BURNABY, B.C. – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team had their seven-game winning-streak snapped by Simon Fraser University on Thursday, Sept. 30. Despite three players in double-digit kills, SFU pulled out the four-set win over the Nanooks, handing Alaska their sixth loss of the season and first in GNAC play. They are now 11-6, 4-1 GNAC.
Simon Fraser was able to outlast a late-run by the Nanooks. Early on, SFU ran the first-set, winning 19-25 with a .312 hit percentage compared to the Nanooks, .069. Set two was closer, but Simon Fraser pulled away late, grabbing the exciting second-set win, 29-31. They tallied 21 kills in the long set while Alaska posted 18. The Nanooks were able to rebound after the long set, winning set four, quickly, 25-16. Unfortunately the momentum did not last long as SFU closed out the 'Nooks in the fourth, 19-25.
In the first set, the Nanooks grabbed the opening-point, however, SFU answered back with the next five. They quickly turned their lead into a 3-8 deficit for Alaska. Back-to-back
Sophie Schilling kills slowed the SFU momentum, making it 6-11 before an
AveRee Reynolds kill pulled the Nanooks back within three at 9-12. Alaska would eventually pull within two, but that was it. SFU ran away with the opening-set, 19-25. In set two, the Nanooks and SFU suited up and ran a marathon. Alaska jumped out to an early 7-4 lead, but SFU responded and quickly tied the set. They continued their run, pushing ahead to a 10-14 lead, but the Nanooks answered. They pieced together eight-straight points, taking a 20-18 lead. Unfortunately, the Nanooks lead was not held for long as SFU rallied back and stole the set, 29-31. They outlasted the Nanooks, who had three set-points.
The third set was all Alaska. Out of the break, the Nanooks stormed past SFU, defeating them 25-16, proving they were not going down without a fight. Out of the gates, they found themselves up 7-2. SFU made a small run, but two kills from
Rilee White, making it 14-8, stopped the push. Eventually, a kill from
Emily Moorhead, made it 19-11.
Karli Nielson and Reynolds then made it 21-12 on back-to-back kills. White ended the set with a kill, taking a pass from
Dani Dodge and getting Alaska on the board.
Set four saw SFU storm-out ahead of the Nanooks, 1-6. The deficit quickly became 4-11, however, the 'Nooks showed fight and battled back to 12-14 behind kills from White,
Karli Nielson and
Cate Whiting. A 7-0 run for Simon Fraser was the answer Alaska could not afford. SFU ran up their lead, once again, making it 12-21. Alaska made one-last run of their own, fighting their way back to 19-22, but it was too late as Simon Fraser put it away, scoring the final three points.
Nielson was the hot-hitter for the Nanooks tonight, tallying 13 kills and a .182 hit percentage. She added six digs and two blocks. White ended the night with 11 kills and a .269 hit percentage. She had four digs and one ace. Reynolds was the last Nanook in double-digits, ending the night with 10 kills, five solo-blocks, two block-assists and two digs.
Cate Whiting added up 32 assists and 16 digs for another double-double on the season. Finally,
Dani Dodge added her own double-double, collecting 14 digs and dishing out 10 assists.
The Nanooks are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 6:00 p.m. AKT as they take on the Western Washington Vikings at Carver Gymnasium in Bellingham, Wash. All stream and live stats details are available on the Alaska Nanooks athletics website.
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.
