ELLENSBURG, Wash. – It's a quick turnaround for the Central Washington University volleyball team as it returns to Nicholson Pavilion to host Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT. 
 
GAME INFORMATION
Northwest Nazarene vs. Wildcats
Tuesday | 7 p.m. PT
Nicholson Pavilion | Ellensburg, Wash.  
 
QUOTABLE 
"We're excited to play," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said. "We will need good energy and solid play to compete well against NNU. Defense will be key for us." 
 
LAST TIME OUT
It was a tough weekend for the Wildcats as they ventured to the Last Frontier for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchups.
 
The Wildcats stumbled against the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-18) last Thursday night. The Alaskan Airlines Center proved to be a tough place to play for the Wildcats as they took on the Seawolves. The Seawolves held the Wildcats to a .163 hitting percentage while hitting .302 on their home court. The Wildcats were forced into 19 attack errors while the Seawolves had eight total blocks. 

Makala Swart led the Wildcats with 11 kills. Ashley Kaufman finished with a double-double for the Wildcats. Kaufman had 10 kills while adding 11 digs. Bridgette Webb was efficient in her offensive attacks. Webb added seven kills on a team-high .278 hitting percentage. Webb was also tough to deal with at the net, coming up with two assisted blocks on the night. 

Gabrielle Aihara distributed the ball well. The senior setting had 32 assists while adding 13 digs to the Wildcats defensive effort. Kyla Morgan led all players with 21 digs. 
 
The Wildcats gained a 2-1 match lead before Alaska Fairbanks stormed back to take the match 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-9) last Saturday afternoon. The Wildcat offense was hindered by the Nanook defense. The Nanooks came up with 14 total blocks. The home squad had 82 digs to the Wildcats' 78. The Wildcats were held to a .111 hitting percentage for the game.
 
The Wildcats finished the match with four players in double figure kills. Swart led the Wildcats with 15 kills. She had a double-double for the Wildcats with 12 digs. Julia Mellander had a strong offensive night, racking up 11 kills. Diana Fa'amausili also added 11 kills to the Wildcat attack. Webb came through with 10 kills on a .250 hitting percentage. 
 
Aihara kept the Wildcat offense in rhythm, dishing out 48 assists on the afternoon. Aihara added 11 digs for a double-double. Morgan led the Wildcats with 29 digs. Sydney Remsberg chipped in with 10 digs of her own. 

WILDCATS IN THE GNAC
As the season hits its stride, the Wildcats remain near the top of the conference in several categories. The Wildcats rank fourth in conference by keeping opponents to a .183 hitting percentage. They also rank third in blocks by averaging 2.11 per set. The team ranks third with 17.57 digs per set.

Several individuals are putting together quality seasons for the Wildcats. Morgan ranks second in conference with 5.50 digs per set. Mellander ranks third in conference with 1.11 blocks per set. Fa'amausili ranks eighth in blocks with .94 per set. 
 
Experienced players highlight the offensive standouts for the Wildcats. Aihara's 10.15 assists per set is the second best in conference. Swart ranks seventh in conference with 3.28 kills per set. The team also ranks third in both assists (12.00) and third in kills (12.85) per set. 
 
SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE
Historically, the Nighthawks have always been a threat in the GNAC. The team stumbled a bit in 2018 while battling roster turnover from the 2017 season that yielded an appearance in the NCAA West Regional. In the 2019 GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Nighthawks were picked to finish seventh in the conference. In 2018, the team averaged 11.56 kills per set and ranked fourth in the conference with 18.15 digs per set. 
 
The team did not have to deal with roster turnover entering the 2019 season, as 12 student-athletes returned to the Nighthawks. The group of returners feature four starters from a season ago. Standouts include Abbey Blum, Tayler Markland and Megan Nelson. Blum averaged three kills per set in 2018. Markland had a strong first-year with the Nighthawks. She averaged 1.66 kills per set on a .287 hitting percentage while stuffing 72 attacks on the season. Nelson brings experience to the club. Nelson averaged 6.07 assists per set. 
 
The Nighthawks had a solid run during early part of 2019. After picking up just one of three matches at the Dixie Stat Tournament, The Nighthawks took three of four games at the DII West Region Showcase. They knocked off Sonoma State and Notre Dame de Namur in five sets. They wrapped up the tournament by taking down Holy Names in three sets.
 
The Nighthawks have picked up two wins in the first six matches of conference play. On Sept. 26, the Nighthawks downed Saint Martin's 3-1 (25-10, 22-25, 25-18, 25-19). During that match, Brooke Foster set a new school record with nine aces. The team's second win came last Thursday night. The Nighthawks outlasted Alaska Fairbanks 3-2 (28-26, 21-25, 20-25, 25-15, 15-12). 
 
Foster has emerged as an offensive standout for the Nighthawks. The redshirt sophomore has 174 kills in 51 sets played for an average of 3.41 kills per set. The mark is good enough for fourth best in conference. Another breakout contributor is Natalie Sullivan. She's averaging 2.49 kills per set. Nelson is controlling the team's offense by dishing out 467 assists this season. Defensively, Lexi Ward leads the club with 40 total blocks. 

SERIES HISTORY
Since the year 2002, the Wildcats are 21-14 against the Nighthawks. The Wildcats have dominated home court, going 13-4 against the Nighthawks. The teams have split the last 10 meetings. Last season belonged to the Wildcats, as they swept both matches against the Nighthawks.