Box score, play-by-play
PHOTO GALLERY
October 10, 2009
SEATTLE -- Play a five-game volleyball match?
Priscilla Collings loves 'em -- as long as they go Seattle Pacific's way.
It went that way on Saturday night. The sophomore outside hitter was one of four Falcons with a double-double, Cortney Weedman set a career high with 39 assists, and Sarah Risser matched her career high with 22 kills as SPU fought off a match point to come back and beat Northwest Nazarene.
Scores in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference match on Dig Pink Night for breast cancer awareness in Brougham Pavilion were 25-14, 23-25, 26-28, 27-25, 15-10.
“These are my favorite matches -- but only if we win,” Collings (Chula Vista, Calif.) said with a smile after doing her part with 14 kills and 20 digs, stepping into a starting role at outside hitter as Lindsey Wodrich was out with an illness. “We were really focused on staying mentally tough against them.”
The victory helped the Falcons (12-7, 6-1 GNAC) widen their lead atop the conference standings. They are one game ahead of Alaska Anchorage (5-2), which visits Brougham Pavilion on Thursday night, and 1½ games ahead of Northwest Nazarene (12-8, 5-3) and Western Washington.
“We felt we had the momentum going our way -- and we won Game 5 against them last time,” coach Chris Johnson said of SPU's conference-opening victory in Nampa, Idaho, on Sept. 17. “The girls just have the confidence and belief in themselves that they can get the job done.”
Senior setter Weedman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had a previous career-high of 35 assists, set earlier this season against the same Crusaders in Seattle Pacific's five-game victory in Idaho. She also had 12 digs on Saturday.
Junior outside hitter Risser (Santa Barbara, Calif.) equaled her career high for kills that she set just two nights ago in a four-game Falcon win at Central Washington. She added 27 digs.
Freshman setter Shelby Swanson (Kennewick, Wash./Kamiakin HS) joined SPU's double-double parade with 23 assists and 13 digs.
Sophomore libero Anna Herold came up with 36 digs, bringing her within 10 of the 1,000 mark.
“Four double-doubles, Anna having 36 digs, Amber (Johnson) hitting .500 -- we just had some real strong performances,” Johnson said.
BACK AND FORTH ALL NIGHT
As they did Thursday night at Central Washington, the Falcons started quickly, cruising to a Game 1 victory. Northwest Nazarene had the lead for most of Game 2, but actually came from behind to win it, scoring the last three points to erase a 23-22 SPU advantage.
Seattle Pacific was on the verge of winning Game 3, building a 24-20 lead. The Crusaders ran off five straight points, getting three kills from Kailey Trautmann. The Falcons saved a game point on a Johnson kill, then went up 26-25 on another Johnson kill. But a kill by Trautmann and two straight by Cammy Dranginis gave the game to NNU.
The Crusaders had a try at match point in Game 4, up 24-23. One kill went wide, and another went long, getting the Falcons off the brink and into the lead, 25-24. At 25-all, Johnson hammered a kill, then Risser followed with one of her own, forcing the fifth and deciding game.
A Risser kill snapped a 4-4 tie in Game 5, and the Falcons never trailed again. Up 11-9, Risser got another kill, then Angie Pricco (Briar, Wash./Blanchet HS) and Paige Hoffman (Encinitas, Calif.) teamed up on a block for a 13-9 lead. An NNU attack error gave Seattle Pacific match point at 14-9. The Crusaders got one back, then another attack error clinched it for the Falcons.
Collings wasn't worried about being behind -- even at crunch time.
“I just go hard and play like we're down after every point,” said Collings, who also produced a double-double last month at NNU when Risser missed the match with appendicitis and Collings stepped into her starting spot. “This felt so good.”
Added Johnson, “This is the second time we've beaten them without one of our starting outside hitters. It's great to know that we have that depth.”
Seattle Pacific hit .181 for the match, led by Johnson's .500 performance (14 kills and just one error on 26 swings). Risser hit .214.
Northwest Nazarene hit just .112, and was the 12th straight opponent to hit less than .200 against the Falcons. Lindsay Grant led the Crusaders with 20 kills, and Dranginis added 14 kills and six blocks.
NCAA Volleyball
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Brougham Pavilion/Seattle, Wash.
Seattle Pacific 3, Northwest Nazarene 2
Game scores -- 25-14, 23-25, 26-28, 27-25, 15-10.
Service aces -- SPU: Four players with 1. NNU: Cammy Dranginis 2, Haley Hevern 2.
Kills -- SPU: Sarah Risser 22, Amber Johnson 14, Priscilla Collings 14. NNU: Lindsay Grant 20, Dranginis 10.
Blocks -- SPU: Johnson 5, Jessica Bettencourt 4. NNU: Dranginis 6.
Assists -- SPU: Cortney Weedman 39, Shelby Swanson 23. NNU: Amy Higginson 46.
Digs -- SPU: Anna Herold 36, Risser 27, Collngs 20, Swanson 13, Weedman 12. NNU: Haley Hevern 31, Grant 30.
Attendance -- 270.
Records
Seattle Pacific 12-7, 6-1 GNAC.
Northwest Nazarene 12-8, 5-3 GNAC.
Next match -- Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific, Thursday, Oct. 15, Brougham Pavilion, 7 p.m.
