FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks volleyball team is headed East to the Shaw University Volleyball Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. There, they'll take on Saint Augustine's, Mount Olive and Shaw.

Sept. 15 (Times AKST)
12:00 p.m. - Alaska vs. Saint Augustine's

Sept. 16 (Times AKST)
7:00 a.m. - Alaska vs. Mount Olive
11:00 a.m. - Alaska vs. Shaw

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Last Time Out
The Nanooks are fresh off hosting their 2023 Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic. In four games, the Nanooks split, going 2-2 with losses to UAA in their GNAC-opener on Thursday, Sept. 7, 3-0, and Lander University on Saturday, Sept. 9, 3-1. The two wins came against Biola (3-1) and Stanislaus State (3-1) and with the 2-2 record, gave the Nanooks a runner-up spot in their tournament as Lander took the crown with a 3-1 record. 

In the final match, their 3-1 win over Stan State, Lily Stewart posted a huge night with 20 kills and a .625 hit percentage. Alongside her 20 kills, Elena Guc posted 14 and Karli Nielson added 11, giving the Nanooks 58 kills as a team and a team hit percentage of .309.

Quick Hitters

• Lily Stewart's .625 hit percentage was the 12-best percentage in a game with 18+ kills in GNAC history. Former 'Nook, Kim Wong, had her 19-kill, .613% game(10/3/19 vs. NNU) surpassed by Stewart in the Nanooks 3-1 win.
• Grace Steurer enters the week at #13 in the nation for total digs with 151. 
• Rilee White currently sits in seventh in the nation with 20 service aces. She is one of two players in the GNAC with 20+ aces already this season.
• Karli Nielson is in the top-25 for total attacks and kills. She currently is sixth in the nation in total attacks (358) and is 23rd in the nation for kills with 119.
• Ainsley Smith and her 291 assists puts her 29th in the nation.
• Finally, the Nanooks have two players in the top-50 for total blocks as Josie Jansen is 27th with 34 and Elizabeth Jackson is tied for 40th with 33.

Other Teams at Shaw
Saint Augustine's Falcons 0-4, 0-1 CIAA
Head Coach: Tacara Moxey (Third Season)
Player to Watch: Madison Jones, MB, Sophomore (50 kills, 2.94 kills/set, seven service aces, 14 total blocks, five solo, nine assist, 17 digs)
2023 Statistics

Mount Olive Trojans 4-4, 0-0 CC
Head Coach: Emma Celentano (Fourth Season)
Player to Watch: Kate Carter, MB/RS, Sophomore (58 kills, 2.32 kills/set, .288 hit percentage, two service aces, 16 total blocks, one solo, 10 digs)
2023 Statistics

Shaw Bears 8-2, 2-0 CIAA
Head Coach: Jonathan Paulk (Fourth Season)
Player to Watch: Kamille Patrick, MB, Junior (76 kills, 2.30 kills/set, .371 hit percentage, 15 service aces, 32 total blocks, six solo, 34 digs)
2023 Statistics

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.