SEATTLE, Wash. -- The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team concludes its four-match road trip this weekend, as they'll take on Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin's. The Nanooks opens the weekend with a contest against SPU on Thursday and wrap up with Saint Martin's on Saturday. Both matches will be played at 6 p.m. AKT.
Alaska (2-17, 2-7 GNAC) enters the weekend looking to snap their six-match losing streak. Despite the recent woes, the Nanooks have been competitive on the road within the last week, as they took a set from at No. 13-ranked Alaska Anchorage and pushed Montana State Billings to a full five sets. Alaska has already won 18 sets this year, which is four more than they won all of last season.
Last Time Out
The Nanooks dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 (25-16, 15-25, 22-25, 25-21, 14-16) decision at Montana State Billings last Thursday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action. Senior Sam Harthun put on an incredible show in front of the Billings crowd, as she collected a season-high 30 kills and hit a personal-best .393 in the loss.
All-Time Series
Seattle Pacific – The Falcons hold a 36-10 edge in the all-time series against the Nanooks. However, Alaska was able to snap a 12-match losing streak that spanned over seven years the last time they took on SPU, as they won 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16).
Saint Martin's – Alaska holds a 23-9 advantage in the all-time series against the Saints. The Nanooks collected a season-best 20 service aces against the Saints in their 3-2 (25-17, 25-15, 24-26, 20-25, 15-7) victory on Oct. 1. Sophomore Riley Podowicz and senior Sam Harthun each collected a career-best seven aces in the victory.
GNAC Rankings
Alaska enters this week's set of matches in 10th place in the 11-team GNAC, as they've posted a 2-10 mark through 12 contests. The Nanooks are the top-ranked service ace team in the GNAC, as they've landed a total of 133 aces in 72 sets for a 1.85 ace per set average. Sophomore Riley Podowicz is also tops in the conference in service aces, as she is averaging 0.53 aces per set after landing 38 serves in 72 sets.
Senior Sam Harthun is currently second in kills per set in the conference, as she boast a 3.73 kills per set average. Currently, the Oregon City, Oregon native has collected 246 kills in 66 sets and is coming off a season-best 30 kills against Montana State Billings.
Extended Break
Due to the uneven balance of GNAC teams, Alaska enjoyed a weekend off as they competed just Tuesday and Thursday of last week. When the Nanooks take the court on Thursday against Seattle Pacific, they will be well-rested after enjoying a seven-day break away from competition.
Closing In
Senior Sam Harthun is just 21 kills away from breaking Alaska's all-time kill record. Currently, Mallory Bergstrom holds the record as she amassed 1,363 kills from 2001-04. Harthun enters the weekend with 1,343 kills.
30-Kills
Last Thursday, senior Sam Harthun collected a season-best 30 kills against Montana State Billings. It was the second 30-kill game of Harthun's career and just one off her career-high of 31 kills which was set during her freshman season at Simon Fraser.
A Memorable Double-Double
Senior Miranda Grieser handed out a career-best 52 assists and collected a career-high 18 digs to post her fourth double-double of the year at Montana State Billings. It is the first 50-plus assist match for Grieser, as the 52 assists is the eighth-most a setter has handed out in single-match in the GNAC this season.
Scouting the Opposition – Seattle Pacific
The Falcons enter Thursday's match with a 7-4 record on the year and 4-8 mark in GNAC matches. SPU has dropped four-straight matches coming into Thursday's matchup, as they are currently tied for seventh in the conference standings.
Offensively, the Falcons are tied for ninth in the GNAC in hitting percentage with their .131 clip. Freshman Shaun Crespi leads the team in hitting percentage with her .209 success rate, a mark that ranks 25th in the conference. Lexi Biondi is fourth in the league in kills per set, as she has collected 193 kills in 59 sets for an average of 3.27.
Defensively, teams are hitting .207 against SPU, which ranks seventh in the GNAC. They are averaging the fifth-most digs per set in the league with their 16.09 average. Senior Breanne Wiekamp is tops on the team as her 5.47 digs per set average places her third in the GNAC.
Scouting the Opposition – Saint Martin's
The Saints start the weekend with a 2-17 record on the year and a 1-11 mark in the GNAC. SMU opens this week's two-match GNAC slate on a nine-match losing streak.
Saint Martin's is currently ranked last in the conference in hitting percentage, with a .088 mark. Senior Julia Wabinga is currently 15th in the GNAC in kills per set with a 2.69 average.
Defensively, Saint Martin's ranks ninth in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage, as teams are hitting .220 against the Saints. SMU also ranks ninth in the conference in digs per set with a 13.74 average and seventh in blocks at 1.87 blocks per set. Elizabeth Colon is seventh in the conference in digs with her 4.19 digs per set average and Kyra Davidson ranks ninth in the GNAC in blocks per set at 1.10.
Coaches Corner
"We go into this weekend with the confidence knowing that we can beat these two teams, because we did it up in Fairbanks. It helps out a bit, but we are not going prepare for this weekend any differently, because we need to come into the gym and work hard every day no matter who we are playing. We cannot allow ourselves to get comfortable because we are playing a pair of teams we've beat. Both Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin's are very good teams, and we will get their best shot as they look to return the favor after we beat them." – Head Coach Brian Scott on this weekend's matchups.
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