The Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team (2-10, 1-4 GNAC) dropped a three-set decision, 25-14, 25-19 and 25-20, to in-state rival No. 10 ranked Alaska Anchorage (15-1, 5-0 GNAC) at the Alaska Airlines court on Tuesday, Sept. 27.
At the start of the match on Tuesday Sept. 27 at the Alaska Airlines court in set one, UAA Senior Morgan Hooe (2) set the ball to UAA Senior Erin Braun (15) to help win the set 14-25. Mylissa Maclin / Sun Star
“Maybe we were too amped up, we’re just so anxious to get a little breakthrough,” Head Coach Brain Scott said after the match. “It showed tonight in the first set we were just making some silly mistakes. Whoever settled down the fastest was going to get it and (Anchorage) settled down by the third set and I think we were still trying to settle down by the third set.”
UAF first year Jenna Hickel (7) dives for the ball towards the end of set three. UAA won the set 25-20. Mylissa Maclin/ Sun Star
The ‘Nooks got 9 points from freshman middle blocker Kim Wong, who finished with 7 kills and 3 blocks. Junior outside hitter Maddie Davis pitched in with 5 kills and one ace. Junior server Rachel Nichols led the team with 22 assists, while on defense, Senior libero Meagan Olsen racked in 16 digs for the night.
UAA Sophomore Leah Swiss (7) and Senior Erin Braun (15) go for the block in set one as UAF’s outside hitter, Sophomore Amberly Jeane (17) spikes the ball. Mylissa Maclin/Sun Star
Alaska Anchorage had a team total of 45 kills as they hit .309 in the match. Leah Swiss led all players with 13 kills and had three digs and 2 assists. Chrisalyn Johnson had 8 kills and Erin Braun had 7 kills to go along with her 2 service aces. Morgan Hooe was very efficient going 6 for 8 on kills while dishing out thirty assists.
In set three, UAF Junior Riley Podowicz (21) spikes the ball to help her team catch up to UAA. Mylissa Maclin/Sun Star
The Nanooks came out facing an early 2 point deficit before by junior hitter Maddie Davis gave the team their first points of the night, followed by a bad set by an Anchorage player, tying the set 2-2. Anchorage wouldn’t look back after that, railing off 4 straight points to give them a comfortable 6-2 lead and eventually winning that set in dominating fashion 25-14.
UAA first year Diana Fa’amausili (17) and first year Vanessa Hayes (18) get the block as UAF’s outside hitter, Sophomore Amberly Jeane (17) spiked the ball during the first set at the Alaska Airlines court. Mylissa Maclin/Sun Star
In the second set, the Nook’s would jump out of the gate with a two-point lead with a kill from Wong and an attack error by an anchorage player. UAA would eventually take control of the set, distancing themselves from the Nanooks, 14-7. Despite the late push from Alaska, with 3 points to make the score 23-19, Anchorage would score the next 2 points to take the set, 25-19.
UAF first year Kim Wong (12) goes for the spike in set two at the Alaska Airlines court Tuesday Sept. 27. Mylissa Maclin/Sun Star
The final set proved to be competitive down the stretch as Anchorage held on to a 21-15 lead until the Nanooks scored 3 straight points closing the gap, 21-18. The team wouldn’t get any closer than 3 points down, as Alaska Anchorage closed the game out with back to back kills winning the set 25-20.
On Tuesday Sept. 27 in set 3, UAA Sophomore Chrisalyn Johnson (9) spikes the ball to help UAA win set 25- 20 and win the match 3-0. Mylissa Maclin/Sun Star
The Nanooks will be in action on the road against the Montana State Billings Thursday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m.