The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

Flyers beat Nanooks in exhibition

By RICHARD LARSON, Staff Writer

The Krupas and Kistlers, with a little help from their friends, combined to crush the University of Alaska Fairbanks volleyball team on Friday as the Fairbanks Flyers dusted the Nanooks 30-20, 30-17, 29-31 and 30-24 in an exhibition match at the Patty Center.

UAF assistant coach Bev Krupa set up her brother Brad for tremendous kills, while Nanooks volunteer assistant coach Deb Kistler and her husband, Neal, also teamed up for strong net play as the Flyers overwhelmed the Nanooks.

"I told the Flyers to come out swinging and put the pressure on them to get them ready for Western Washington," said Bev Krupa, a former Purdue standout who was the Flyers coach. The Nanooks open conference play against defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion Western Washington next Friday.

"Our goal was to just keep going after them and see how the Nanooks responded," Krupa said.

The Nanooks didn't respond well in the first two games, but began to put longer rallies together and win points in Game 3. UAF trailed 20-13 midway through the third game before rallying behind the serving of freshman Katie Tobiasz and the net play of freshman Danielle Hitzeman.

Tobiasz' five-point service run, including two aces, got the Nanooks within 23-22. The game then went back and forth until a huge kill by Tobiasz gave UAF match point and a service return error by the Flyers allowed the Nanooks to pull out the 31-29 win.

"I was really impressed with them in Game 3," Bev Krupa said. "We gave them an opportunity to take advantage and they did."

Tobiasz said, "We learned a lot from them. You have to hit the ball harder, hit it down. It makes you a better team playing against guys that are just intense hitters. I think we picked up our intensity. We became more aggressive and louder on the court."

The Nanooks fell behind 24-14 in the fourth game and made a small rally before falling 30-24.

At times the Flyers had Brad Krupa, Neal Kistler and new UAF women's assistant basketball coach George Cromer in the front row, making a devastating front line for the Nanooks to try to hit around. The Nanooks struggled to win points and watched in vain as Brad Krupa blasted hits that left the crowd going "ohhh." Brad played on the Men's A Copper Division winning team at the national tournament in Minneapolis this year.

"They are a team that is bigger and stronger and they are going to have their 'Wow' plays," UAF coach Phil Shoemaker said. "You have to respect that, but you have to take the other plays and try to find a way to turn them in your favor. You have to play smarter and find ways to challenge. I was happier (later in the match), that was a bit more of what we were looking for. But I was not pleased overall. I hate losing, no matter the circumstances."

Former Nanook Tara Hollenbeck added several key blocks and former UAF assistant coach Kevin Raap came off the bench to contribute a couple of big hits for the Flyers.

The Nanooks defeated a similar Flyers lineup last year 30-20, 28-30, 30-23, 31-29. Beth Bellinger may have been the key to this year's Flyers victory, however, as she led the team's defensive effort.

"Last year we also had a lot of big hits, but the difference this year was our defense and passing," Bev Krupa said.

A large crowd of nearly 400 fans showed up for the match, including the Valdez high school volleyball team, which was in town for the North Pole Invitational. The team yelled loudly every time Valdez native April Blandford made a play.

Parents of many of the Nanook players also were in attendance, including Dana Capova, the mother of Nanook setter Dagmar Capova, who came over from Prague, Czech Republic. Family of Tobiasz was in town from Ohio, and Hitzeman's parents were in Fairbanks from California as well as Jessica Clemons mom Pam, who is from California, but moved to Ester a couple weeks ago.

The Nanooks face the UAF Alumni team at 7 tonight in another exhibition match. Competing on the alumni team are Yvonne McHenry, Jen Medl, Sovanny Ebbesen (Kon), Melanie Hinzman (Hassebroek), Ruth Pomeroy (Peterson), Dave Dershin, Kimber Jones, Tara Hollenback (Hemphill), Jen Ostens (Katzenberger) and Sarah Wolf.