin at 0.44.
As a team, MSUB is averaging 10.13 kills, 9.60 assists and 13.46 digs per set. The Yellowjackets are hitting .141 on the season, while opponents are hitting .248. MSUB is averaging 1.24 blocks per set compared to 1.85 for its opponents.
All-time vs Montana State Billings:
The Nighthawks have faced the Yellowjackets 35 times in their Division II history, holding a 28-7 all-time record. Their last matchup came on Oct. 30, 2025. The Nighthawks put together a dominant performance sweeping the Yellowjackets 3-0, with set scores of 25-14, 25-13, and 25-17.
