SEATTLE – When they went toe-to-toe in the second match of a volleyball doubleheader against Alaska Anchorage two weeks ago, the Seattle Pacific Falcons showed they can contend with some of the best programs in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
On Saturday, they'll get a chance to show it against another one of the best programs.
 
SPU will welcome cross-state rival Central Washington to Brougham Pavilion for a pair of matches. The first one begins at noon, and the second one follows 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
 
While the Falcons (4-3) will be heading into their fourth week of competition, Central Washington is preparing for its first.
 
After getting swept by Anchorage in the opening match of the twin bill on March 20, Seattle Pacific found its competitive groove in the second contest. Twice, the Falcons were down a game (1-0 and 2-1); twice, they came back, eventually forcing a deciding fifth. That one had 11 ties and three lead changes before the Seawolves pulled it out, 16-14.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, fans will not be allowed to attend any of this year's matches, home or away. However, they can keep up with all the action online with free live Webcasts and free live stats. Saturday's matches against Central Washington will feature Greg Sexton on the play-by-play.
 
CLASS ACTS IN THE CLASSROOM
Although the volleyball season didn't start until late winter, the Falcons have been in class since last fall – and as usual, they're making the grade in impressive style. Seattle Pacific has placed seven players onto the GNAC All-Academic team.
 

Leading the way is three-time honoree Gabi Stegemoller. The senior middle blocker is a nursing major with a 3.73 grade-point average.
 
Getting onto the squad for the second time are senior outside hitter Maddie Batiste and junior outside Erin Gould. Batiste has a 3.39 GPA as a communications major, and Gould carries a 3.74 in political science.
 
Sophomores Ashley Antoniak, Paige Dawson, Austin Ibale, and Lindsey Lambert are all first-time academic team members. Antoniak has a 3.73 GPA in business administration, Dawson has a 3.66 in nutrition and dietetics, Ibale has a 3.76 in psychology, and Lambert has a 3.76 in applied human biology.
 
Athletes must have at least a 3.20 GPA, be a sophomore or older, and must be in at least their second year of competition at their school to be nominated for the team. In SPU's case, seven of its 17 players met the sophomore / second-year criteria – and all seven easily exceeded the minimum GPA. The other 10 Falcons are either freshmen or redshirt freshmen, so will be eligible for consideration next season.
 




SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- The Falcons have played more matches against Central Washington – 78 – than any other opponent. That's two more than the 76 times they've gone against Western Washington.
-- It's also the second-closest all-time series, with Central having a 42-36 lead. The closest series is vs. Alaska Anchorage, which the Seawolves now lead, 30-29, after winning both matches in Seattle on March 20.
-- SPU and Central last met on Oct. 26, 2019, and that one had a dramatic finish. The Wildcats won the first two games, 25-20 and 26-24, then the Falcons came back and got the next two, 25-21 and 25-22. In the fifth, Central Washington had four match points – 14-12, 14-13, 15-14, and 16-15. Seattle Pacific fought off all four, went up 17-16 on a combined block by Lindsey Lambert and Delaney Dunham, then won it, 18-16, on a Paige Dawson service ace.
-- Lambert picked up her 1,000^th career assist in the three-game sweep at Northwest on March 19. She comes into this week with 1,050.
-- Seattle Pacific continues to lead the GNAC in blocking, averaging 2.50 as a team.
 

-- SPU has three of the top 10 blockers, led by freshman Hannah Hair in the top spot at 1.48 per game. Freshman Erin Smith is No. 5 at 0.95, and redshirt freshman Maddie Pruden is No. 6 at 0.83.
-- Hair and Pruden also are among the conference leaders in hitting. Hair is No. 2 at .339, with Pruden right behind her at .333.
-- The Falcons are one of just two teams in the GNAC hitting better than .200, currently at .209. Alaska Anchorage is on top at .241. SPU has finished above .200 in five of its seven matches, with a high of .260 in the second match of the season-opening doubleheader at Northwest on Feb. 27.
-- Senior outside hitter Maddie Batiste is No. 8 in kills per game at 2.70.
 

-- A pair of Falcon freshmen saw the first action of the college careers in the match at Northwest University on March 19. Outside hitter Sarah Day got in for all three sets, recording six kills, three digs, and two blocks, including one solo. Outside hitter / opposite Sydney Perry was in for two sets, coming up with one block assist.
 
SCOUTING THE CENTRAL WASHINGTON WILDCATS: 0-0
All-time series: CWU leads, 42-36. Current series streak: SPU won 1. Last time: SPU 3, CWU 2 (20-25, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 18-16; Oct 26, 2019 at Seattle). Wildcats on the Web.
Wildcats in a nutshell: Central Washington will be in action for the first time since Dec. 5, 2019, when it lost a first-round match to eventual national champion Cal State San Bernardino in the NCAA West Regional tournament. Their two biggest threats on offense from that season are both back. Senior 6-foot-1 outside hitter Makala Swart led the team with 310 kills, and her 3.30 per-set average ranked No. 7 in the GNAC. Swart hit .213 and also came up with 283 digs, third-highest among the Wildcats. Also back is sophomore 5-8 outside hitter Ashley Kaufman, who slammed 280 kills, delivered a team-leading 39 service aces, and had 332 digs – second-most on the team – as a freshman. Sophomore setter Sydney Remsberg had 267 assists, 227 digs, and 25 service aces during the 2019 season.
 
COACH ABBIE WRIGHT SAYS …
 

(On getting back into action after spring break)
"We're excited. We've been off for a week, so we're ready to work hard the next few days. Central is a great program. We're excited (to play them). It'll be really fun for us."
 
(On bouncing back for a strong second match against Alaska Anchorage)
"It's just getting the confidence. They're a tough serving team, and our passing was catching up to the speed of some of their great servers. As much pressure as they were putting on us, by the second match, we kind of figured out how to put pressure on them and respond in really great ways. It took us a little time to settle in, but once we did, we started to gain some confidence and some traction."
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Ashley Antoniak (1 season / 1 career)
10K-17D at Saint Martin's 2, March 2
 
Maddie Batiste (1 season / 17 career)
13K-12D vs. Alaska Anchorage 2, March 20
 
Lindsey Lambert (3 season / 8 career)
33 AST-15D at Saint Martin's 1, March 2
31 AST-11D at Saint Martin's 2, March 2
25 AST-11D vs. Alaska Anchorage 2, March 20
 
MARCH TO A MILESTONE
In the making
100^th dig                Paige Dawson (has 90)
200^th block            Gabi Stegemoller (has 193.0)
200^th kill                Erin Gould (has 165)
500^th dig                Maddie Batiste (has 462)
 
Made most recently
100^th assist            Austin Ibale (has 110)
1,000^th assist         Lindsey Lambert (has 1,050)
 
UP NEXT
SPU will be home again in Brougham Pavilion next Saturday for a single match against Northwest Nazarene. The first serve is at 1:00 p.m.