FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team picked up the biggest win of the season on Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium in the Patty Center. In a four-set match, the Nanooks defeated their in-state rivals, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.
From the get-go, the Nanooks showed Anchorage that they were here to fight. They threw the first punch, defeating UAA in the opening-set 25-20. They used a .375 hit percentage and 13 kills in the first to take an early 1-0 lead. They extended that lead to 2-0 using an even better hitting set as the Nanooks posted 16 kills and one error while outhitting UAA .385 to .267. In the third, UAA made a push, forcing a fourth before Alaska knocked-off the Seawolves with a 26-24 fourth-set win.
In the first, the Seawolves jumped out to an early 4-10 lead over Alaska. Alaska used a 6-1 run to cut the deficit and make it 10-11. Alaska used the that run and stole the momentum away from Anchorage. The six-point deficit quickly became a two-point lead. They rode the wave to a 23-17 lead before finishing the first-set off with a 25-20 win. The run continued into the second set as the Nanooks opened with a 6-0 lead. It quickly became a 10-2 lead and 13-4 as the Nanooks seemed to do no wrong. After their nine-point lead, the Nanooks withheld a run from Anchorage. The Seawolves pulled within five at 18-13, but that was the closest they came. Alaska went on to take a 2-0 set-lead with a 25-17 second-set win.
The third set was a battle between the two teams. Anchorage and Fairbanks battled back-and-forth, but the Seawolves pulled away late and took the final two points following a 23-23 tie to win the third set, 23-25.
After another set of back-and-forth battling, the Nanooks stole the fourth and the victory from under UAA. Anchorage led most of the fourth as they looked to force a fifth but after making it 22-24, a
Sophie Schilling kill,
Lahra Weber ace and Anchorage attack-error followed, giving Alaska match-point. After a Weber serve,
Cate Whiting put the game away, dropping the winner on the sideline as the Nanook bench poured on to the court.
AveRee Reynolds led the way for the Nanooks with 16 kills and a .448 hit percentage.
Lahra Weber added nine kills and
Rilee White posted eight.
Cate Whiting grabbed 34 assists and 14 digs for another double-double on the season.
The Nanooks are back in action next week at home against Saint Martin's on Thursday, Nov. 18 and Western Oregon on Saturday, Nov. 20 for Senior Night.
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.
