FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Another double-double performance from Alisha Bettinson led a strong night for Western Oregon (6-9, 3-5, GNAC) in a four-set road win at Alaska (22-25, 25-23, 25-12, 25-22). Two hitters reached double-figures in kills for the Wolves as the team hit .267 for the match.
 
Bettinson, who was coming off a six-kill night against Alaska Anchorage, had a match-high 15 kills and added 12 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Sydney Blankinship had 10 kills from the middle and hit an outstanding .562 for the match.
 
Coming off the bench mid-match, Makenzie Bowen had nine kills in three sets while making four digs. Mariella Vandenkooy had a solid night with eight kills and a block. Paige Orth almost had an error-free night with seven kills on 15 swings, five digs and 2.5 blocks.
 
Three Western Oregon players reached double-figures in digs, led by 21 from Christie Colasurdo. Following Bettinson's 12 was Libbie Hoene with 10 digs. WOU won the dig battle against the Nanooks (2-13, 1-7 GNAC) for the match, 74-53.
 
Leading Alaska was Maddie Davis with 12 kills and Kim Wong with 10 kills. Rachel Nichols doled out 46 assists while Meagan Olsen led two Alaska players with double-figure digs with 20.    
 
The Nanooks came out of the gates firing, taking a 10-5 lead. Trailing 16-12, the Wolves scored five of the next six points on four kills and one attack error to pull even at 17-all. Alaska retook the lead and built a three-point advantage before posting consecutive kills to end the first game.
 
Western Oregon maintained its offensive effectiveness in game two while limiting errors. Alaska may have won the hitting battle by the slimmest of margins - .243 to .242, but the Wolves held the point advantage most of the set. An Orth serving ace gave WOU an 18-15 lead before Alaska responded with two kills in a three-point spurt. The Nanooks took a 21-20 lead but kills from Bowen and Vandenkooy flipped the energy toward the Wolves. Orth had two kills to put WOU at game point. An attack error gave Alaska a last hope, but a block from Orth and Mehciz evened the match at one game apiece.
 
WOU dominated game three after making adjustments in the intermission to win 25-12. Firing on all cylinders, the Wolves won 13 of the opening 15 points. Alaska used a 3-0 run to pull within eight (16-8), but a pair of Hoene aces acted as bookends between kills from Bettinson and Bowen to make the score 20-8. The Wolves had 11 team kills, including Bettinson's game-winner, with only one error to hit .417 in the set.
 
Western Oregon and Alaska battled back and forth, with 18 ties and seven lead changes in another highly offensive set. During Bettinson's serve, two Alaska errors and an ace gave WOU a 10-7 lead. The Nanooks responded with a 3-0 to tie the game sparking a theme that would play until the teams were knotted for a final time at 20-all. WOU took advantage of three errors to open a two-point lead at 23-21. Blankinship closed out the Wolves' win with consecutive kills.
 
Next up, the Wolves battle in-state foe Concordia on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in Portland.