THE SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov.1                  Seattle Pacific at Alaska Fairbanks, 8:00 p.m. PDT
                                                Alaska Airlines Center / Anchorage, Alaska.
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats
 
 
Saturday, Nov. 3                  Seattle Pacific at Alaska Fairbanks, 8:00 p.m. PDT.
                                                The Patty Center / Fairbanks, Alaska
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats
 

        Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF) 
        
SEATTLE – It's the final road trip of the season – and the farthest one – for the Seattle Pacific volleyball team.
 
The Falcons will pack their bags and head to Alaska this week as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule enters its last two weeks. The first stop is Anchorage on Thursday to take on the Seawolves. Then it's off to Fairbanks for a Saturday contest against the Nanooks.
 
The first serve on both nights is at 8:00 p.m. Pacific time.
 
SPU (10-13, 8-8 GNAC) will be trying to shake off what was a rough week at home, as it came up on the short end of 3-0 matches against Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene.
 
The Falcons will be seeking a reversal of their earlier outcomes against the Alaska schools. During the first week of October, Anchorage and Fairbanks both escaped from Brougham Pavilion with five-game victories.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
All GNAC matches, home and away, will feature free live Webcasts and free live stats. The appropriate links for this week's home matches can be found at the top of this page. 

 

SENIOR DAY IS COMING
With the season's final matches taking place at home next week, the Falcons will salute their four seniors on Saturday, Nov. 10, when arch-rival Western Washington comes to town.
 
Prior to the first serve, middle blocker Shaun Crespi, opposite Hailey Gaines, libero Amanda Ganete, and setter Symone Tran will be recognized during a brief ceremony.
 
Last week, Crespi recorded her 100^th block of the season putting her into triple digits for the second time during her four-year career, and is now one of SPU's top five all-time blockers.
 
Gaines joined SPU this season after playing three years at Concordia-Irvine, where she completed her psychology major and marketing minor degrees. She recently scored her 500^th career point, and has the team's second-highest kill and block totals (218 and 77, respectively).
 
Ganete is leading the Falcons in digs for the third year in a row, coming into this week with 395. She is among Seattle Pacific's top three in career digs, and has a chance to move up to No. 2 before the end of the season.
 
Tran has been the steady presence at setter for all four years. Not only does she rack up assists in bunches (currently No. 2 all-time for the program), she also comes up with her share of digs, having recorded 14 double-doubles this season and 59 for her career.

 
SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- The Falcons are trying to snap Alaska Anchorage's 11-match winning streak in the series.
-- SPU's last victory against the Seawolves was a four-gamer in Anchorage on Nov. 10, 2012.
-- That year also was the last time the Falcons won both matches in Alaska, as they had swept Fairbanks two nights earlier.
-- The team split on its trip north in 2018, winning in five at Fairbanks, but losing in four at Anchorage.
-- When SPU and UAA met in Seattle on Oct. 6, the Falcons won the first two games, 25-20 and 25-22. Anchorage conceded the first point in Game 3 and the first point in Game 4, but never trailed again in either game. SPU came from 5-1 down in Game 5 to go up 10-9 and 11-10. But at 12-12, the Seawolves scored the final three points.
-- Redshirt senior opposite Hailey Gaines had a career-high 19 kills for the Falcons in that match.
-- After winning the opening game against Fairbanks, Seattle Pacific had come from 2 games to 1 down to force the deciding fifth. The Falcons led 8-7 at the changeover and were tied at 10-10 when the Nanooks put three straight points on the board to take command.
-- In that one, it was Gabby Oddo's turn for a 19-kill day. That was the third of Oddo's three 19-kill matches this season.
-- Since then, Oddo recorded a 23-kill performance in a five-game loss at Montana State Billings on Oct. 20. It was the first and so far only 20-kill match by a Falcon in 2018.
-- Oddo ranks fifth in the GNAC at 3.35 kills per game. She needs 12 more to reach 300 for the season.
-- She needs just one more service ace to become the third GNAC player this year with 30. Anchorage's Izela Alverez has 33.
-- For the first time this season, Symone Tran is averaging double-digit assists, at exactly 10.0 per game (860 in 86 games).
-- Tran's career average is 9.907 per game (3,953 assists and 399 games).
-- Coach Abbie Wright is 0-3 against Alaska Anchorage and 1-2 against Alaska Fairbanks.
 
SCOUTING THE ALASKA ANCHORAGE SEAWOLVES: 18-5, 12-4 GNAC (tie 2^nd)
All-time series: SPU leads, 28-26. Current series streak: UAA won 11. Last time: UAA 3, SPU 2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-12; Oct. 6 at Seattle). Seawolves on the Web.
Seawolves in a nutshell: Anchorage has won three in a row, including four-game road victories against the Oregon schools last week. The Seawolves are one of the GNAC's tougher teams to hit against, as they allow opponents just a .149 success rate. Meanwhile, they hit at a .respectable 220 clip, and 6-foot-1 freshman middle blocker / outside hitter Eve Stephens is one of the reasons why. Stephens leads the team with 298 kills, and is hitting .323, ranking No. 6 in the conference. She certainly was in fine form on Oct. 6 in Seattle with 18 kills and a .389 percentage. Senior 5-9 outside Chrisalyn Johnson has slammed 261 kills, and junior 5-11 middle / outside Vanessa Boyer has 233. Another tough one up front is 6-0 senior middle Tara Melton, with 199 kills and a team-leading .353 hitting percentage, No. 4 in the GNAC. She and 6-2 sophomore middle / right side Vera Pluharova are big on the block, as well; Pluharova has 109 for the season (10 solo), and Melton has 99 (three solo).
 
SCOUTING THE ALASKA FAIRBANKS NANOOKS: 11-12, 9-7 GNAC (4^th).
All-time series: SPU leads, 38-14. Current series streak: UAF won 2. Last time: UAF 3, SPU 2 (19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12; Oct. 4 at Seattle). Nanooks on the Web.
Nanooks in a nutshell: Alaska Fairbanks continues its steady improvement under the direction of fourth-year head coach Brian Scott. The Nanooks won six matches in 2015, dipped to just three wins in 2016, but then recorded 12 last year and are at 11 now with four matches left to top that. They have won eight of their last 10, including a split last week in Oregon. Lahra Weber's 17 kills in last Saturday's four-game victory at Western Oregon pushed her past 300 for the season, now with a team-leading 303. The 5-foot-10 sophomore outside got 20 of those on Oct. 4 at SPU, and hits .205 for the season. Redshirt sophomore 5-10 outside / right side Tatum Upchurch has add 173 kills. Another offensive weapon is 5-10 sophomore setter Cara Whiting. Not only does she have 820 assists, she has 80 kills and hits .257. Junior 6-foot middle Kim Wong is UAF's leading blocker with 84, has 140 kills, and hits .220.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Symone Tran added two more double-doubles to her stat sheet last week. After recording her career 50^th earlier this season (Sept. 8 at Simon Fraser), she now just one away from her 60^th. Gabby Oddo's streak of 10 in a row ended on Thursday against Central Washington, as she was just one dig shy of making it 11. The Falcons now have 29 for the season
 
Maddie Batiste (1 season / 1 career)
13K-13D vs. Metro State, Aug. 25
 
Shaun Crespi (0 season / 1 career)
 
Gabby Oddo (14 season / 34 career)
19K-12D vs. Fresno Pacific, Aug. 24
13K-17D vs. Metro State, Aug. 25
11K-16D vs. UC San Diego, Sept. 1
15K-11D at Simon Fraser, Sept. 8
12K-11D vs. Saint Martin's, Sept. 18
15K-16D vs. Montana State Billings, Sept. 20
11K-30D at Northwest Nazarene, Sept. 27
19K-10D at Central Washington, Sept. 29
19K-10D vs. Alaska Fairbanks, Oct. 4
14K-12D vs. Alaska Anchorage, Oct. 6
15K-16D at Concordia-Portland, Oct. 11
13K-11D at Western Oregon, Oct. 13
10K-12D at Saint Martin's, Oct. 16
23K-10D at Montana State Billings, Oct. 20
 
Symone Tran (14 season / 59 career)
38 AST-19D vs. Fresno State, Aug. 24
39 AST-20D vs. Metro State, Aug. 25
27 AST-10D vs. UC San Diego, Sept.1
43 AST-21D at Western Washington, Sept. 6
45 AST-10D at Simon Fraser, Sept. 8
34 AST-13D vs. Concordia-Portland, Sept. 15
54 AST-17D vs. Montana State Billings, Sept. 20
42 AST-10D at Central Washington, Sept. 29
43 AST-10D vs. Alaska Fairbanks, Oct. 4
45 AST-14D vs. Alaska Anchorage, Oct. 6
46 AST-17D at Concordia-Portland, Oct. 11
52 AST-12D at Montana State Billings, Oct. 20
30 AST-18D vs. Central Washington, Oct. 25
36 AST-20D vs. Northwest Nazarene, Oct. 27
 
ODDO HAMMERS INTO TOP 10
Gabby Oddo started last week in a tie for the No. 10 spot on SPU's list of all-time kills leaders. She had 908, the same as Chelsey Myers, who tallied that many from 2002-05.
 
 

By adding 18 more onto her total, Oddo is now alone in that No. 10 spot, currently with 926.
 
With four matches remaining, Oddo has a chance to move up another couple rungs on the ladder. The No. 9 spot belongs to Hannah Lautenbach, who finished her career last season with 940. Another recent Falcon, Madi Cavel, put 953 onto the floor from 2011-14.
 
And, whether it happens this season or early next season, Oddo is well within reach of 1,000 kills. Only six Falcons in the 33-year history of the program have gotten there. The last one was Nikki Lowell, who had 1,037 from 2010-13.
 
FOUR ON THE FLOOR – FOUR TOP 10s, THAT IS
At any given moment during the remaining four matches of the season, SPU will have four players in action who are among the program's top 10 in various statistical categories – with three of those being top 5'ers..
 

Leading the way is setter Symone Tran. She begins this week at No. 2 on the career assists list with 3,953. She needs another 57 assists – could happen Thursday, could happen Saturday – to set a program record. Jenna Von Moos had 4,009 from 2003-06.
 
 

Senior libero Amanda Ganete is No. 3 on the digs list with 1,557. She needs just 14 more – like Tran, it could happen either day this week – and she will move past Brianna Leenders into the No. 2 spot. Leenders came up with 1,570 from 2011-14.
 
 

Senior middle Shaun Crespi is No. 5 in total blocks with 415. She could finish as high as No. 3. Crespi needs four more to catch up with No. 4 Nikki Lowell (419) and seven more to catch No. 3 Ali Lindberg (422 from 1991-94).
 
Gabby Oddo (as mentioned above) is No. 10 in career kills.
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
When it comes to blocking, the Falcons in general and Shaun Crespi in particular remain among the best in all of NCAA Division II.
 
Seattle Pacific ranks No. 20 nationally (and No. 4 in the GNAC) with its average of 2.29 blocks per game. Western Washington leads the conference at 2.84, and Dixie State leads the country at 3.04.
 
Crespi's 1.22 blocks per game average is 24th in D2 and second in the GNAC. Her total of 106 blocks ranks No. 47 nationally and No. 3 in the conference. The Falcons have 197 total blocks, putting them 64^th among 290 Division II programs and fifth among the 11 conference schools.
 
Aside from blocking, SPU's best individual rank is Gabby Oddo's No. 46 in attacks per game at 10.88.

Click on this link for a look at SPU's complete national statistical rankings.
 
AROUND THE WEST
Western Washington effectively wrapped up the GNAC title last week with three-game sweeps of Simon Fraser and Montana State Billings. The Vikings (21-3, 16-0 GNAC) have won 21 in a row and are four matches up on Alaska Anchorage (19-5, 12-4) and Central Washington (18-5, 12-4) with four left. They won both matches against both of those schools,.
 
Cal State San Bernardino clinched at least a tie for the California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division title by sweeping Cal State Dominguez Hills and scoring a four-game win against Cal State Los Angeles. The Coyotes at 22-2,15-1 CCAA, one match ahead of Cal Poly Pomona (21-3, 14-2) and two up on L.A. (20-3, 12-3) with one match to go. Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Pomona are 2-3-4 in the first West Region rankings, so are likely on their way to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Azusa Pacific remains every so slightly atop the Pacific West Conference, but is in control of its own chances of wrapping up the title this week. The Cougars (19-6, 15-2) play at third-place Hawaii Hilo (16-5, 14-3) on Wednesday and at fourth-place Chaminade (20-4, 14-4) on Saturday, with a match at Hawaii Pacific in between. Biola is still in position to claim the crown, just half a match back at 15-3 (19-6 overall).
 
UP NEXT
The season concludes at home next week with visits from Simon Fraser and Western Washington. The Clan come in on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7:00 p.m. The Vikings visit on Saturday the 10^th at 4:00 p.m. for Senior Day and for the 1,000^th match in SPU program history.
 
 
GNAC STANDINGS
                                                     GNAC              Overall
Western Washington       16-0        21-3
Alaska Anchorage         12-4        19-5
Central Washington       12-4        18-5
Alaska Fairbanks          9-7        11-12
Simon Fraser              8-8        11-11
Seattle Pacific           8-8        10-13
Concordia-Portland        7-9        10-12
Northwest Nazarene        6-10        6-17
Montana State Billings    5-11       11-15
Western Oregon            3-13        6-17
Saint Martin's            2-14        4-18