FAIRBANKS - It's rivalry week in Fairbanks! The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team is set to host in-state rivals Alaska Anchorage for its only match this week on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17
7 p.m. vs. Alaska Anchorage | Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center
White Out - WEAR WHITE

Last Time Out
Alaska dropped both its matchups last week, falling in straight sets to Central Washington on Thursday before coming up short in a five-set loss to Northwest Nazarene. The Nanooks started their week falling to CWU by set scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 25-19. Karli Nielson was the only Nanook to post double-digit kills during the contest, finishing with 10. She also added a service ace and nine digs. Elena Guc followed with nine kills, swinging at a .250 clip. She also led the team with three block assists, while Josie Jansen and Elizabeth Jackson both notched two block assists. Ainsley Smith and Cynphany Henderson each tallied double-digit assists, finishing with 19 and 11, respectively. 

Alaska's match against Northwest Nazarene saw the Nooks take the first set 25-20. They would drop the following two sets, 25-23 and 26-24, before winning the fourth 25-16 to force a deciding set. However, Alaska came up short in the fifth, falling 15-11 and dropping the match in five. Nielson paced the team with 15 kills during the match while picking up 11 digs for a double-double. Guc notched 13 kills, posting a hitting percentage of .478 and collecting four block assists. Rachel Pierce and Rilee White were the other two Nanooks to pick up double-digit kills, finishing with 13 and 12, respectively. Pierce notched a solo block and four more block assists, while White logged a double-double with 16 digs. Smith would lead the team with 31 assists during the contest and Henderson finished with 26 assists and 17 digs. Errors hurt the Nanooks in the match, as despite out-hitting the Nighthawks .256 to .185, they committed seven blocking errors and 11 reception errors in the contest compared to three and six for the opposition, respectively.

Nielsen finished the week leading the team with 25 kills, while Guc followed with 22. Guc also posted a team-best .362 hitting percentage over the two outings. Tessa Onaga averaged 3.75 digs per set, posting 30 total digs over the matches. Henderson, White and Nielson were the other three Nanooks to collect 20+ digs over the week, finishing with 26, 24 and 20. Jackson and Kristina Head averaged a block per set for Alaska, with the two middle blockers tallying seven and four total blocks, respectively. 

Quick Hitters

• Nielson ranks second in the GNAC with 3.3 kills per set, while her .261 hitting percentage ties her with teammate Pierce for 11th in the conference.
• Smith paces the conference in assists per set, posting a mark of 8.9 for the season.
• White ranks sixth in service aces per set among all GNAC players with 0.44.
• Onaga has recorded 3.87 digs per set this season, giving her the sixth-best mark in the GNAC for the category.
• Jackson's 1.17 blocks per set places her 45th in the nation and second in the GNAC. Jansen ranks right behind her in third with 1.15 blocks per set.
• Alaska leads the GNAC as the top blocking team in the conference; their 2.48 blocks per set place them above Seattle Pacific in second.
• Alaska and Alaska Anchorage have the two lowest opponent blocks per set in the GNAC, with the Nanooks coming in with 1.61 to lead the conference and UAA following in second with 1.62.

Meet the Opponent
Alaska Anchorage 10-8, 4-4 GNAC
Head Coach: Stacie Meisner (2nd season)
Player to Watch: Tia Allen, OH, Junior (2024 Stats: 152 kills, 2.24 kills per set, 0.22 assists per set, 0.29 aces per set, 2.97 digs per set, 0.34 blocks per set)

The Seawolves come into this matchup fifth in the GNAC, one spot behind the Nanooks. UAA dropped its last match against Central Washington 1-3 but was on a three-match winning streak prior to its contest against the Wildcats, earning wins vs. Northwest Nazarene (3-1), Seattle Pacific (3-1) and Montana State Billings (3-0).

Alaska Anchorage participated in the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic earlier this season with the Nanooks. The Nooks claimed the tournament victory over second-place Alaska Anchorage on point differential; both teams won each of their contests in the tournament.

GNAC Standings
Central Washington (9-4, 7-0 GNAC)
Simon Fraser (10-4, 6-1 GNAC)
Western Washington (6-7, 5-2 GNAC)
Alaska (12-6, 4-4 GNAC)
Alaska Anchorage (10-8, 4-4 GNAC)
Western Oregon (11-5, 3-4 GNAC)
Northwest Nazarene (6-9, 3-4 GNAC)
Saint Martin's (4-11, 2-5 GNAC)
Seattle Pacific (2-13, 2-5 GNAC)
Montana State Billings (6-10, 0-7 GNAC)

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