Women's Volleyball | 11/8/2016 5:23:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Nov. 8) – The Central Washington University volleyball team heads to the Last Frontier for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches against the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage.
 
The Nanooks sit at 2-21 overall and hold a GNAC record of 1-15.  Most recently, Alaska fell in four sets to Concordia University (Ore.).  Alaska is riding a 14-game losing streak.
 
"Fairbanks is a competitive team and played us very competitively at home," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya noted.  "We need to make sure we focus on what we do best and stay the course.  We need to be strong in transition and force them to play out of system."
 
Central Washington and Alaska played the opening leg of the season series on Oct. 15, where the Wildcats swept the Nanooks in straight sets in Ellensburg.
 
As a unit, the Nanooks have posted a hitting efficiency of .160 on the season and are averaging 11.2 kills per set.  Angela Molesworth leads Alaska with 188 kills, but Amberly Jeane is close behind at 178.
 
Rachel Nichols has handled the setting duties, dishing out 799 assists.
 
Riley Podowicz leads Alaska with 66 blocks, while King Wong has amassed 56.  Meagan Olson has recorded 344 digs, a team high.
 
Anchorage enters the week ranked No. 11 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll with an overall record of 25-2.  In GNAC play, the Seawolves are 15-1.
 
Anchorage swept the Wildcats on Oct. 13 in Ellensburg. 
 
"We are expecting a long and physical match against them," Andaya added.  "They are one of the better teams at is very good at taking you out of your game.  They are physical up front and defend well.  They have a lot of playmakers.  If we can stay the course and do what we need to do on our side of the net, we feel we have a really good chance at competing with them." 
 
Leah Swiss leads the Seawolves' offense with 318 kills, averaging 3.35 per set.  Morgan Hooe has recorded 980 assists as the primary setter for Anchorage.
 
Defensively, Erin Braun has notched 108 blocks, including 16 solos.  Leah Swiss leads the Seawolves with 261 digs. 
 
The Wildcats may have split last week, but their block remains the best in the country.  Central is averaging 3.03 blocks per set.
 
"We have to do the same thing we have been doing," Andaya continued.  "We need to be disruptive at the net and take our opponents out of their game offensively with our defense."
 
The Wildcats' block has forced opponents to play around players like junior Sabrina Wheelhouse, who is currently second in the country in blocks per set at 1.72, but Andaya knows a complete performance is needed.
 
"We know it has to be more than that,' Andaya said.   "We know we have to get the ball back and be able to produce points and pass well.  Our block is going to be there, but we need to make sure we are doing our thing, but other elements have to add onto that to be successful."
 
The Wildcats will also look for strong performances from outside hitters Kiah Jones, Madison Weg, and Shelby Mauritson who enter the week with 237, 219, and 208 kills, respectively.
 
First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. on both Thursday and Saturday.