FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team beat the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks in five sets on Saturday, Nov. 5, in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center. With the win, the Nanooks move to 16-12, 6-10 GNAC, and prepare for their final road trip of the 2022 season.

Northwest Nazarene jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a 25-17 first set win. They posted 10 kills and one error while the 'Nooks posted 13 kills but surrendered 11 errors. In the second, the Nighthawks took the set win 25-17, outhitting the Nanooks 16-8 in kills. Alaska grabbed a set back with a 10-kill set three, pulling it to 2-1 with a 25-23 win. The 'Nooks tied up the match in the fourth with a close 25-21 win in the fourth. To start the fifth, Alaska and NNU traded points until a 6-6 tie was broken up on a Johnasia Michelle Carr kill. The 'Nooks never looked back after that. They quickly extended their lead to 11-8 before taking a 15-13 set five win on the spectacular kill from Jessa Long. 

To start the night, Alaska and NNU traded points until a 14-14 tie was broken up on a Nighthawks kill. The 'Hawks never looked back after that. They quickly extended their lead to 21-14 before taking a 25-17 set one win. In the first, the Nanooks were led by Karli Nielson, who put up five of her 13 kills. 

In the second set, NNU jumped ahead early, taking a six-point lead at 13-7 before Alaska pushed back to pull within two at 13-11 on a Nighthawks attack error. After the attack error, NNU put together a run, taking six of the next seven points, making it 19-12. Alaska managed to put a few more points on the board for a more respectable 25-17 final. 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 7-2 on another Nighthawks attack error. A NNU run would force an 8-8 tie. Each team would go back and forth for much of the rest of the match, culminating in a 22-22 tie late in the third set. An Elizabeth Jackson kill would break the late set gridlock. NNU got back on the board for one more point before two attack errors would win it for the 'Nooks, 25-23. 

Fortunately for Alaska, their momentum would continue in the fourth as Alaska took the set win 25-21. The Nanooks ran out to an early 10-5 lead on another Jackson kill, one of her nine kills on the night. The 'Nooks' early lead would disappear, though, NNU typing it 13-13. The Nighthawks even took a momentary lead, up as many as two, 16-14. A Nighthawks service error followed by an Ella Bines kill would put the Nanooks up for good.  Back-to-back Bines kills would give Alaska the 17-16 lead. Alaska blew it open from there, making it 24-21 in the blink of an eye. Yet another Jackson kill would close it out for Alaska, 25-21. 

Looking to close out the reverse sweep, the fifth set was dominated by Karli Nielson and Johnasia Michelle Carr with three kills apiece. Carr, Nielson, and the rest of the 'Nooks used their momentum and fan support to propel them to a fifth set win. NNU and Alaska saw a tie go to 6-6 in the fifth set, before two-straight blocks by the 'Nooks from Carr and Bines would switch the sides. After the sides switched, Alaska did not let its lead disappear. NNU would fight, though, cutting the lead down to one on two occasions, including 14-13. Up one, needing just one point, Jessa Long put the exclamation point on her Alaska career at home, laying out for a spectacular kill from the back row near the baseline. With the one-point lead and looking to complete the reverse sweep, Jessa Long laid out over the baseline, hitting the ball up and nearly off the ceiling. After crossing the net, it fell in front of a stunned NNU squad giving the Nanooks the set win and 3-2 comeback win. 

Hey @ESPNAssignDesk HOW ABOUT THIS FOR THE GAME-WINNER?! pic.twitter.com/lggcoVMBXI

— Alaska Nanooks (@AlaskaNanooks) November 6, 2022

The 'Nooks honored their three seniors immediately following the win. Jessa Long was joined by Marine Angely and Taylor Overn in their final home matches at the Patty Center. Besides the game-winning kill, Long added six assists and 21 digs, giving her 485 digs on the season, leaving her just 22 digs away from becoming the all-time single-season dig leader in Alaska history. Angely added six kills, one assist, and two digs. Overn also added 16 assists, 13 digs, and two service aces to her final total. 

The Nanooks will wrap up their 2022-23 season on the road for two matches. The first on Thursday, Nov. 10, at Saint Martin, before ending the season Saturday, Nov. 12, at Western Oregon University.

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.