FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team returns to their home court this week to host two Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches this Thursday, Sept. 21 and Friday, Sept. 22. The Nooks will face the Seattle Pacific Falcons on Thursday before taking on Saint Martin's on Friday with both matches scheduled for 7pm AKT.
The Nooks currently sit with an overall record of 7-4 and a GNAC record of 0-2.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans aren't able to make this weekend's games, all Alaska Nanooks volleyball's conference games (home and away) are streamed live for free through the Alaska Nanooks Stretch Internet Portal. Fans have the option to watch the stream, follow the live stats or both.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team opened conference play last week, falling 0-3 to in-state rival Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday before dropping a five-set heartbreaker to Montana State Billings on Friday. Despite opening up league play with a 0-2 record, the Nanooks' win count this season marks the first time since 2010 Alaska has had seven victories in a season.
GNAC Standings
The Nooks currently sit in ninth place in the GNAC standings with an 0-2 conference record. The Nooks and Simon Fraser are the only two teams who haven't won a conference contest yet but only two squads have played, at most, three GNAC games thus far.
Against the Rest
The Nanooks currently rank first in the GNAC in service aces, collecting 82 total as a team in 39 sets this season, averaging 2.10 per set. Alaska also ranks third in the conference in hitting percentage (.237) and kills (13.23 per set).
Conference Leaders
Six Nanooks rank within the top-10 individually in the GNAC in the categories of hitting percentage and service aces. Senior middle blocker
Riley Podowicz is the highest-ranking Nanook in the hitting percentage category, placing fifth amongst all GNAC players with an average of .321. Sophomore middle blocker
Kim Wong also ranks in the top-10 for hitting percentage, ranking seventh with a .304 average.
As the best serving team in the GNAC, Alaska has four players ranking within the top-10 individually in service aces, led by freshman setter
Cate Whiting who has 18 aces in 39 sets for a 0.49 ace per set average to rank third. Following Whiting is sophomore outside hitter
Gabby Lerma (0.39), senior setter
Rachel Nichols (0.38) and redshirt-freshman
Markie Miller (0.37), who rank seventh, eighth and 10th, respectively.
Double-Doubles for Days
Throughout the Nanooks' 11 games so far this season, Alaska has compiled nine double-doubles from five different players. Lerma (3), Whiting (2) and Nichols (2) are the only Nooks to have registered more than one double-double this season, while sophomore Libero
Jenna Hickel and redshirt-senior outside hitter
Maddie Davis has each collected one.
Scouting the Opponent – Seattle Pacific (6-4, 1-1 GNAC)
The Falcons come to Fairbanks after splitting last week against Concordia (1-3) and Western Oregon (3-0). In last week's conference matches, sophomore outside hitter Gabby Oddo led SPU offensively with 23 kills in two matches and enters the week averaging 2.87 kills and 1.10 digs per set. Junior libero Amanda Ganete had 38 digs in two matches to lead SPU defensively, including 28 digs in a four-set loss to Concordia alone.
Scouting the Opponent – Saint Martin's (6-4, 1-1)
Like Seattle Pacific, Saint Martin's also split their GNAC season-opening matches, falling to Western Oregon and defeating Concordia in four sets. Senior outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell was among the conference leaders with 33 kills and 4.71 kills per set in last week's matches and enters the week ranking fifth in the GNAC with 3.72 kills per set. Freshman middle blocker Kamille Langford came alive for 11 blocks in the two matches last week with eight blocks against Concordia. Langford enters the week sixth in the GNAC and 45th in NCAA Division II with 1.19 blocks per set (32 total).
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
