FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team (16-3, 7-2 GNAC) opens up the second half of their GNAC season on the road at Western Oregon (2-15, 1-8 GNAC) and Saint Martin's (11-6, 4-5 GNAC). 

Thursday, Oct. 23
at Western Oregon | 6 p.m. AKST
Monmouth, Ore. | New PE Building

Watch Here ($$) | Live Stats

Saturday, Oct. 25
at Saint Martin's | 12 p.m. AKST
Lacey, Wash. | Marcus Pavilion

Watch Here ($$) | Live Stats

Last Time Out
The Nanooks are coming off a big week at home, which saw them straighten out after two losses on the road at Simon Fraser and Western Washington. On Oct. 16, the Nanooks swept Northwest Nazarene behind 18 kills from Mikala Henderson and nine digs. Henderson posted her second-most kills of the season in the sweep. Elena Guc joined her in double digits with 10 kills while Ainsley Smith distributed 37 assists and had five aces. On Saturday, Oct. 18, the Nanooks picked up a huge conference win over RV Central Washington. They were, once again, led by Henderson who finished with a 13-kill, 13-dig double-double. Haylee Lyons matched Henderson's production with 13 kills and 12 digs, also finishing with a double-double. 

Offensive Player of the Week
Henderson was pivotal in the pair of Nanooks victories. The senior led the attack with a GNAC-leading 4.43 kills per set while posting a hitting percentage of .339. On Thursday, Henderson posted her second-highest kill total of the season with 18 while adding nine digs. Following that, she posted a 13-kill, 13-dig double-double in Alaska's four-set win over Central Washington on Saturday. Mikala Henderson has posted double figures in kills in five-straight matches, upping her season mark to 2.64 kills per set. 

#NookNotes

• Alaska continues to be near the top of the GNAC in a lot of major team categories. They rank first in the opposing hitting percentage, keeping their opponents to a .120 hit percentage. This ranks them seventh in the nation as well. 
• The Nanooks also rank second in the conference in digs per set, team assists, team digs, team kills, team aces, team attacks, and total team blocks. 
• Individually, the Nanooks have plenty of top talent in the GNAC. Tessa Onaga leads the GNAC in digs per set (4.55/set), total digs (332), and service aces (31). She also ranks fifth in the GNAC in aces per set (0.42/set).
• Peri Hoshock continues to shine at the net for Alaska as the junior is fourth in the conference with 1.19 blocks/set. She ranks 26th in the NCAA DII in that category and is fourth in the GNAC in total blocks with 82. That total is 32nd in the nation.
• Elena Guc ranks as one of the best attackers in the GNAC, ranking seventh in total kills (212), 12th in kills per set (2.90/set), and 11th in points per set (3.42/set). 
• Cynphany Henderson and Ainsley Smith have been splitting duties at the setter position all season. Smith currently ranks eighth in the conference with 5.90 assists per set while Henderson follows at 10th with 5.35/set. 

Meet the Opponents
Western Oregon Wolves (2-15, 1-8 GNAC)
Head Coach: Kaiao Nahale-a (4th Season, 43-72)
Player to Watch: Maela Honma, So., OH, Hilo, Hi.
Western Oregon comes into the Thursday matchup with the Nanooks riding a one-game win streak. They knocked off Montana State Billings in a sweep on Saturday, Oct. 18 after dropping a five-set match against Seattle Pacific the Thursday before. That win snapped a nine-match losing streak, including a four-set loss to the Nanooks earlier this season on Sept. 27.

Saint Martin's Saints (11-6, 4-5 GNAC)
Head Coach: Haley Domeck (1st Season, 32-62)
Player to Watch: Emily Garten, Jr., OH, Placentia, Calif.
The Saints currently sit in sixth-place in the GNAC standings and enter this week winning their last two. They defeated Montana State Billings in four sets on Thursday, Oct. 16 before sweeping SPU on Saturday, Oct. 18. Alaska knocked off the Saints earlier this season in Fairbanks in four sets. 

GNAC Standings
There is a logjam at the top of the GNAC standings as we enter the second half of GNAC play. Four teams enter the final nine matches of the season tied at 7-2 in conference play. The top five teams in the conference are multiple games over .500 while the bottom half is all under .500.

• Simon Fraser | 13-2, 7-2 GNAC
• Alaska | 16-3, 7-2 GNAC
• Western Washington | 13-3, 7-2 GNAC
• Central Washington | 11-5, 7-2 GNAC
• Alaska Anchorage | 15-4, 6-3 GNAC
• Saint Martin's | 11-6, 4-5 GNAC
• Seattle Pacific | 8-9, 3-6 GNAC
• Northwest Nazarene | 4-12, 3-6 GNAC
• Western Oregon | 2-15, 1-8 GNAC
• Montana State Billings | 1-13, 0-9 GNAC

What's to Come
The Nanooks will remain on the road for one more match after this week's trip to the Pacific Northwest. They will face Alaska Anchorage on Halloween night in Anchorage and not return home until Nov. 6 for their annual Elementary School Game at 11 a.m. against Western Washington. 

Follow the 'Nooks
IG - @NanooksVB
X - @NanooksVB
FB - Alaska Nanooks Volleyball