Nanooks fall just short in five-set battle

A hard-fought battle against the WildCats

By Dylan Hodgson

On Oct. 15, the University of Alaska Fairbanks women's volleyball team fell to Central Washington University 3–2 in a hard-fought five-set match. The opening set proved challenging, with the Nanooks struggling to establish a consistent lead. Both teams battled through close sets, keeping the outcome uncertain throughout the night.

Tessa Onaga (#16) digs for the ball. Photo by Dylan Hodgson.

After a strong start to the season, the Nanooks have recently faced a challenging stretch of competition. Associate Head Coach Meagan Woods described this period as “the Meatgrinder.”

“This game is all about finding what works,” Woods said.

After dropping the first two sets, the Nanooks fought to keep the match alive. They won the fourth set 25–22, forcing a decisive fifth set. However, UAF fell just short, losing the final set 14–16.

Despite the loss, the Nanooks showed determination throughout the match. Woods viewed the performance as a potential turning point as the team looks to build confidence for the remainder of the season.

“Hopefully turning a new page here, like, gonna continue to play and build this confidence, that we can play like this all the time,” Woods said. “This is the kind of the turning page that we were looking for at the halfway point. So I'm really excited to keep moving forward, and I hope that the team is too.”

Several Nanooks contributed offensively, with Haylee Lyons (#18), Cori Leavitt (#17), Cynphany Henderson (#11), and Kelli Wright (#6) contributed to the Nanooks' attack; winning the Kill of the set. Defensively, Tessa Onaga (#16) recorded a personal best of 26 digs in a single match.

Although the Nanooks came up short on the scoreboard, their performance offered reason for optimism as they look to carry their determination and renewed confidence into upcoming matches.