The University of Alaska Fairbanks
This is an Unofficial Site of Nanook Volleyball
The University of Alaska Fairbanks
By BOB ELEY, Sports Editor
The ball is clearly in the Nanooks court and it will remain there for the rest of the season.
With four weeks remaining in the season, the University of Alaska Fairbanks volleyball team will be facing a must-win situation every time it takes the court as the drive for an NCAA Division II West Regional playoff berth is on the line.
The Nanooks were ranked fifth in the inaugural West Regional rankings, but slipped to ninth after losing two of its last three matches, including a heart-breaking loss at UAA last weekend.
It figures that the Nanooks will need to win at least seven, if not all eight of their final matches in order to move back into the top six in the region.
"Sure we can," UAF coach Phil Shoemaker responded Thursday when asked if the Nanooks could run the table and put themselves in position for a playoff berth. "Will we? Who knows.
"That's why people come to the game and we keep score," Shoemaker added. "The great thing about athletics is the challenges that you face and how you respond to them."
The Nanooks (6-4 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, 9-6 overall) first challenge will be at 7 tonight in the Patty Center when they entertain the Humboldt State Lumberjacks.
Western Oregon, a team that beat the Nanooks in the first half of the season, will invade the Patty Center at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
"We have to develop greater consistency and skills as the season goes on,'' Shoemaker said of the keys to a successful playoff run. "We need to remain healthy and stay strong mentally and emotionally for every game.
"This is the time of year when you tire," Shoemaker added. "There's mid-terms and lots of pressure to stay on top of the situation right now."
Humboldt State comes to town with a 2-9 conference record and a 4-15 overall mark, but Shoemaker said that Lumberjacks have the ability to put it all together on any given night.
"I really respect their coach," Shoemaker said. "They have several players who are dynamic and have the ability to change the momentum in a match if you give them too many opportunities."
Western Oregon, 4-7 conference and 9-10 overall, ambushed the Nanooks in Monmouth, Ore., a month ago.
"Western Oregon just tore us up down there," Shoemaker said. "They got our attention and we're going to need to play a lot better on Saturday than we did when we did the first time. We were flat-footed and slow when we played them."
