SEATTLE – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team hits the road for the first time in 2015 in search of the team's first win of the year, as they'll travel to Seattle Pacific to participate in the GNAC/Pac West Crossover. The four-match, three-day event opens on Thursday, Sept. 10, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 12 at Brougham Pavilion.
The Nanooks (0-3) come into Seattle not only looking to capture their first win of the season, but will also have a chance to look at three other Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams, as Montana State Billings, Simon Fraser and host Seattle Pacific will be in competition this week. Academy of Art, Azusa Pacific, California Baptist and Hawai'i Pacific represents the Pac West Conference this week in Seattle. Alaska opens the Crossover with two matches on Thursday, as they take on California Baptist (RV) at 11:30 a.m. and concludes the night with a 7 p.m. match against the Academy of Art. The Nanooks will have single-match days on Friday and Saturday, as they take on Hawai'i Pacific at 10:15 a.m. on Friday and close the GNAC/Pac West Crossover on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with Azusa Pacific.
| Date | Sept. 10, 11, 12, 2015 |
| Location | Seattle, Wash. (Brougham Pavilion) |
| Participating Teams | GNAC: Alaska | Montana State Billings | Seattle Pacific | Simon Fraser
Pac West: Academy of Art | Azusa Pacific | California Baptist | Hawai'i Pacific |
| Alaska Match Schedule | Thursday: vs. California Baptist, 11:30 a.m. | vs. Academy of Art, 7 p.m.
Friday: vs. Hawai'i Pacific, 10:15 a.m.
Saturday: vs. Azusa Pacific, 8:30 a.m. |
| Match Notes | To Come |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Live Streaming | Click Here |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
Improvement Shown
Despite not winning a match in the season-opening Flint Hills Resources Nanook Classic last weekend, Alaska still had a competitive showing as they captured five set wins, the most they have collected in the Classic since 2012. Last season, the Nanooks did not capture their fifth set win until Oct. 2, when they defeated Western Oregon.
It's Been a While
Alaska suffered a five-set loss to Minot State to open 2015 last Friday. It was the first time that the Nanooks had participated in a five set match at home since Oct. 27, 2012. Alaska came back on Saturday morning with another hard-fought five-set loss, which gave the team its first back-to-back five set matches since 2012, when they split against Alaska Anchorage (Oct. 27) and Northwest Nazarene (Nov. 1).
1,100-Kill Club
Senior outside hitter Sam Harthun collected 49 kills en route to being named to her fourth-straight Nanook Classic All-Tournament team. The 49 kills now gives the Oregon City, Oregon native 1,146 for her career, becoming just the third player in program history to surpass 1,100 kills.
Record Chaser
With 1,146 career kills, senior outside hitter Sam Harthun is only 67 kills from tying Megan Thigpen for second on the school's all-time list (1,213) and 217 kills away from the school's all-time record, which is currently held by Mallory Bergstrom who has 1,363.
Career-Best Weekend
Redshirt sophomore Maddie Davis had quite the opening-weekend, as she set a career-best in both hitting percentage and kills. Davis opened the Classic with an outstanding .556 hitting percentage against Minot State adding 11 kills. She closed out the weekend with a career-best 12 kills against St. Mary's.
What Freshman Adjustment?
Freshman outsider hitter Amberly Jeane hit the ground running to start her Nanook career, as the Pearland, Texas native had back-to-back 12-kill performances against Minot State and Saint Joseph's.
Table Setters
Alaska ran a two-setter system over last weekend with Miranda Grieser and Jennifer Morris, and both setters performed admirably. Grieser handed out 72 assists, including a season-best 37 against Minot State, while Morris handed out 48, with a career-best 25 on Saturday against Saint Joseph's.
Scouting the Opposition: California Baptist
The Nanooks open the GNAC/Pac West Crossover against arguably the toughest team in the round robin, as they take on a California Baptist teams that received 16 votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll. In their opening weekend, the Lancers went 3-1 in the Route 92 Showdown with wins over Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The only loss came in five-set fashion to Chico State.
Cal Baptist hit a solid .251 in it four matches, led by Jenna Perry, who hit .336 during a 54-kill opening weekend. Perry was one of four Lancers to surpass the 50-kill mark at the Route 92 Showdown, as Lauren Hackett scored a team-best 63 kills. It will be challenging to find holes in California Baptist defense, as teams have hit .135 against them this season. The Lancers have three players with 40-or-more digs, led by Tori Ortman's 66.
Scouting the Opposition: Academy of Art
Like the Lancers, Academy of Art participated in the Route 92 Showdown last weekend. The Urban Knights went 2-2 with a pair of five-set wins over Cal State Monterey Bay and GNAC opponent Montana State Billings. A of A lost to Stanislaus State and Chico State in straight sets.
The Urban Knights hit .187 in the four games, led by Saufa Elisaia's .292 success rate. Stine Raben led the team with 48 kills, as her performance earned her Pac West Conference Freshman of the Week honors. Defensively, the opposition is hitting .239 against the Academy of Art. Lyndsay Mlynar leads the team with 72 digs, and Margaret Winkler and Elisaia each have 14 total blocks.
Scouting the Opposition: Hawai'i Pacific
The Sharks split four matches in last weekend's Hawai'i Invitational. HPU upset then-No. 12 Sonoma State in straight sets and defeated GNAC foe Saint Martin's, but dropped a pair of four-set matches against Humboldt State and GNAC's Simon Fraser.
Elizabeth Culpepper and Pomai Recca led the Sharks over the weekend, as Culpeper had 38 kills and Recca was one behind her performance with 37. Hawai'i Pacific hit .204 in the four matches, led by Carson Pyle's .636's hitting percentage. On defense, the Sharks are hold their opponents to a .186 hitting percentage. HPU has a pair of player that has collected 40-or-more digs, led by Amanda Moriarty's 45.
Scouting the Opposition: Azusa Pacific
The Cougars went 0-4 last weekend at the Spring Hill Suites Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska. APU dropped a pair of five set matches to Cal Poly Pomona and Nebraska Kearney in between a four-set loss to Alaska Anchorage and a straight set defeat to Rockhurst to close out the event.
Offense was a struggle for the Cougars in Anchorage, as the team hit .128 in the four matches. Despite that, Ashley Midland hit a healthy .289 with a team-best 36 kills. Mattie Shelford also had 34 kills in Anchorage. Defensively, APU held teams under .200, as they're allowing a .190 opponent hitting percentage. They have three players with 45-or-more digs, led by Ashley Swatek's 56.
Follow Along
Fans can watch every match of the GNAC/Pac West Crossover via SPUFalcons.com. Click the link here to watch. Fans can also follow along on Twitter, as @NanooksVB will be live tweeting each match this week.
For more information on Alaska Nanooks Volleyball, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter or like Alaska Nanooks Volleyball on Facebook.
