ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Nanooks volleyball team took down rivals UAA on Saturday evening, completing the sweep against the Seawolves. Alaska took the opening two sets, 25-18 and 25-16, before coming back to win the final set, 26-24. With the win, the Nanooks improved to 19-7, 11-5 GNAC on the season.
How it Happened
Rilee White got things started with a service ace, and both sides traded the following seven points before a Larssen Anderson kill gave UAA a 5-4 lead. Despite drawing level three times over the following seven points, the Nanooks could not take the lead, and the Seawolves would put themselves ahead 14-10 after three straight kills. However, the Nanooks responded with a 4-0 run to tie things up, receiving kills from Kristina Head, Karli Nielson and White to bring them level at 14. The Nanooks would finally break through after five consecutive points later in the first, which put them up 20-16. Josie Jansen notched a kill and block during the run to help bring Alaska ahead. Following two straight Seawolves points, the 'Nooks closed out the set on a 5-0 run, with White adding another kill and service ace while Rachel Pierce posted a kill and a block for the Blue and Gold. White led the Nanooks with four kills during the opening set, and Alaska posted a .182 hitting percentage to start the contest.
The Nanooks got their first three points of the second on Pierce kills, and Nielson followed with two kills to put Alaska in front 5-3. Head would add another kill, and after a Head and Elena Guc combination block, the 'Nooks were up by four. Alaska would maintain at least a three-point advantage for the remainder of the second, logging another 5-0 run later in the set to put it up by 10. Guc would notch two kills during the run, and Nielson closed the set with her fifth kill of the evening, giving Alaska the nine-point set victory. The Nanooks recorded their best swinging percentage of the evening during the second, hitting .484 as a team. Pierce and Head combined for the team lead in kills during the set with four apiece.
The third set began with neither team able to build more than a two-point lead over the other, with UAA holding a narrow 15-14 advantage. However, a Seawolves kill and block put them up three. Alaska received a kill and block from Jansen to aid a 3-0 run, bringing the score level at 17. The Nanooks kept responding after every UAA run to tie the score, but a Bethany Tuchardt kill put the Seawolves up 24-23 and within one point of forcing a fourth. White kept Alaska in the set with her ninth kill of the contest, tying the set at 24 before Head slammed the door with back-to-back service aces to give the Nanooks the straight-set victory over the Seawolves. Jansen, Nielson and Guc all tallied a team-leading three kills during the closing set.
By the Numbers
- White paced the team with nine kills during the match, swinging at a .250 clip while collecting two aces and 11 digs.
- Pierce and Nielson tied with eight kills. Pierce would notch four block assists for Alaska, while Nielson picked up six digs.
- Jansen slammed six kills on eight attempts for a .750 hitting percentage. The middle blocker also led the 'Nooks with six block assists.
- Head and Guc joined Jansen in recording six kills without committing an attacking error.
- Ainsley Smith posted a team-leading 18 assists for the Nanooks. Cynphany Henderson followed with 17 while also logging 10 digs.
- Tessa Onaga tallied 21 digs over the three-set win, 10 more than the next closest Nanook.
- Alaska hit .291 as a team compared to .122 for UAA.
- The Nanooks led the Seawolves in kills (43-34), aces (5-4), blocks (7-4) and assists (40-34).
What's Next
The Nanooks return home for their final two regular season matches, starting with a contest against RV Simon Fraser on Thursday, November 21, at 7 p.m.
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