Oct. 14, 2007
Final Stats
FAIRBANKS, AK -Western Washington needed just an hour and twenty minutes to dispatch the Alaska Nanooks at the Patty Center on Saturday, rolling over the Blue and Gold in three straight, 30-18, 30-12, 30-24. The Nanooks slip below .500 for the first time this season, dropping to 9-10 overall (3-8 GNAC). Western remains at the top of the GNAC table, improving to 14-4 on the year and 10-1 in the conference.
The Nanooks looked to put up a fight early, taking an early 7-5 lead. The Vikings found their stride, however, and took 10 of the game's final 12 points to take the first game, 30-18.
From there, Western slowly took control of the match, cruising through the second game, 30-12 as the Nanooks could not find an answer for Vikings' servers Angie Alvord, Marissa Hill and Katie Robinson, all of whom finished with three aces each. Alaska could muster just seven kills in 32 attacks in the game: a -.031 hitting percentage
The Blue and Gold regrouped after the break, playing their best volleyball in the third game to give the Vikings a run for their money. A 7-3 run, sparked by three Jessica Hill kills, saw the Nanooks close the gap to four late in the game, but the Vikings put the match away with an Angie Alvord ace and a kill by Tiana Roma.
For the second straight game, senior co-captain Jessica King led the team in kills with eight. Megan Thigpen collected seven kills and middle hitters Korlyn Bolster and Erica Gage had six each.
The Vikings were led by outside hitter Emily Castro who had 11 winners, while Jaime Anderson and Roma had 10 apiece. Libero Courtney Schneider, the GNAC's all-time career digs leader, added 24 digs in marshalling an organized Vikings defense. Western finished with 11 aces on the evening as well.
The Nanooks now head to Seattle and Montana State Billings for road matches next weekend before returning home for their final homestand of the season on Oct. 25 and 27.
