FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team continues nonconference action this week as they travel to San Rafael, California to participate in the Division II West Region Volleyball Showcase, hosted by the Dominican University of California. The Nooks will face four West Region opponents Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at the Conlan Center on the DUC campus.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans aren't able to make this weekend's games in San Rafael, each of the Nanooks' four matches this weekend will be broadcasted live through the links posted above. The live stream will cost $8 per day, while the live stats will be updated for free.
Last Time Out
The Nanooks opened the 2018 season in Anchorage last weekend, competing in the UAA Invite at the Alaska Airlines Center. Although Alaska fell 3-2 to Michigan Tech on the first day, the Nooks rebounded on Saturday by defeating Western New Mexico 3-1 before sweeping Barton College 3-0. Alaska now sits with an overall record of 2-1.
Upchurch, Whiting Named to UAA Invite All-Tournament Team
Following the completion of the UAA Invite, redshirt-sophomore outside hitter
Tatum Upchurch and sophomore setter
Cate Whiting were named to the All-Tournament Team. Upchurch registered a team-best 42 kills over the weekend, while also chipping in 31 digs, four assists, four blocks and three aces. Whiting boasted a team-high 108 assists, while also producing 24 digs, 10 kills, seven blocks and a team-best seven aces.
D2 West Region Showcase Breakdown
The fifth annual D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase consists of six pods spread across six sites in California, with the PacWest Conference serving as the host. Each site consists of two Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams, two California Collegiate Athletic Association teams and two PacWest Teams. The other sites include three in the LA area, two in the Bay Area and one in Fresno.
#NookNotes (Courtesy of the GNAC VB Notebook)
- Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Upchurch led the Nanooks with 42 kills in the three matches to go along with 31 digs. She had a double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs against Michigan Tech and notched another double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs against Barton. Upchurch is third in the GNAC with 3.50 kills per set and 38th in Division II with 11.08 attacks per set.
- Sophomore outside hitter Lahra Weber added 30 kills and 33 digs in the three matches. She opened the year with a double-double of 14 kills and 12 digs against Michigan Tech and notched an 11-kill effort against Barton.
- Sophomore setter Cate Whiting is fourth in the GNAC with 9.00 assists per set and fourth with 0.58 aces per set. She topped the week with a 24-assist, four-ace effort against Barton on Saturday.
- Alaska enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 41st in NCAA Division II with .119 opponent hitting percentage. The Nanooks are also tied for third in the GNAC with 1.67 aces per set and fourth with 17.33 digs per set and 1.83 blocks per set.
All-Time Series
The Nanooks are 0-1 against Cal State Monterey Bay, who defeated Alaska 3-1 on Aug. 26, 2006.
Friday evening's match will be the first meeting between the Dominican University of California and the Nanooks in program history.
All-time against Point Loma, Alaska is 0-2. The first meeting between the two teams was a 0-2 loss for the Nanooks on Oct. 10, 1986 and the last meeting was another 0-2 loss for Alaska on Sept. 1, 1990.
Alaska is most familiar with Cal State Los Angeles, as the all-time series record is currently 2-6 in favor of CSULA. The first meeting between the two teams was also on Oct. 10, 1986, which resulted in a 0-2 loss for the Nooks. Alaska is currently on a three-game losing streak against Cal State LA, with the last match being a 3-1 decision on Sept. 14, 2013.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
