FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The 2015 Alaska Nanooks volleyball season came to an end on Saturday night, as they dropped a 3-1 (19-25, 26-28, 25-22, 26-28) decision to Concordia University (Ore.) on Senior Night at Alaska Airlines Court.
Alaska (6-21, 6-14 GNAC) honored seniors Miranda Grieser, Sam Harthun and Samantha Hesterman on Saturday night, and each senior gave a memorable performance in their final collegiate match. Harthun gave the home crowd one final spectacular performance, as she collected a match-high 27 kills. Grieser was equally as impressive on Saturday, as she handed out a match-best 50 assists. Not to be out done, the libero Hesterman collected 14 digs and helped the Nanooks out-dig Concordia (18-10, 10-10 GNAC), 64-61.
For Harthun, the 27-kill performance brings an end to the most dominating offensive career in program history. The outside hitter ends her four-year run with 1,513 career kills, which sets a new career standard for both Alaska volleyball and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Tonight's performance marks the seventh 20-plus kill effort for Harthun this season. As for Grieser, the 50 assists tonight is the fourth time this year she has handed out 50-or-more helpers.
"I'm saying goodbye to three great kids," said head coach Brian Scott. "I wish we had them another year to help us keep building this thing. Things didn't go the way we wanted it to go tonight, but we fought the entire night. That's how volleyball should be played, two teams battling point for point like these teams did tonight."
Concordia opened the match by hitting a stout .481, as they cruised to a 25-19 victory. The Nanooks battled back and forced extra points in the second set, but they were unable to capitalize on the rally, as they fell 28-26 and faced a 2-0 deficit going into the break. Alaska stormed back to take the third set 25-22 and extend the season another set. The Nanooks would once again rally late in the fourth set and even served set point, but they could not come through, as Concordia battled back and to take the set 28-26 and the match 3-1.
Junior Maddie Davis posted her second-straight double-double of the season, as she collected 10 kills and 10 digs. Davis ends her redshirt sophomore season with three double-double in her last four home matches of the year. Junior Megan Olsen posted a match-best 21 digs. She ends the 2015 season with a nine-match double-digit digs streak.
The loss drops the Nanooks to 6-21 and 6-14 in the GNAC. They finish seventh in the GNAC, which is the team's highest finish in the league since 2010. The six wins are also the most for an Alaska volleyball team since the 2012 season. Scott was proud of the way the year ended and is looking forward to continuing the process of turning around the program next season.
"Our theme for this spring will be no limitations. We are going to push ourselves above and beyond where we've ever been. We are not going to limit ourselves in any shape or form. We're going to take this program to the top. We established some great building blocks and there are some brighter days ahead for the Alaska Nanooks."
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