FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team rebounded and ended their four-game slide, defeating the Simon Fraser University volleyball team on Saturday, Oct. 30. This win improved the Nanooks to 14-11, 7-6 GNAC.
Alaska dropped the opening set to SFU, 16-25, being outhit .047 to .371 and 11-15 in kills. The Nanooks also surrendered nine kills to SFU's two. They bounced-back and took the next three sets, 25-12, 25-20 and 27-25. In the second set, the Nanooks outhit SFU .333 to -.029, posting a 10-kill, two error set. In the third set, Alaska pulled away, taking it 25-20 behind 11 kills. In the fourth, Alaska continued to fight, prevailing 27-25 and taking the win.
The first set was Simon Fraser's most dominant set. They jumped out to a quick 12-4 lead before making it 14-7. Alaska made a quick push, grabbing four-consecutive, making it 11-14 but SFU continued their run, eventually making it 14-22 and winning it 16-25. Alaska found every answer after the opening-set. In the second set, the Nanooks had their own strong start. After making it 7-5,
Cate Whiting went on to nine-straight services, including three aces, making it 15-5. After making it 20-10, the Nanooks ran away with it, taking it 25-12. The third set was a battle.
Back-and-forth runs was the story of the third set as the Nanooks had an early lead before SFU made it 9-7. Their lead grew to 12-15 but Alaska made another, forcing a four-point swing to 17-16 on a
Sophie Schilling kill. Their lead grew to 24-19 before an attack error by Simon Fraser gave them the 25-20 set-win. In the fourth and final set, the Nanooks came back again, trailing 14-18, before coming alive for the win.
Lahra Weber and
AveRee Reynolds went back-to-back on kills, bringing the 'Nooks back into it before Schilling went back-to-back herself to give Alaska the lead at 23-22. SFU pushed three of the next four across but Weber and Reynolds teamed up again to win it for Alaska, 27-25.
Lahra Weber and
AveRee Reynolds led the way for the Nanooks with 14 kills each. In addition to her 14 kills, Weber added 14 digs, two blocks, three assists and a service-ace. Reynolds, alongside her 14 kills, had six digs and five blocks.
Sophie Schilling was the only other Nanook in double-digits with 10 kills.
Cate Whiting tallied 35 assists and added 12 digs. Dani dodge and
Rilee White led the team with 16 digs.
The Nanooks take to the road one last time before facing-off with Anchorage in two weeks.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter, @AlaskaNanooksVB on Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
