ANCHORAGE - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team fell in straight sets to the Point Loma Sea Lions on Thursday, Aug. 25 in game one of the Seawolf Volleyball Invitational. This loss drops the Nanooks to 3-2, 0-0 GNAC on the season. 

PLNU was able to capitalize early, using a .344 hit percentage to take the opening set, 18-25. The Nanooks posted 10 kills and hit .226 but the Sea Lions found 15 of their own kills. Both sides struggled offensively in the second as PLNU hit .091 and the 'Nooks hit .049 but Point Loma pulled out a 24-26 win over the 'Nooks. In the third set, PLNU got out to a big lead early and unfortunately it was too much for Alaska to overcome. 

Set one saw PLNU hop out to a 2-7 lead. A service-error cut the run and a block from Ella Bines and Elizabeth Jackson made it 4-7. The Sea Lions made another run, pushing ahead to 8-19 on nine of 11 points. Despite the deficit, Alaska made a run, pulling within seven at 15-22 on back-to-back-to-back Rilee White kills. They then made it 17-23 on a Bines kill and PLNU service-error, but the Sea Lions were able to close them out on a kill from Abigail Nua. The long second set was back-and-forth. The set saw four ties leading up to the 12-12 score. Torina Hommes of PLNU gave Point Loma the lead before three Nanooks points made it 15-13. The two teams traded four-point runs following the Alaska lead; the Sea Lions jumped ahead 15-17 before the Nanooks returned the favor, crawling back ahead 19-17. Point Loma used one more four-point stretch to jump ahead 21-24 looking for the set-point.

With their backs against the wall, the 'Nooks pushed back, grabbing three-straight to tie it at 24-24. Unfortunately, PLNU tallied back-to-back kills to escape with the two-point win. 

Set three started similar to the second; back-and-forth. The Nanooks managed to hang within one point until a PLNU kill made it 5-7. After that point, the Sea Lions quickly extended their lead to 6-16, scoring 10 of 11 points. It soon was 8-21, before the Nanooks put up one last fight. They managed to score seven of the final 11 points, but it was not enough to complete the comeback. 

Ella Bines led the way for the Nanooks with 10 kills and a .364 hit percentage. Jessa Long posted 12 digs, the second-most in the game and game-high for the 'Nooks. Taylor Overn distributed 14 assists while Ainsley Smith added eight. Elizabeth Jackson had a game-high four block-assists.

The Nanooks are back in action tomorrow, Aug. 26 at 2:30 p.m. against Emmanuel (Ga.). 

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.