ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Sept. 14) – The Central Washington University volleyball opens its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule this week with a pair of matches.  The Wildcats will host Northwest Nazarene University on Monday, Sept. 14, before heading out to Montana State Billings on Thursday, Sept. 17.
 
Northwest Nazarene is 3-5 on the season after going 2-2 in the GNAC-PacWest Crossover this past weekend.  The Crusaders dropped matches to Dixie State University and Point Loma Nazarene University by scores of 3-1 and 3-0 respectively.  Central Washington is 22-14 against the Crusaders overall, with a 19-11 record in conference play.  Last season, NNU took both matches against CWU (3-2, 3-0).  The Wildcats are 12-3 in Nicholson Pavilion against NNU.
 
Elayna Rice currently leads NNU with 83 kills, while averaging 2.77 kills per set.  Kendra Bodine follows closely behind with 76 kills and an average of 2.53 kills per set.  Despite leading the Crusaders in kills, Rice has only posted a .097 hitting percentage, while Bodine has notched a .165.  Leading the Crusaders in hitting percentage is Madi Farrell.  Farrell has posted 65 kills on 139 attempts, with 23 errors, for a hitting percentage of .302. 
 
Linnea Phillips leads NNU in digs with 148, averaging 4.93 digs per set.  Rice has tallied 76 digs, while Bodine has added 54.
 
"Starting conference play is always exciting especially when it's against the defending GNAC champs," Head Coach Mario Andaya said.  "NNU is physical team with a lot of key pieces back from last year.  Offensively they have their key pin hitters and a very good middle so they are well balanced.  We will have to be very good tonight in all areas to be successful."
 
Montana State University Billings sits at 1-7 on the season and is currently riding a five-game losing steak.  The Yellowjackets open their conference play against the Wildcats.  Central Washington has posted a 15-4 record against MSU-B throughout history and the Wildcats are 13-4 during conference matches.  Central Washington swept both matches during the 2014 campaign.  The Wildcats are 7-2 during matches in Billings, Montana.
 
Ashlynn Ward leads the Yellowjackets with 94 kills and has posted a hitting percentage of .243.  She leads Miranda McConnell by 34 kills.  McConnell has posted 60 kills, but has only appeared in 28 sets.  Opponents are hitting .224 off MSU-B.
 
Defensively, Kimmy Kirk has posted 133 digs in 32 sets, averaging 4.16 digs per set.  Taylor Sherman has added 79 digs.  Taylor Albertson leads the Yellowjackets with 20 block assists.  The Yellowjackets are out digging their opponents, 458-442.
 
"Billings lost a lot from last year, and we haven't seen much film," Andaya added.  "They are well coached and playing on their home court is always a challenge, so we know we have our work cut out for us on our first conference road trip.  Their setter is good, so we know they can run a good offense but we will have to identify other areas we can going in to have a solid plan."
 
The Wildcats are coming off a 4-0 weekend in the GNAC-PacWest Crossover with a pair of 3-0 victories over Fresno Pacific and BYU-Hawaii.  Central Washington also defeated Poin Loma, 3-2, and Dixie State, 3-1.  With their four-win weekend, the Wildcats are now 4-3 overall on the season and are riding a four-game winning streak.
 
"I like how we improved this weekend and how we competed," Andaya said of his team's effort.  "We are hitting well and a lot has to do with our ball control and defense efforts. "
 
Linden Firethorne leads the Wildcats with 99 kills and is averaging 4.13 kills per set.  She has posted a .271 hitting percentage so far this season.  Firethorne has also posted 13 block assists.  During the Wildcats' final match of the GNAC-PacWest Crossover, Firethorne tallied 15 kills and zero errors on 25 attempts to post a hitting efficiency of .600.  She was named to the GNAC-PacWest All-Tournament Team.
 
Kaitlin Quirk has posted 64 kills, and a hitting efficiency of .319, on 138 attempts.  Quirk currently sits second for CWU with six service aces.  Defensively, she has posted two solo blocks and 38 block assists to anchor the Wildcats' front row.  Quirk was also named to the GNAC-PacWest All-Tournament Team after posting five service aces, one solo block, twenty block assists, and a hitting efficiency of .310.
 
Sabrina Wheelhouse has posted 43 kills and a hitting efficiency of .289.  She has racked up nine solo blocks, a team high, and 25 block assists.  Wheelhouse is averaging 1.36 blocks per set.
 
Shelby Mauritson made her first appearance as a Wildcat this past weekend.  In 12 sets, the freshman tallied 20 digs and three service aces.  The addition of Mauritson into the back row helped guide the Wildcats to a hitting efficiency of .289, after CWU had posted a hitting efficiency of .195 during their trip to Minnesota.

Central Washington will host Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m. on Monday.  The Wildcats will be in Billings on Thursday at 7 p.m.