Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK - Despite a double-double from senior outside hitter
Megan Thigpen on a match-high 20 kills and 11 digs, the Alaska Nanooks fell in a hotly contested match to Western Oregon 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Nanooks took the first set, and then dropped two and three before winning the fourth. Alaska could not keep the momentum as they lost the deciding set 15-8, to fall to 8-8 on the season.
The Blue and Gold jumped out early and dominated the first set en route to a 25-18 victory. The Nanooks then lost a heart breaking 25-21 second set to even the match at one game apiece.
In set three the Wolves out hit the Nanooks .333-.194 behind five kills each from Danielle Reese and Laura Sakala to give WOU the advantage.
Alaska trailed for much of the fourth set and it looked as if Western Oregon was going to close out the match but Alaska battled back and took the fourth set 25-21. Senior setter
Alexa Sherman paced the Nanooks in the set with 14 assists: five of them going to senior outside hitter
Heather Lyons, as Alaska only committed four errors in the stanza.
Unfortunately for the home team, they could not complete the comeback as WOU built an early 7-0 lead and never looked back, taking the final set 15-8. At one point, Alaska was able to close the set within four points at 10-6, but could not erase their deficit while committing seven errors in the deciding set.
The Nanooks were led by Thigpen, who was one of four Nanooks with double-figure kills. Lyons also registered a double-double with 17 kills and 14 digs while hitting .371. Defensively, freshman libero
Allison Oddy and Sherman lifted 12 and 10 digs, respectively. Sherman also had a match-high 47 assists in the loss.
WOU was paced by three players as Laura Sakala led the way putting down 19 kills with Danielle Reese (14) and Lisa Martini (12) also gaining double-digit kills. Danielle English had 18 digs and Amy Herron had 37 assists for the Wolves.
With the loss, the Nanooks fall to 8-8 overall and 2-3 in the GNAC while Western Oregon improved to 6-10 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
The Nanooks return to action next Saturday, October 10 when they host their archrivals the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. Game time is set for 7:00 PM at the Patty Center.
