Box Score

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (Oct. 24) -- For the second time in as many meetings this season, Central Washington and Alaska went down to the wire, but this time the Wildcats came out on the short end of the match result, falling 22-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-18, 16-14 to the Nanooks on Saturday night at the Patty Center.

The loss was the second in as many matches in Alaska and evened Central's record on the four-match road trip to 2-2. The Wildcats are now 12-10 overall and 4-7 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, while Alaska improved to 9-12 overall and 3-7 in league matches.

Junior Kady Try (Brentwood, Calif./Mead HS) finished with a match-high 18 kills and added 12 digs, while sophomore Meg Ryan (Spokane/Mead HS) also posted a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs for the Wildcats. Junior Brandie Vea (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani HS) had a team-high 18 digs for Central, which was outdug 90-65 by the host Nanooks.

Central won the first and third sets to own a 2-1 match lead, but Alaska scored 11 of the final 12 points in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth. In the final frame, the Wildcats led 9-6 and 13-10 before watching the Nanooks rally for six of the final seven tallies including consecutive blocks to win the match.

Statistically, the Wildcats were outmatched by the Nanooks, hitting just .094 and being outblocked 13-4. Central did finish with six service aces in the match, led by two apiece from Try and junior Bri Gregory (Bremerton).

Three UAF players finished with double-doubles, including Jennifer Lyons (17 kills and 15 digs), Megan Thigpen (16 kills and 14 digs), and Alexa Sherman (match-highs of 53 assists and 20 digs).

Central Washington returns home for a 3 p.m. match on Halloween (Oct. 31) versus Northwest Nazarene. Four of the Wildcats' final five matches will be played at Nicholson Pavilion, where they have a 6-2 record this season.