newsminer.com

FAIRBANKS — A year ago, the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team defeated then third-ranked Western Washington in a thrilling five-setter that was called the biggest win in program history.

Tonight at the Patty Center, the slumping Nanooks will seek to snap a four-match losing streak against the streaking Vikings from Bellingham, Wash.

Alaska’s season began with great promise but has stalled after the departure of freshman middle blocker Sydney Van Munster, the nagging injuries to several players and what head coach Phil Shoemaker has called tentative play due to a shaken confidence.

The Nanooks recently dropped eight straight sets before taking the second frame of a four-set loss at Seattle Pacific last Thursday. Alaska platooned freshman setter Mandy Grierson with senior Alexa Sherman against the Falcons and is likely to do so again tonight.

Alaska is 8-11 overall and 2-6 for eighth place in the nine-team Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Vikings, who have won three straight, are 14-7 and in third place in the conference at 7-3, just a half-game behind co-leaders Alaska Anchorage and Seattle Pacific.

Western, which leads the all-time series against the Nanooks 27-6, will look to stay on track tonight before a showdown Saturday at upstart UAA.

WWU freshmen outside hitter Marlayna Geary is second in the GNAC and 16th in NCAA Division II with 3.95 kills per set.

On Saturday night at 7, the Nanooks will face Central Washington (12-8, 4-5), another squad that has won three straight. Senior Erin Norris broke the GNAC record for career service aces during a win against Montana-State Billings on Thursday, while junior libero Brandie Vea is now the school’s all-time leader in digs.

Contact the News-Miner sports department at 459-7581.