MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon volleyball team opens GNAC play on the road this week as the Wolves head north to take on Alaska Fairbanks 7 p.m. Thursday and No. 16 Alaska Anchorage 7 p.m. Saturday.

WOLVES HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2022 STATISTICS
WOU is coming off a 2-2 performance at the Saint Martin's University Labor Day Weekend Tournament in Washington, picking up wins against Westminster (3-1) and Western New Mexico (3-1) while falling to Adelphi (3-2) and Colorado Christian (3-1). The victories give the Wolves four wins on the season - equaling last season's total. On the weekend, Madison Hornback paced the Wolves with 52 kills (more than three kills per set) - reaching double figure kills in each match - while adding nine aces in the four matches. She along with Sophia Casarez (96 assists) were named to the SMU All-Tournament Team.

Hornback leads WOU in kills at 2.70 per set and is followed by Bailee Hartsook (2.53), Ella Nordquist (2.26), Lauren Smith (2.21) and Sarah Crowell (2.00). Three players have set for the Wolves this season in Emily West (5.17 per set), Casarez (5.15) and Laney O'Neil (4.82). Hornback also leads the team in aces with 11 though O'Neil is averaging a team-best 0.41 per set. Ally Henry leads the team in digs at 3.27 per set followed by Hornback (2.50). Delaney Smith leads the team in blocks per set (1.04) followed by Chole Asciutto (0.59).

ALASKA FAIRBANKS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2022 STATISTICS
The Nanooks head into Thursday on a seven-match winning streak after going 4-0 at their Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic this past week - beating Black Hills State (3-1), Florida Southern (3-1), Arkansas Fort Smith (3-1) and Findlay (3-2).

Rilee White - who was named ot the all-tournament team last week - leads the team at 2.84 kills per set (she also leads the team in aces at 0.64 per set) followed by Karli Nielson (2.53), Ella Bines (2.20) and Kristina Head (2.11). Ainsley Smith (5.51 assists per set) and Taylor Overn (4.73) hold down the setting duties for Fairbanks. Elizabeth Jackson (1.16) and Head (1.07) lead the team in blocks per set while Jessa Long is averaging a team-high 4.04 digs per set.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2022 STATISTICS
The 20th-ranked Seawolves are coming off a 3-1 weekend - suffering their first loss in a five setter to Florida Southern to go along with wins over Findlay (3-0), Black Hills State (3-0) and Arkansas Fort Smith (3-1). 

Anchorage is led by Eve Stephens who is averaging 4.84 kills per set - which ranks fifth in the country and first in the conference. Teammate Lisa jaunet is fifth in the GNAC at 3.21 kills per set. Stephens also ranks fourth in the GNAC in aces per set at 0.55. Ellen Floyd leads the team, is second in the GNAC and 11th in the nation in assists per set at 11.18. Talia Leauanae leads the team at 4.29 digs per set while Isabel Evans is averaging a team-high 0.81 blocks per set. MAKING STRIDES IN YEAR ONE UNDER NAHALE-A
The Western Oregon volleyball team just eight games into the season has already made strides from a year ago in head coach Kaiao Nahale-a's first season at the helm. At 4-4, the Wolves have equaled last season's win total already (4-21) and can equal and surpass the 2019 win total (5-22) this weekend.

HORNBACK, CASAREZ MAKE SMU ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Western Oregon volleyball team had a pair of representatives on the SMU All-Tournament Team from the event that took place from Sept. 1-3 in Lacey, Washington, in Madison Hornback and Sophia Casarez. Hornback had a big weekend in totaling 52 kills, 47 digs and nine aces in the Wolves' four matches while Casarez had 96 assists for the Wolves.