HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Alaska Nanook volleyball team moved to 1-0 after day one of the 2021 season with an impressive opening-day sweep of the Hawaii Pacific Sharks on Friday, August 27. They completed the sweep 25-21, 25-20 and 25-11. 
 
The Nanooks offense was too much for the Sharks on Friday as Alaska outhit HPU 35-24 in the kills category and 11-4 in the service aces category. In total, the 'Nooks swung a .189 hit percentage with only 17 errors while the Sharks swung an even .000 with 24 errors to go along their kills. 
 
Alaska came out firing with 14 kills in set one and a .257 hit percentage. After a constant deficit up until the midway point of set one, the Nanook offense found its stride and emerged for the win. A Rilee White kill made it 13-15 and it was game on as Alaska would find eight of the next nine points, swinging the scoreboard in their favor and making it 20-16. A small run from the Sharks was halted by a Lahra Weber kill, one of her 12, and the Nanooks grabbed set one on a block by Emily Moorhead, one of her five. The first set of 2021 went to Fairbanks. 
 
Set two made for a similar fashion, however, this time, it was Alaska with the early lead. Back-to-back service aces for Weber made it 4-2 before small runs from both teams led to a 9-9 tie. Eventually HPU managed to grab the lead back, making it 13-16, their biggest lead of the set. Alaska had other plans. Coach Scott's team broke off another run, scoring seven of the next eight points, and once again, making it 20-17, advantage Nanooks. Two points went the way of Hawaii Pacific but Alaska rallied for five of the final six points to take a commanding 2-0 set lead. 
 
Any idea of a comeback from Hawaii Pacific was shut down in the first 10 points as the 'Nooks shot out of a cannon to start the third set. Three Weber aces and two AveRee Reynolds kills later, the Nanooks found themselves up 10-0. A lead they would not surrender once. They found the 10-point lead once again at the 15-5 mark on a Weber kill and eventually pushed it to a match-high lead of 13 at 22-9 before pulling out the victory by 14, 25-11. 
 
Lahra Weber was the offensive star of the night for the Nanooks, tallying a game-high 12 kills and hit percentage of .333. She added eight digs and six service aces. Cate Whiting checked-in with her first double-double of the season as the senior setter grabbed 25 assists and 10 digs. AveRee Reynolds added seven kills and three blocks while Emily Moorhead led the blocks category with five. She added two kills. Dani Dodge led all with 15 digs. 
 
The Nanooks are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, August 28 at 2:00 p.m. AKT versus Chaminade University and again at 9:00 p.m. AKT versus Hawaii Pacific. 
 
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.