University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score MONMOUTH, Ore. – Alaska volleyball looked poised for a comeback Thursday night at Western Oregon after winning the third set and leading late in the fourth, but the Wolves' defense stepped up and shut down the Nanooks' attack to clinch a 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21) Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory.
 
The Wolves (8-13, 5-6 GNAC) had 15 team blocks in the match, the most of any Nanooks opponent this season. Alaska (3-20, 2-10 GNAC) brought its defensive game Thursday night, too, leading the match with 53 digs – its third-most of the year.
 
The Wolves trailed the Nanooks 20-18 in the fourth set, with Alaska looking to tie the match at 2-2 and send it to a fifth and deciding set. Western Oregon put a stop to that with a timeout, then came out with a 7-1 run to win the set 25-21 and the match.
 
Hannah Deede (10 kills, 5 block assists) started the Wolves' run with a kill, then joined Becky Blees (10 kills, 4 block assists) on a block to tie the set at 20-20. The Nanooks took a 21-20 lead on a kill from sophomore outside hitter Sam Harthun (Oregon City, Ore./Art), but the match was tied on the next point on a service error.
 
That's when the Wolves began a run of four consecutive blocks to clinch the match. Western Oregon's Hannah Crites (3 kills, 6 block assists) was involved in all of the Wolves' final four blocks, with help on two apiece from Deede and Christie Colasurdo (10 kills, .417 hit percentage, 3 block assists).
 
Alaska hit -.156 as a team in the fourth set with 11 errors. Western Oregon had seven team blocks in the fourth match alone. The Wolves hit .266 offensively to the Nanooks' .116.
 
Redshirt sophomore libero Samantha Hesterman (Ormiston, Saskatchewan/Social Work) set another career high in digs Thursday with 18. Senior outside hitter Keri Knight (Arvada, Colo./Business Administration) led the Nanooks' attack with 16 kills and a .414 hitting percentage.
 
Alaska travels to Lacey, Wash., Saturday to face Saint Martin's in another GNAC road match. Action begins at 6 p.m. AKDT.