FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team got back in the win column with a 3-0 sweep of the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets. With the win, the Nanooks move to 14-8, 4-6 GNAC and drop MSUB to 7-11, 0-10 GNAC.

In the first, the Nanooks used a .395 hit percentage to skate by Billings 25-17. They posted 19 kills and only four errors while Montana State Billings posted nine kills and five errors for a .118 hit percentage. In the second, MSUB swung .143, but Alaska still posted a .333, despite only a dozen kills. The 'Nooks won the second set 25-19 before taking the third and final set 25-20 behind another strong set. On the day, the 'Nooks hit .323 and posted 43 kills with only 13 errors.

The Nanooks jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first set, riding two kills by Elizabeth Jackson, a kill by Elena Guc, an attack error on MSUB and another that resulted in Guc and Jackson teaming up for the block. The Yellowjackets disrupted the run with their first point of the day, but the Nanooks pressed on, making it 8-1. Billings tallied on a few more points, but the Nanooks maintained the momentum, stretching their lead to 15-7 on an Ella Bines kill, Marine Angely kill and attack error on MSUB. After making it an eight-point lead, MSUB made a small run, pulling within seven at 23-16, but another kill by Angely put the set away, 25-17, giving the Nanooks a 1-0 lead. 

Set number two saw Montana State Billings holding on to an early lead. They grabbed the first few points before jumping ahead 7-5. After another Bines kill and MSUB error, the Nanooks tied it at 7-7 and used the two-point swing to their side. They quickly found themselves with a 10-8 lead. MSUB pushed back to tie the set at 12-12 but a four-point run by Alaska highlighted by three kills made it 16-12. They'd push another run of five points on the board, making it 22-14 in the blink of an eye. The Yellowjackets posted five of six points, but the Nanooks stopped them in their place with two points to end the set, 25-19 and move ahead 2-0. The third set was the closest of the three and saw MSUB make a strong mid-set push before the Nanooks put them to rest. 

Alaska, once again, jumped ahead to a big 5-1 lead out of the gates. A Jackson kill and Jessa Long ace pushed it to 7-2 before MSUB chipped away at the lead. They grabbed four of five points, making it 10-7, but the Nanooks answered with two more of their own, extending it to a five-point lead. Billings was able to pull within a pair of points at 12-10, 14-12 and 17-15, but never got closer down the stretch. The Nanooks used small runs to kill the opposing momentum and eventually took the 25-20 win for the sweep. Elena Guc put the game away with a kill, her team-leading ninth. 

Elena Guc led the way for the Nanooks with nine kills on a .571 hit percentage. She added three blocks on the night. Elizabeth Jackson had a full stat sheet as the middle blocker posted seven kills with a .417 hit percentage. She added two solo blocks and three block assists. Johnasia Michelle Carr posted eight kills and a .400 hit percentage and Marine Angely added seven kills. 

Ainsley Smith led the way with 16 assists and Taylor Overn added 14 of her own. Jessa Long posted a game-high 15 digs while Overn added eight and Rilee White posted seven.

The Nanooks are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center as they welcome the Seattle Pacific Falcons.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.