FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team fell to the Central Washington Wildcats in four sets on Thursday, Nov. 3 in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center. With the loss, the Nanooks fall to 15-12, 5-10 GNAC and prepare for their final home game of the 2022 season on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Central Washington jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a 25-13 first set win. They posted 11 kills and zero errors while the 'Nooks posted 11 kills but surrendered 10 errors. In the second, the Wildcats took the set win 25-18, outhitting the Nanooks 13-9. Alaska grabbed a set back with a 14-kill set three, pulling it to 2-1 with a 26-16 but CWU ended it with a big 25-12 win in the fourth. To start the night, Alaska and CWU traded points until a 7-7 tie was broken up on a Wildcat kill. The 'Cats never looked back after that. They quickly extended their lead to 18-10 before taking a 25-13 set one win. In the first, the Nanooks were led by Ella Bines who put up four of her eight kills. 

In the second set, CWU jumped ahead quickly, taking a four-point lead at 7-3 before Alaska pushed back to pull within one at 10-9 on a Karli Nielson kill. Their three-point stretch was stopped on a net violation by the 'Nooks. They pulled back within one at 13-12 on a Johnasia Michelle Carr block. CWU put together a run, taking the next seven points and making it 20-12. Alaska managed to pull within five, using a 5-0 run, but the Wildcats put them away 25-18. Heading into the third, the Nanooks were looking for a set win to force a fourth set and stay alive; they got just that. the Nanooks quickly grabbed and maintained a lead. They saw their early lead grow to 7-4 on another Nielson kill. Soon, it was 13-9 on an Ella Bines kill. CWU battled back, pulling to within one at 13-12, but the Nanooks offense clicked in the third and their momentum carried them to a 25-16 set win. After it became a 19-16 lead, the Nanooks strung together six-straight for the win. 

NIelson posted seven of her 12 kills in the third set and Bines collected the other four for her night to lead the Nanooks.

Unfortunately for Alaska, their momentum was cut down in the fourth as CWU took the set win 25-12. The Nanooks found themselves with five one-point leads, but could never extend it past one. After a 9-9 tie, Central blew it open, making it 15-9 in the blink of an eye. Alaska managed to pull within six at 18-12, but the Wildcats finished them off with seven-straight points to win it 25-12 in the fourth and win the match 3-1.

Nielson ended with 12 kills, a team-high. Bines added eight. Jessa Long had another strong performance and shot up the history books; she entered tonight's matchup with 441 digs this season, and after her 23-dig performance, she now has 464 on the season, placing her third for total digs in a single-season by a Nanook. Ainsley Smith and Taylor Overn split the evening at setter and both ended with 18 assists. 

The 'Nooks home schedule comes to a close on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 2:00 p.m. as they welcome NNU for senior day. 

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.