FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks volleyball team fell to the St. Cloud State Huskies on Thursday, Aug. 31 in straight sets to fall to 1-4, 0-0 GNAC on the season.

Alaska doubled SCSU's block total on the night but their offense could not keep up with the Huskies as SCSU posted 10 more kills than the Nanooks and outhit the 'Nooks by .133 percentage points. The Huskies took the first 25-17, the second 25-21 and completed the sweep in the third 25-19. Ella Bines and Elizabeth Jackson started the match off with a big block on an SCSU attack, giving the Nanooks a 1-0 lead. The two sides traded points and small runs until the 8-7 mark when the 'Nooks posted back-to-back kills by Lily Stewart and Jackson. SCSU answered back strong, scoring five-straight to make it 13-7. The Nanooks cut the run and pulled within 13-9 but the Huskies went on another run of four points, making it an eight-point deficit. The blue and gold found some small runs but SCSU answered each of them and eventually took the opening set 25-17. 

The second set saw Alaska jump out to an early 3-1 lead on kills from Bines and Jackson. After another Bines connection, making it 4-4, SCSU put seven on the board, making it 11-4. Alaska slowly chipped away, pulling back within four at the 20-16 mark after trailing by 11. Back-to-back Lily Stewart kills made it 23-20 Huskies, but the Nanooks could not cut it closer than three; they fell in set two, 25-21. The third began in favor of Alaska as they started out with a 5-1 lead. Their lead grew to 8-4 on a Josie Jansen kill but SCSU found their stride, tallying seven-straight to swing the score to 11-8 Huskies. They would lead the rest of the way. Alaska fought to stay within three but after a Stewart kill to pull the Nanooks within three at 19-16, St. Cloud State put up a four-spot to make it 23-16 and eventually took the victory 25-19. 

Bines led the way with 13 kills and a .259 hit percentage. She added five block assists. Elizabeth Jackson posted six kills and seven block assists while Ainsley Smith dished out 28 assists and had eight digs. Grace Steurer led the team with 14 digs. 

The Nanooks are back in action tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. when they face Cal Poly Humboldt and Upper Iowa University. 

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