Volleyball loses tight match at Hawaii Pacific, 3-1

September 10, 2012

Sam Harthun had 13 kills, one off her season-high on Saturday at Hawaii Pacific.

Despite a combined 28 kills from freshmen outside hitters Ixchelle Oleson and Sam Harthun, Hawaii Pacific picked up a 3-1 victory against Alaska in non-conference volleyball action on Saturday night at St. Andrew's Priory.

The Sea Warriors won for the second straight night and improved to 5-2 after winning the match by scores of 25-21, 25-22, 23-25 and 25-21, while Alaska fell to 2-4 on the season.

“It was a very competitive match all the way through,” head coach Phil Shoemaker said. “All the sets were tight and errors usually do tell the story and it did tonight. Certainly there was some great effort and some good performances but we know we need to cut down on errors.”

Oleson produced a season and match-high 15 terminations after hitting .222 (15-5-45), while Harthun added 13 kills. Freshman setter Katlyn Mataya set up over 80 percent of the team's kills with a match-best 43 assists and senior libero Allison Oddy tallied 19 digs, one off the match high.

HPU was led by Samantha Rummans, who had a team-high 14 kills, and Haley Doerfler contributed 11 kills after holding the best hitting percentage at .667 (11-1-15).Pihanakealoha Kea tallied 30 dimes and Chelsey Buyuan had a match-best 20 digs, while Christina Furrer was in on nine of the team's 11 blocks.

The Sea Warriors hit .182 (52-26-143), while Alaska hit a tad better tonight with a .144 (52-30-153) attack percentage but the match was error-prone with a combined 56 errors. The hosts controlled the block handedly with an 11-5 margin and had a slim advantage on digs, 55-53. Both squads also produced four services aces apiece.

“Hawaii Pacific was another good team defensively,” Shoemaker said. “It did a really good job of keeping the ball in play, had a pretty solid block and gave us some tough times at the net. We fought hard and I felt our effort at the net was better tonight. Overall, our performance blocking-wise was improved and we neutralized more balls than we have in the past, so that was a nice step forward.”

Hawaii Pacific opened the match on a 5-1 run and leading by three later on, the home team scored five in a row, three coming by way of Alaska errors, to control the set at 14-6. Down 22-15 late, the Nanooks surged back, reeling off a 6-2 run to pull within three at 24-21, but HPU finished off the frame when Oddy made a service error.

HPU opened the second much like the first, taking an early 6-1 advantage. Alaska closed the gap quickly, with six of the next eight to trail by one. After a Sea Warrior point, Alaska had a pair of kills and HPU committed two errors and Alaska went up 11-9. From there, the teams went back and forth but trailing 17-16, Pacific went on a 5-1 run to grab a 21-18 lead. Alaska got to within a point twice, with the last being at 23-22, but after a Harthun service error, Furrer and Kasey Thompson blocked Oleson's attempt to give set two to the hosts.

Trailing 10-9 in the third, Alaska took the lead by scoring four straight to lead 13-10. Later on in the frame, the 'Nooks led 18-15, but HPU scored six of seven to take a 21-19 advantage. Alaska reclaimed control with four in a row to lead 23-21, but HPU got two straight from an Alaska error and Sea Warrior ace. Alaska won the third 25-23 with kills byReilly Stevens and Oleson.

The fourth was also tight, and Hawaii Pacific led 15-12 but Alaska answered with three in a row to knot it up at 15. Four of the next five points when the Sea Warriors' way to give them a 19-16 advantage and they stretched it to 22-17 with a string of three kills. Alaska closed the gap to three at 24-21, but a Doerfler termination gave HPU the set at 25-21 and the match victory.

The Nanooks return home next week to open up Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against Northwest Nazarene (Sept. 13) and Central Washington (Sept. 15). Both matches are slated for 7 p.m. starts at the Patty Center.

“We learned we have to grow up,” Shoemaker said of his team's performance on the road trip. “You can tell them they have to grow up as players, but now they know it. It certainly gives us things to work on in practice regarding the fundamental skills, the attitude and the effort you have to take to the court on every play. It was a growth experience.”