FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team plays its home opener this weekend when they host the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic on Thursday, September 12 - Saturday, September 14 in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. The Nanooks will welcome four teams to Fairbanks: Alaska Anchorage, Felician University, Slippery Rock University and UNC Pembroke. The weekend will be capped off with a food truck rally, held on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sept. 12 (Times AKST)
11 a.m. Alaska Anchorage vs. Felician
2:30 p.m. Slippery Rock vs. UNC Pembroke
7 p.m. Alaska vs. Felician

Sept. 13 (Times AKST)
11 a.m. Alaska Anchorage vs. Slippery Rock
2:30 p.m. UNC Pembroke vs. Felician
7 p.m. Alaska vs. Slippery Rock

Sept. 14 (Times AKST)
11 a.m. Alaska Anchorage vs. UNC Pembroke
2:30 p.m. Felician vs. Slippery Rock
7 p.m. Alaska vs. UNC Pembroke

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Live Stats

Last Time Out
The Nanooks made the most of their time in California, winning four matches against Cal. State Dominguez Hills (3-2), Colorado Christian (3-0), Concordia (3-1) and Azusa Pacific (3-2) to bring their record to 5-2, 0-0 GNAC. They are on a five-game winning streak, stretching back to their 3-0 win over Hawaii Pacific. After their 4-0 weekend, Alaska was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) team of the week. Their last contest may have been their best, as they took down APU in five sets. Karli Nielson logged her first 20+ kill performance of the season with 21, finishing one shy of her career-high set against Saint Martin's on September 10, 2022. She also set a season-high in digs with 14, notching her first double-double of the 2024 campaign. Rilee White and Ainsley Smith joined Nielson with double-doubles, as White posted a season-high 18 kills and 14 digs, and Smith finished with 51 assists and 12 digs. Tessa Onaga proved rock-solid defensively for Alaska, finishing with 32 digs while collecting eight assists.

Alaska posted a .244 hitting percentage during its four matches last week, tallying 232 total kills, 216 assists, 28 aces, 267 digs and 42 total blocks as a team.

Quick Hitters

• Nielson earned GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after notching a GNAC-leading 64 kills over her four matches last weekend, averaging 3.76 kills per set and hitting .259. She posted double-digit kills in each contest, slamming a season-high 21 put-downs in Alaska's five-set victory over Azusa Pacific. She registered 14 digs vs. APU, recording her first double-double of 2024. The outside hitter has eclipsed the 100-kill mark this season, collecting 102 so far.
• White enters the weekend right behind Nielson in the kills department with 95 on the season.
• Smith's 287 assists this season place her at the top of the national rankings. She notched a season-high 51 in Alaska's last match against Azusa Pacific.
• Onaga's 27 and 32 digs over the past two games against CUI and APU bring her season total to 133.
• The Nanooks are hitting .237 as a team, compared to .202 for their opponents. They are averaging 13.2 kills per set.

Other Teams in the Tournament

Alaska Anchorage 3-4, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Stacie Meisner (Second Season)
Player to Watch: Bethany Tuchardt, PIN, Senior (2023 Stats: 311 kills, 2.53 kills/set, 58 digs, 69 total blocks)

Felician 0-0, 2-2 CACC
Head Coach: Kim Butrico (Third Season)
Player to Watch: Karla Maldonado, OH, Junior (2023 Stats: 266 kills, .205 hit %, 48 aces, 259 digs, 16 total blocks)

Slippery Rock 3-1, 0-0 PSAC
Head Coach: Laurie Lokash (41st Season)
Player to Watch: Erica Selfridge, OH, Senior (2023 Stats: All-PSAC West, 313 kills, 30 aces, 395 digs, 14 total blocks)

UNC Pembroke 1-2, 0-0 Conference Carolinas
Head Coach: Jaleesa Harper (Second Season)
Player to Watch: Ruby Countryman, MH, Senior (2023 Stats: Third Team All-CC, 261 kills, .358 hit %, 70 total blocks, 29 digs)

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