The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

GNAC honors Nanooks' Smith

By RICHARD LARSON, Staff Writer

Carlin Smith was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-player of the week on Tuesday for her outstanding performance in the Nanooks' five-game win over Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

Smith, a junior middle blocker, had 15 kills, a .609 attack percentage and seven total blocks, including three solo blocks as the University of Alaska Fairbanks beat the rival Seawolves 19-30, 30-27, 30-28, 28-30 and 15-12.

Smith shared the award with Megan Kaysinger of Seattle University.

"It's a very good honor and absolutely well-deserved," UAF coach Phil Shoemaker said.

Before the first game of the match against Anchorage, Smith, who is diabetic, tested her blood sugar and found out that it was low. After taking some sugar-rich food and drink, Smith entered the match in Game 2 and played a major role the rest of the way.

"She had a Powerade and something else," Shoemaker said. "She just needed to get some sugar in her body. It's something she has to physically test and she is very aware of it. It was a good call on her part to get that done. No coach can tell exactly what a player feels; you have to develop that level of trust. She knows what she has to do."

With Smith returning in Game 2 to anchor the middle of the lineup between freshmen Katie Tobiasz and Daniel Hitzeman, Shoemaker said the entire team's offense benefited.

"It takes a lot of pressure off other players. The opponent's defense has to pay attention to more players, which is obviously a benefit," Shoemaker said. "It's not just a one-position thing; it helps the entire team when you have an additional player stepping up."

On the season, Smith has 69 kills, a .305 attack percentage and 23 total blocks.

"She hasn't had the numbers she had in the past, partly because of where she is playing," Shoemaker said. "She's playing between two freshmen and there is a lot for them to learn with blocking. She's been helping the younger players out, talking to them, making adjustments.

"We've also had two freshmen setters and have been kind of waiting for them to develop a better relationship with the middle hitters and the right side, where the sets are a little trickier. Both Jessica (Clemons) and Dasa (Capova) are starting to do some of that. Carlin's been an extremely steady performer for us. She does what a middle is supposed to do. She plays big."

The Nanooks hit the road this week, playing at Western Oregon on Thursday and at Humboldt State (Calif.) on Saturday.