Box Score FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Northwest Nazarene volleyball team earned its first win of the 2018 season Saturday, defeating Alaska in four sets.

The Nighthawks (1-8 overall, 1-1 GNAC) didn't just win, they also played their best match of the year in the 25-23, 28-30, 25-21, 25-19 victory.

"It's a great feeling," NNU coach Doug English said. "It's a better feeling that we executed well. We played really, really good tonight."

After the Nighthawks dropped a tough second set, they bounced back and opened up a 20-12 lead in the third set. A late run by the Nanooks closed the gap as setter Mckenzie Lee was injured, causing lineup issues.

NNU held Alaska off, though, and rolled in the fourth set as well.

"I feel like that was the first time we responded (this year)," English said. "We had chances to win the second set and other times (this year) we have been in that situation and we haven't responded.

"Our seniors Shayli (Siegfreid), Cami (Heninger) and Natalie (Knauf) did a great job of keeping us composed in the huddle."

Siegfreid's 40 digs were the second most in a match since NNU went to NCAA Division II in 2001. She tied Taylor Roberts, who had 40 in 2014, and was one off of the school record of 41 set by Kailey Trautmann in 2011.

"You don't get a lot of 40 dig matches," English said. "That was pretty studly on her part."

Heninger finished with 18 kills, 15 digs and a .289 hitting percentage. Abbey Blum added 22 kills, Megan Nelson had 39 assists and 10 digs and Kayla Sale had eight kills and 23 digs.

NNU returns home to face Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.