Oct. 5, 2007

Box Score

FAIRBANKS, AK- Alaska heaped the misery on winless Saint Martin's, sweeping the Saints aside in straight sets, 30-23, 30-12, 30-24. The Nanooks jump to 9-7 on the season (3-5 GNAC), while Saint Martin's remains in the conference cellar at 0-8 (0-17 overall).

The Blue and Gold came out strong, particularly middle hitter Korlyn Bolster and outside hitter Megan Thigpen, both of whom had 5 kills in the first game alone. Bolster ended the first with a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage as the Nanooks shook off some early rust to snatch the game 30-23.

From there, Alaska took charge, dominating a second game in which they never trailed. The Saints could manage just six kills in the game, while the Nanooks committed just one error, hitting .464 in a 30-12 win.

"The thing I think I am the most proud of is that while we got out to a little bit of a shaky start, once we got it in gear, we stayed on top and played the way we needed to play," said head coach Phil Shoemaker.

Saint Martin's tried to answer back in the third game, but the Nanooks were just too strong, taking five of the match's final seven points to claim their second victory in a week, gathering momentum that they hope will help them make a charge up the GNAC standings.

"We had a really good preseason, but then the conference season didn't start as well as we planned," said Bolster afterwards. "The recent games we've just been fighting to work extra hard and just get it together out there. We just went full power out there tonight, and hopefully we can keep it rolling and bring the same kind of intensity against [Western Oregon]."

Thigpen led the team with a match-high 14 kills and 19 digs, but the story of the night belonged to Bolster. Smashing 13 kills on 14 attacks with no errors, Bolster finished with a remarkable .929 hitting percentage: a GNAC record for this season, and tying the all-time GNAC mark. Morgan Zamora of Central Washington also hit .929 on Sept 1. 2006.

"I was just connecting with my setter all night," said Bolster. "We were getting great passes and great digs the whole game. I was able to just see the block really well."

Senior Jenna Jones also played a key role in Alaska's win, logging a match-high five aces.

For the Saints, sophomore Shealun Campisi recorded 10 kills, the team's only player in double figures. Middle hitter Andrea Tarbet had seven kills and freshman Kirstyn Druzianich had nine digs in a losing effort.

The win proved the perfect start for the Nanooks four-game homestand, as they now host three of the conference's best teams over the next 10 days. First up for the Blue and Gold are conference co-leaders Western Oregon, who come to the Patty Center Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. matinee to kick off a crucial stretch in the Nanooks' season: a fact not lost on Shoemaker. "To move forward and to move up in the league, you have got to protect your home floor and perform at a winning level there," he said. "You need to win at home: that's what we need to take care of right now."