FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Both sets two and three went right down to the wire for the Western Oregon University volleyball team Saturday afternoon at Alaska Fairbanks. The Nanooks were able to hold off the Wolves in both sets to take the 3-0 win (25-12, 27-25, 25-23) in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play inside Patty Center.
WOU (4-21, 2-16 GNAC) hit nearly .300 in the second set and hit .200 in the third set to stay right with UAF (18-12, 11-7 GNAC). Bailee Hartsook led the offense with eight kills, while Lauren Smith added seven kills. Delaney Smith and Lauren Smith each sent back five blocks. Aubrey Stanton dished out 15 assists, with Laney O'Neil adding 12. Sophie Matlock posted 15 digs.
In the first set, the Nanooks moved out to the quick 13-5 lead. WOU tried to get back into it with points from Isabel Hurliman, Lauren Smith and Bella MacLellan, but the Nanooks finished the set on a 12-7 run to claim the opening set at 25-12.
UAF moved ahead early in the second set holding an 8-6 lead. A Hurliman kill, followed by a double-block by MacLellan and Sarah Crowell before an attack error by the Nanooks had WOU with an 11-10 lead. The Wolves pushed the lead out to 14-12 on a kill by Lauren Smith. UAF answered back with an 8-3 run to move ahead at 20-17. The Wolves kept coming back evening the set at 24 with a kill by Lauren Smith and service ace by Delaney Smith. A MacLellan kill tied the set back up at 25 before the Nanooks closed the set with a kill and then claimed the set off an attack error at 27-25.
WOU came out strong to start the third set moving in front 8-5 off a kill by Lauren Smith and attack error by the Nanooks. Still ahead at 9-8, the Wolves reeled off the next four points with Hurliman and Hartsook tallying kills around two errors by UAF for the 13-8 lead. A kill by Stanton had WOU still holding a 16-14 lead when UAF posted five of the next six points for the 19-17 lead. The Wolves responded, getting four of the next five points to regain the lead. Delaney Smith started the run with a solo block and then Lauren Smith and MacLellan teamed for a double-block around two errors by the Nanooks left WOU with the 21-20 lead. UAF posted the next two points before back-to-back kills by Hartsook had WOU in front at 23-22. UAF then finished the set and the match on a 3-0 run picking up two kills around an error by the Wolves for the 25-23 third set win and 3-0 match victory.
For the match, WOU tallied 30 kills to 16 errors in 97 chances (.144), while UAF posted 49 kills to 20 errors in 122 chances (.238). The Wolves held the edge in blocks (8-5) and were close in digs with UAF holding a slight (46-44) advantage. The Nanooks also led in service aces (6-1) and assists (48-29).
AveRee Reynolds led UAF with 12 kills, while Lahra Weber added 11. Care Whiting dished out 42 assists. On defense, Dani Dodge had 12 digs, with Miya Ohms adding 11. Sophie Schilling sent back three blocks.
The match at Fairbanks concludes the 2021 season for the Wolves as down the stretch over the past few weeks, WOU picked up big wins over Seattle Pacific and Northwest Nazarene and took Central Washington to five sets.
