Sept. 19, 2008
Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK - Junior right-side hitter Jessica Hill hammered home 16 kills and junior setter Alexa Sherman distributed 38 assists en route to a three-set sweep of visiting Seattle Pacific University Thursday, topping the Falcons 25-19, 25-18, 28-26 at the Patty Center.
The sweep was a sweet one for Alaska (8-3, 2-0 GNAC), who remained unbeaten in conference play, as the triumph snapped a six-match winless skid against SPU (2-7, 0-1) and marked the first sweep over the Falcons since October 12, 1991: the first time the Blue and Gold ever beat SPU.
It also marked head coach Phil Shoemaker's sixth win against SPU and the program's eighth overall. Shoemaker is just two wins shy of his 100th career win at the helm for Alaska (98-101).
Hill hit .344 (16-5-32) and had three blocks to lead Alaska's attack. The Nanooks also got eight kills from senior middle blocker Korlyn Bolster and seven from junior outside Megan Thigpen, who tied Sherman for the lead in digs with 10.
First-year middle blocker Marybeth Wikander had six kills in 12 attempts with zero errors (.500) and a team-best four blocks.
For the Falcon's Nikki Finley led SPU (2-8) with nine kills and Robin DeJong had a match-high five blocks. Libero Anna Herold led the defensive effort for both squads with 18 digs.
Alaska continues its GNAC schedule on Saturday, when they host the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders, who lost in four sets to Alaska Anchorage Thursday, at 7 p.m. in the Patty Center.
