Box Score FAIRBANKS, ALASKA – After a season-opening victory Friday night, the young and upcoming Lumberjacks volleyball team tested their mettle against a NCAA Division II ranked foe in Day 2 of the University of Alaska Nanook Classic.
 
Humboldt State more than held its own by taking 12^th-ranked Fresno Pacific to the limit before falling just short of the upset, 3-2, in a tight 12-15 deciding fifth set.
 
In the fifth game, Fresno Pacific opened a margin of as many as five points, 11-6, but HSU would hang around. Trailing 13-9, the Lumberjacks put three-straight points on the board to pull to within 13-12.
 
The Phoenix were able to get the side out and eventually match-winning kill to complete their comeback by a 15-12 final.
 
The Jacks (1-1) started the afternoon strong with a 25-19 first set victory. The Phoenix (2-0) bounced back to even the bout a set apiece with a 25-13 second game win.
 
In the best hitting game of the day, HSU outlasted its opponent, 25-23, behind .244 hitting to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The highly-ranked Phoenix, though, would show their relisiency by controlling the fourth game, 25-14.
 
Sophomore transfer Kaitlyn Dunaway (Rohnert Park, Calif.) produced the big day on the HSU frontline. The outside hitter pounded 16 kills to go with a team-best 21 digs, an ace, an assist and one block assist.
 
Symone Hayden (Fresno, Calif.) chipped in 15 kills and 12 digs of her own.
 
Ashley Owen (Gasquet, Calif.) lined 11 kills and three digs to complete the three top HSU hitters on the afternoon.
 
Erin Mitchell (Santa Cruz, Calif.) recorded her second 40-assist output in two matches with 40, while having 10 digs, three aces and a kill.
 
Alex Hasenstab (Phoenix, Ariz.) added four kills, two blocks and two digs and her fellow middle hitter Courtney Debrunner (Petaluma, Calif.) had three kills, a dig and a block.
 
Kelci Renshaw (Nankuli, Hawaii) dug 14 balls, handed out four assists and served a pair of aces.
 
Danielle Carlson contributed two kills and two digs with Colleen Noonan having five digs.
 
HSU will wrap up its Alaska trip with a 6 p.m. bout against Colorado Christian on Saturday night.