FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks volleyball team made a big statement on Saturday, Oct. 21, as they pulled off the upset of Simon Fraser. The 'Nooks dropped the opening set before winning the final three to take down the Red Leafs in four.
Alaska knocked off SFU in all major categories except digs and a tie in aces as they posted more points, 70-62, more kills with 48-47, two more assists than SFU, 46-44 and seven more blocks, 9-2.
The offense needed a set to come alive for the Nanooks, but after the first set, the offense never faltered. SFU took the opening set 25-14 behind a .400 swing percentage with 15 kills and two errors. The 'Nooks posted five kills but surrendered two errors, hitting .176 on just 17 attempts. After that, the Nanooks never hit under .231 in a set and fired on all cylinders. They used 15 kills and only four errors in the second to get on the board and tie it up at 1-1. The Nanooks slowed down the Red Leaf offense, seeing the SFU hit percentage drop from .400 to .267, winning 25-19.
In the third, the Nanooks posted a .306 swing percentage with 17 kills and six errors. After allowing a six-point run, trailing 20-14, the Nanooks stole all of the momentum and rallied off a 6-0 run to tie the set at 20. Cynphany Henderson served three-straight times, and during her services, Rilee White posted two kills. After staying short runs kept the teams tied at 22, Henderson served three straight times, including the set-winning service ace. The fourth set saw several runs from the Nanooks. Both offenses slowed in the fourth, as neither team ended with more than 13 kills, as the Red Leafs finished with 13 kills with six errors, for their lowest hitting percentage of the night at .184. Alaska hit better with a .231 hitting percentage. An early 6-1 run established an Alaska lead, 15-12, that they would never relinquish. After allowing SFU to cut the lead to one, 18-17, the Nanooks immediately followed with a 2-0 run, off hills from Henderson and Karli Nielson for a 20-17 lead. The Nanooks and Red Leafs traded points until a 23-21. An SFU service error gave Alaska a match point. On the first match-point for Alaska, Rilee White hit a service ace for a Nanooks four-set win.
Karli Nielson posted 14 kills and a .206 hit percentage, nine digs and four service aces. Rilee White followed with 13 kills, nine digs, four block assists, three assists and a match-winning ace. Kristina Head led the block party with seven assisted blocks and added five kills. Cynphany Henderson added a big double-double with 39 assists and 11 digs. Henderson added five service aces and two block assists.
The Nanooks hit the road next week as they travel to Billings and Seattle to face off against Montana State University Billings and Seattle Pacific.
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