FAIRBANKS, Alaska –The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team will look to keep their six-match winning streak alive with a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches at home this week. The Nanooks will take on the Simon Fraser Clan on Thursday, Oct. 18 before taking on the No. 4 Western Washington Vikings on Saturday, Oct. 20. Both matches will take place at the Alaska Airlines Court at the Patty Center.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans aren't able to make this week's games in Fairbanks, all Alaska Nanooks volleyball games for the remainder of the season (home and away) will be streamed live for free through the Alaska Nanooks Stretch Internet Portal in the link posted above. Fans have the option to watch the stream, follow the live stats or both. Please be advised that when on the road, Alaska volleyball games are produced and streamed through the respective home team.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks went 2-0 last week, kicking-off the week with a 3-0 sweep over in-state rival Alaska Anchorage. The win marked the first time the Nanooks defeated the Seawolves since the 2010 season, the first time Alaska swept Alaska Anchorage since the 2007 season and the first time the Nanooks had been on a five-match conference winning streak since the 2001 season. Following Tuesday's victory, Alaska edged Montana State Billings 3-2 on Thursday.
GNAC Standings
Alaska currently ranks tied for fifth in the GNAC standings with a conference mark of 7-5 through 12 league matches. Simon Fraser is the other GNAC team tied for fifth in the conference standings, while Alaska's other weekend opponent, Western Washington, remains undefeated through conference play with a 12-0 mark.
All-Time Series
The Alaska Nanooks trail the all-time series record against Simon Fraser 3-15, with the first meeting between the two teams coming as a 3-0 loss for the Nooks on the road on Oct. 10, 1998. In their last meeting, Alaska was swept by SFU 3-0 on Sept. 22 of this season.
All-time against Western Washington, Alaska is 6-45 overall. The first meeting between the Vikings and the Nanooks resulted in a 2-0 loss on the road for the Nanooks on Oct. 16, 1980. The Nanooks are currently on a 20-match losing streak to the Vikings, dating back to the 2008 season. In their last meeting, the Vikings swept the Nanooks 3-0 on Sept. 20.
Scouting the Opponent – Simon Fraser (10-8 Overall, 7-5 GNAC)
Simon Fraser has won four of its last five matches after sweeping Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday, both in three sets. The Clan enter the week ranking second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 13.33 assists per set and are third in the GNAC, 27th in Division II with 13.92 kills per set. Furthermore, SFU is second in the conference, 14th nationally with 19.44 digs per set.
Individually, SFU is led by senior middle blocker Tessa May, who is fourth in the GNAC with a .340 hitting percentage and ninth with 3.14 kills per set. Junior defensive specialist Katerina Dolguikh was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after finishing 42 digs in six sets last week, averaging seven digs per set.
Scouting the Opponent – Western Washington (17-3 Overall, 12-0 GNAC)
WWU is currently riding a 17-match win streak after a pair of three-set sweeps over NNU and CWU last week. The Vikings moved up to No. 4 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25, the program's highest ranking of the season. Western Washington leads the GNAC and is fourth in DII with a .259 hitting percentage and also lead the league with 2.80 blocks per set.
Senior setter Brette Broesel was named the GNAC offensive player of the week after putting up 83 assists in six sets last week, averaging 13.83 assists per set. Junior middle blocker Kayleigh Harper leads the conference and is 15th in DII with a .395 hitting percentage and is fifth in the nation, first in the conference with 1.43 blocks per set average. Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps enters the week leading the GNAC and 21st in NCAA DII with 4.06 kills per set.
#NookNotes (Courtesy of the GNAC VB Notebook)
- Sophomore outside hitter Markie Miller led the Nanooks' offense with 33 kills and a .324 hitting percentage in the two matches. She came off the bench to lead all players with 15 kills, two aces and a .464 hitting percentage against Alaska Anchorage and then led the way with 18 kills against Montana State Billings. Miller enters the week averaging 2.16 kills per set.
- Junior outside hitter Lahra Weber finished with 25 kills in the two matches, led by her 17 kills and two assists against MSUB. Junior right side Mica Shenglan had 17 kills and a .350 hitting percentage, which included a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs against MSUB. Weber enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with 3.43 kills per set.
- Last week's AVCA Division II Player of the Week, sophomore setter Cate Whiting finished with 90 assists over the week. She finished with 34 assists, four kills and three digs against Alaska Anchorage and added totals of 56 assists and nine digs against Montana State Billings. Whiting enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with 9.67 assists per set.
- Alaska enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with a.176 hitting percentage and is tied for fifth with 1.57 aces per set. The Nanooks are averaging 11.96 kills and 15.84 digs per set.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
