Game 1 | Game 2
CALIFORNIA – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team split their opening day on March 8, 2021. They fell to Azusa Pacific in the morning game, 1-3, but they rebounded to pick up their own four-set victory against Biola in the night cap. They are now 1-1 in their revised 2020-21 spring season.
In game one, the Nanooks and Cougars came out firing, tallying a combined 30 kills. The Cougars outhit the 'Nooks 14-16 in the kill department and had a better hit percentage, .216 to .400, but despite this, the Nanooks were able to hang with APU.
Rilee White and
AveRee Reynolds picked up the first kills for Alaska on the season, the first of their combined 18, nine each. Alaska pulled within one at 11-12 on a
Lahra Weber service ace, but a stretch of APU points made it 11-16 in a matter of moments. The Nanooks never got back within two points, pushing the Cougs at the end, but falling 22-25.
APU kept the momentum heading into the second set, jumping out to a 0-6 lead on Alaska. Unfortunately, the Nanooks never got back within six, falling in set two, 13-25.
Set three saw the Nanooks swing the momentum, jumping out to an early lead and countering runs made by APU. After falling behind 7-8, the 'Nooks went on a small run, picking up an 18-13 lead off of kills by Weber and
Cate Whiting. Azusa made a small push, pulling within 20-18, but Alaska fended them off once again in the set, picking up the victory 25-20 on a ball handling error by APU. There was not enough momentum left in the tank after picking up the third-set win, however. The Nanooks got up early, 3-1, but APU responded getting four of the next five points, retaking the lead and eventually running out to a 7-13 lead.
The Cougars eventually won the fourth and final set, 15-25, taking the match from the Nanooks 1-3. No Nanooks picked up double-digit kills, but
AveRee Reynolds and
Rilee White both picked up nine.
Lahra Weber added eight and
Emily Moorhead checked-in with seven.
Cate Whiting added 29 assists to her game totals, the only Nanook in double-digit assists.
On the defensive side, the Nanooks were led by
Cate Whiting with 16 digs. Transfer
Dani Dodge picked-up 15 in her 'Nooks debut and added eight assists. Weber and White both grabbed 12 of their own.
In game two, the Nanooks faced-off with Biola in La Mirada, Calif. and grabbed their first win of the revised 2020-21 spring season. After falling in the first set to the Eagles, 22-25, the Nanooks jumped all over BU, winning three straight and moving to 1-1 on the season.
After taking set one, BU jumped out to a quick 1-4 lead but the 'Nooks were able to respond. The worked back, bringing the score to 9-10 behind a
Zoey Keene kill, a
Rilee White kill and a
Karli Nielson kill. After this string of hits, Alaska and Biola went on separate runs, resulting in the Nanooks eventually taking the lead once again at 20-19.
Alaska soon found themselves with a set-point and a 24-22 lead but Biola answered with three straight points, giving the Eagles a shot at the set. The 'Nooks once again found the answers, stringing together four of the next five points, including a
Colleen File kill to win the second-set, 28-26.
Set three started the same as set two as Biola jumped out to a quick 1-4 lead and once again, the Nanooks strung together points, retaking the lead late. The third set saw 17 ties as Alaska eventually grabbed the 25-23 set victory. A kill by Whiting and an attack error by BU handed the Nanooks the win and put them in the driver's seat to pick up their first win. The fourth and final set was another set of runs, but this time, it was Alaska who jumped out to a 4-1 lead. After a Keene kill to make it 5-2, the 'Nooks ran out to an 8-3 lead. Biola made a run of their own, however, and took an 8-10 lead on a seven-point run that included four service-aces.
Biola held the momentum and eventually held a 11-16 lead.
Alaska made their own run, stringing together five-consecutive points and tying things at 16-16. Another tie at 22-22 saw Biola score their final point as Weber and White put the Eagles away as Weber made it 23-22, White made it 24-22 and Weber ended it, 25-22.
Rilee White led the way for the Nanooks in the kills category, picking up 13, a new career-high for the freshman. Weber followed behind with 11 and Keene checked-in with 11 of her own. Whiting had another 20-piece in the assists column, posting 26 in the win.
Taylor Overn put up 13 of her own and
Dani Dodge added another eight.
Dodge led the way in the digs category, picking up 18 while Whiting added 14 and Weber had 12 of her own.
The Nanooks are back in action on Tuesday, March 9 as they travel to Irvine, Calif. to face-off with Concordia University Irvine at 6:00 p.m. AKT at the CU Arena.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
