FAIRBANKS, Alaska.—The Central Washington volleyball team fell to the Nanooks of Alaska Fairbanks by way of three sets to one.

A team hitting percentage of .164 behind only 43 kills wasn't enough to overcome the Nanooks steady defense and great team passing.

"We came up short this weekend. UAF played well and hit great against us. We couldn't find good rhythm and get kills when we needed." CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said.

The first set began heavily in favor of the Nanooks. After a brief 1-1 tie early on, multiple scoring runs allowed the Nanooks to take a 13-7 lead. The 'Cats offense started to click after back-to-back kills from Ashley Kaufman and Emma Daoud-Hebert.

The 'Cats managed to scrape a few more points on the board with some errors by the Nanooks and another kill from Ashley Kaufman, but the lead was too much to overcome. Only hitting .107 as a team in the opening set, the 'Cats couldn't regroup, and the Nanooks took the set 25-17.

The second set was more favorable to the 'Cats, as a team .243 hitting percentage and 6 blocks gave them the edge. Early on both sides fought through multiple equalizers at from 3-3 to 9-9.

A trio of attack errors by the Nanooks and a service ace from Hannah Stires granted the 'Cats the lead, 12-9. The Nanooks found themselves another pair of scoring streaks, and they were all tied up at 18-18.

After an attack error by the Nanooks, Ashley Kaufman found the kill that allowed the 'Cats to break away, 23-22. The 'Cats wound up taking set two on back-to-back kills from Tia Andaya and Leanna Shymanski, 25-23.

In the third set the 'Cats held strong bringing forth a tie game at 7-7 early on. The Nanooks began to breakaway on two errors by the 'Cats, pulling away early 12-9.

At the net it was Leanna Shymanski and Emma Daoud-Hebert who began to heat up for the 'Cats providing key kills to keep them within four late in the set.

A service ace from Laynie Erickson cut the lead to 21-19, but the Nanooks hit their stride once more. The Nanooks took set three 25-21.

The final set began as a grudge match once more. Kills from Ashley Kaufman and Emma Daoud-Hebert kept the 'Cats in it, but it was attack errors by the Nanooks that provided enough for the 'Cats to hold on. The Nanooks led early, 11-7.

Tia Andaya came flying out of a timeout with a much-needed kill that gave the 'Cats the life they needed. The 'Cats found themselves a four-point scoring run by way of a kill from Marianna Payne and a pair of service aces by Hannah Stires to make it 17-17.

Leanna Shymanski gave the 'Cats their final kills of the night to bring about an equalizer at 19-19. The Nanooks held strong however and took the final set and the match, 25-22.