FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team grabbed a big-time win at the Patty Center on Nov. 7, 2019. The 'Nooks claimed a four-set victory over the Concordia Cavaliers with the set scores finishing at 25-20, 21-25, 25-19 and 25-21. This win improves Alaska to 12-11, 9-6 GNAC on the 2019 season.

Alaska's defense played a pivotal part in winning this match over the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers came into the night's game as one of the best defensive teams in the GNAC, and the 'Nooks won the dig and block battle. In the dig category, Makena Overbey led the way with 18 of the Nanooks 72 team digs. CU only managed 58 digs in comparison. As for the blocks, Alaska sent 12 back in the face of Concordia attackers, while the Cavs claimed only nine blocks.

AveRee Reynolds found herself as the heavy-hitter in set-one, exploding for six first-set kills. Right behind her was Lahra Weber with five of her own. With 11 combined kills by these two in the first-set, the Nanooks were off and running. Alaska claimed the first-set 25-20 after Concordia pulled within one with a 21-20 score. After the deficit was cut, the 'Nooks responded with a Reynolds kill, Emily Moorhead service ace, Reynolds block alongside Kim Wong and a CU attack error. The four-consecutive points pushed Alaska out to an early lead.

Set two was a back-and-forth set from the beginning. After Alaska ran out to an early 6-3 lead, the Cavaliers crawled their way back to take an eventual, 13-14 lead. Two consecutive kills and a service ace gave the Cavs the momentum they were looking for. They eventually swung the lead up to four, making it 20-24 and ended up taking the second set, 21-25 on a kill from their freshman, outside-hitter, Zoe DiNardo.

A spread offense, and eight assists out of Cate Whiting helped the Nanooks get back on the path to victory as Markie Miller, Reynolds, Wong, Weber, Moorhead and Whiting all checked in with kills in the third-set, combining for 12, however, head coach Brian Scott saw his team play a great defensive game all-around, with the third-set standing out the most. The defense put up 29 digs off of the Cavalier attack, allowing for more opportunity as a whole, and opening up their own attack.

Overbey led the way in set-three with nine digs; Weber and Whiting followed with five of their own. Coach Scott could not keep a smile off of his face when discussing the Nanooks defense tonight, "Our defense effort was superb. That team is one of the best, if not the best, defensive teams in the GNAC… It was an outstanding defensive effort on our end tonight. We just made it really tough for them to score any points tonight, so it was just a good job by not one person but by lots of people out there."

The fourth-set saw the attack of Reynolds return. She again had six kills in the set, giving her 16 at the end of the night. She was joined by Miller on the attack, as Markie checked in with five fourth-set kills giving her eight on the night. The 'Nooks were able to get an early lead on the Cavs, giving themselves some cushion, however, CU made a push when Alaska hit the 15-point mark. After falling behind by four, the Cavaliers clawed their way back, eventually tying the game at 21-21. That tie was all they would get as the 'Nooks pulled away, taking the next four
points home and coming out with the victory over Concordia.

The Nanooks fell in five-sets to Concordia last month, tonight they were victorious; Lahra Weber felt her team responded well in the categories that were lacking in their last matchup with the Cavaliers, "We've played them before, we know their tendencies, but the same goes for them, they know what we like to do and how we play… I think we learned from what wasn't working the first time and tonight it worked out."

Weber checked in with 11 total kills on the night, 17 digs and a .240 hit percentage. Whiting ended the night with 40 assists and 14 digs, and leading the 'Nooks in digs was Overbey with 18.

The Nanooks and the Cavaliers will not face each other again this season, having split their two-match series for 2019 as both teams won their home match. The Nanooks will be back at home on Nov. 9 when they host the Western Oregon Wolves at 2:00 p.m. at the Patty Center.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.