Western Oregon Secures Five-Set Road Victory Over Alaska Fairbanks
The decisive fifth set belonged entirely to the Wolves as Western Oregon bounced back from a crushing opening frame to defeat Alaska 11-25, 25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12. The Thursday night match inside the Alaska Airlines Gym drew 598 fans and snapped a five-game losing skid for the visitors.
With the hard-fought road win, Western Oregon secured the season sweep over the Nanooks. The victory pushed the Wolves’ record to 9-15 overall and 5-11 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, while Alaska slipped to 11-14 overall and 3-12 in conference play.
From First-Set Deficit to Decisive Finale
The host Nanooks came out firing in the opening frame, posting a .391 hitting percentage to cruise to a 25-11 victory. Western Oregon responded quickly in the second set, turning a tight 12-12 tie into a 6-0 run that created separation on the way to a 25-20 win. The third set followed a similar trajectory as the Wolves claimed a 9-8 lead and stayed in front for the remainder of the frame to secure another 25-20 decision.
Alaska refused to fold on its home court, erasing early deficits of 5-1 and 17-15 in the fourth set by piecing together a late 4-0 run to force a deciding fifth frame with a 25-21 win. In the final set, Western Oregon never trailed, racing out to an 8-2 advantage before withstanding a late surge by the Nanooks to close out the match at 15-12.
Markley Leads Offense as Wolves Continue Alaska Trip
Kate Markley paced the Western Oregon offense with 13 kills, while defensive efforts were anchored by Madi Noel and Payton Davis, who tallied 16 and 13 digs respectively. On the other side of the net, Haylee Lyons led Alaska with 18 kills.
The Wolves continue their Alaska road trip on Saturday, November 7, 2026, with a match against the University of Alaska Anchorage scheduled for 8 p.m. Pacific time.
