ELLENSBURG, Wash. - After impressive performances at the Capitol Plaza Invitational and the NCAA DII West Region Showcase, the Central Washington University volleyball team opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C. on Thursday at 7 p.m. 
 
GAME INFORMATION
Wildcats at Simon Fraser
Thursday | 7 p.m.
Burnaby, B.C. | West Gym
 
QUOTEABLE
"We need to continue to grow and get better in all facets going into conference play," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said. "Simon is very good defensively, pose a lot of challenges at the net and are coached well. They are pretty balanced so we will need to be on top of our game in a tough, hostile environment." 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats spent last weekend in Los Angeles competing at the NCAA DII West Region Showcase. The Wildcats took three of the four matches they played. Their weekend started with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-15) sweep of Cal State East Bay. Makala Swart led the club and the game with 11 kills while adding nine digs. Ashley Kaufman had nine kills while Diana Fa'amausili had eight kills and four assisted blocks. Bridgette Webb finished with seven kills while Julia Mellander had six kills. Gabrielle Aihara had 32 assists and chipped in with two kills. Kyla Morgan led the club with 12 digs. As a team, the Wildcats had 49 digs and combined for 10 blocks. 
 
The Wildcats continued with a match against No. 23 Cal State Los Angeles. This was a rematch from last year's NCAA West Regional quarterfinals, in which the Wildcats ended the Golden Eagles season in five sets. Last weekend, The Wildcats came back from a 2-1 overall deficit to win the match 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-18, 15-13). Four Wildcats ended with double-digit kills led by Webb with 15. She finished the night with a game-high .467 hitting percentage to go along with four block assists and a solo block. Kaufman had a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs. Both Swart and Fa'amausili finished with 12 kils, respectively. Swart also had a double-double as she racked up 14 digs and had two service aces.
 
Airhara once again distributed the ball well handing out 49 assists to lead all players. She also put up two service aces for CWU and tallied 12 digs for a double-double performance. Defensively, Kyla Morgan was all over the floor in the win with a game-high 33 digs to go along with six assists to help out on offense. Mellander was a factor on the front row contributing four block assists and a solo block. She contributed on offense as well with five kills.
 
The Wildcats took part in another thriller, this time against Azusa Pacific. It took five sets to determine a winner. CWU ultimately fell 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 22-25, 25-21, 13-15). Five Wildcats finished with double figure kills, while three players total posted double-double performances. Swart was a force on both sides of the ball tallying 17 kills and 20 digs. Fa'amausili also had 17 kills to help lead the offense. Kaufman notched a double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs. Julia Mellander and Webb finished with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
 
Aihara led all players with a game-high 57 assists and had 13 digs. Defensively, Kyla Morgan had a game-high 35 digs and notched four assists. Sydney Remsberg added 21 digs on defense to go along with six assists.
 
The Wildcats' final match of the weekend took place against Hawaii Pacific. The Wildcats handled the Sharks 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-13)in their West Region Showcase Finale. Swart led the Wildcats with 11 kills on a .286 hitting percentage. She was the only Wildcat with double figure kills in the match. Defensively, Swart added 11 digs for a double-double. Webb was strong for the team with eight kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Fa'amausili and Mellander chipped in with six kills each. Aihara ran a smooth offense, adding 26 assists to her season totals. 
 
Defensively, Mellander led the Wildcats with 6 assisted blocks. Fa'amausili was also strong at the net, accumulating five assisted blocks. Webb and Swart each had a solo block to their name.Morgan led the group with 24 digs. Kaufman and Aihara finished the game with 10 digs each. 
 
NCAA DII WEST REGION SHOWCASE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kyla Morgan was named to the NCAA DII West Region Showcase All-Tournament team.
 
Morgan was pivotal for the Wildcats defense as she racked up a total of 104 kills in four matches played. She posted a then season high of 33 digs against Cal State LA on Thursday, but immediately surpassed that in the next game with 35 against Azusa Pacific on Friday.
 
Offensively, Morgan also found ways to help distribute the ball to a well-balanced attack as she tallied 16 assists. Going into the week, Morgan currently leads GNAC in total digs with 184 and is second in digs per set at 5.75.
 
GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kyla Morgan was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after a strong performance at the NCAA DII West Region Showcase. The accolade is Morgan's first of the year. 
 
WILDCATS IN THE GNAC
The Wildcats performance prior to conference play has landed them amongst the league leaders in the GNAC. CWU leads the conference in opponent hitting percentage, holding competition to a .165 hitting percentage. The team ranks third in conference with 11.69 assists per set and third in kills with 12.72 per set. The Wildcats have blocked the second most attacks in conference with 2.31 blocks per set. The team ranks third with 17.34 digs per set. 
 
Individual performances have also sent a handful of Wildcats to the top of the charts. Fa'amausili ranks fifth in conference in hitting percentage with a .293 mark. She also ranks fifth in blocks with 1.12 per set. Aihara's 9.88 assists per set is the third best in conference. Mellander ranks third in conference with 1.25 blocks per set. Morgan ranks second in digs per set with 5.75. 
 
SCOUTING SIMON FRASER
Last season,the Clan maintained a level of consistency in its fourth-place finish last year, posting its fourth season of 15 wins or more under head coach Gina Schmidt. A solid defensive squad, the Clan led the GNAC and ranked 15th in Division II with 19.57 digs per set while also ranking among the conference's top-three in assists per set, kills per set and hitting percentage.
 
This season, the Clan were picked to finish fourth in the 2019 GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Julia Tays and Betsie de Beer were selected to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference team. Tays served as Simon Fraser's primary setter in 2018, ranking third in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 10.83 assists per set. She was a GNAC All-Conference Honorable Mention. Tays also finished with 22 aces, 2.40 digs per set and 24 blocks. One of three SFU players to start in 20 or more matches, de Beer averaged 2.82 kills and 2.26 digs per set while amassing 49 blocks and 16 aces.
 
Like the Wildcats, the Clan have played in two tournaments to open their 2019 campaign. They are 4-4 on the season, going 2-2 in the Dixie State Classic and at their site of the NCAA DII West Region Showcase. The team has converted 386 kills on a .207 hitting percentage thus far. They've held opponents to a .184 hitting percentage. They're also averaging 17.7 digs per set as well as 1.5 blocks per set. 
 
Kristen Pinkney has emerged as the team's offensive leader. She's has 88 kills and is averaging 3.03 kills per set. de Beer is living up to here preseason hype. She has 80 kills, and is averaging 2.76 kills per set on a .233 hitting percentage. Tays is also performing well, racking up 299 assists on the young season. 
 
NEXT TIME OUT
The Wildcats battle rival Western Washington on their home floor in Bellingham, Washington. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday night.