BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team commenced their conference schedule on Thursday evening with a road matchup against the Western Washington Vikings. After securing its first win over the Vikings in 15 years last season, Alaska entered tonight looking for its first-ever win at Carver Gymnasium. After a five-set nailbiter, the Nanooks were able to hold on and earn the historic victory, bringing their current winning streak to a program-record nine matches.

How it Happened
Alaska held a 10-9 lead to start the match, with two kills from Rachel Pierce and Josie Jansen helping it build the lead. However, Alaska allowed seven consecutive points, losing the lead and falling behind 16-10. Despite three more kills from Pierce to bring her set total to five, the Nanooks dropped the opening set to Western Washington, 25-18. Alaska posted a .250 team hitting percentage during the first set, while the Vikings registered a mark of .341.

Both sides traded points to start set two, playing to a 6-6 tie to start the second. Alaska followed with a 10-1 run, with Karli Nielson notching three kills and Elizabeth Jackson chipping in with two kills and two block assists. After establishing a 15-7 lead, Alaska cruised to a 25-15 set victory to even things up against the Vikings. Jackson would pace the Nanooks with six kills during the set. The team posted a .364 hit percentage compared to .086 for Western Washington.

Alaska got out of the gates slowly in the third set, falling behind 7-3 with three attack errors and a service error. However, two kills from Pierce spurred on a six-point unanswered streak by the Nanooks, giving them a 9-7 lead heading into a WWU timeout. Despite the Vikings bringing Alaska's lead down to two at 22-20, the set ended with the Blue and Gold on top 25-21. Pierce added another six kills during the set, and Nielson followed closely behind with five. Alaska outhit WWU .273 to .233 during the third set, racking up a match-high 16 kills.

Set four saw two lead changes early, with the Nanooks building a 9-7 lead before Western Washington responded with a 5-0 run heading into a Nanooks timeout. Alaska brought the deficit down to two later in the set, receiving three straight kills from Elena Guc and a Vikings setting error to bring the score to 20-18. However, the deficit was too great to overcome, with the Nanooks dropping the fourth set 25-22. Guc paced the Nanooks with five kills during the fourth. Despite leading the Vikings in kills during the set 15-14, attacking errors cost the Nanooks, as they finished the set with seven compared to three for the hosts. Alaska registered its lowest swinging percentage of the evening, posting a mark of .195 as a team.

After both teams began the final set tied at three, the Nanooks found their attacking form, receiving two kills and two service aces en route to a 6-1 run. Following a WWU timeout, the Nanooks kept a four-point cushion, holding a 13-9 lead after a solo block by Pierce. However, the Vikings would respond with three straight kills, and after a Nanooks attacking error gave Western Washington a 4-0 run, the Vikings tied the set at 13. The Nooks took the lead after an attacking error, putting them within a point of their first-ever win at Carver Gymnasium, and a block by Jansen and Ainsley Smith sealed the victory.

By the Numbers

• Pierce led the team with 18 kills and posted a .375 hitting percentage for the Nanooks.
• Nielson notched 17 kills while hitting .424 during the contest. She also notched a career-high 20 digs, leading the team and giving her another double-double. Additionally, she tied for the team lead with four block assists.
• Jackson was the third Nanook to post double-digit kills, recording 11 put-downs with four block assists.
• Nielson, Rilee White and Tessa Onaga all tallied two service aces during the match, with the Nanooks posting nine as a team.
• The Nanooks notched 83 team kills, their second-highest total of the season. They hit .262 as a team, compared to .241 for Western Washington.
• Smith set a career-high in assists during the contest, tallying 56.

Coaches Thoughts
"A great win for the program, and it took lots of great effort by everyone on the court," said head coach Brian Scott following the match. "This is a hard place to play and an even harder place to get a win. Super proud of how we responded in pressure moments and made the 'must-have' points."

What's Next
Alaska stays on the road for a GNAC matchup against Simon Fraser, with first serve set for 1 p.m. AKST on Saturday, September 21.

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