Lady Nanooks raised $1,600 in 10th annual Arctic Pinkies Tournament

Last weekend the Lady Nanook volleyball team hosted the 10th annual Arctic Pinkies Tournament, raising $1,600 for breast cancer and honoring a teammate who survived cancer, Angela Omedelina.
Omedelina is a sophomore on the JV team and a cancer survivor. She received the Inspirational Ace and was honored with a speech.
“With an indomitable spirit and unwavering determination, this player has shown us what it means to be a fighting Nanook, on and off the court,” announcer Ryan Wharry said. “Her unwavering dedication to the sport, coupled with the remarkable ability to inspire others, has earned her the title of the Inspirational Ace. This award recognizes her exceptional leadership, sportsmanship, and the positive impact they have had on their teammates and the entire community.”
The three-day event had the Bethel Warriors, Barrow Lady Whalers, Lathrop Lady Mules and Lady Nanooks varsity and JV teams playing games back-to-back.
Thursday and Friday games were “pool play” to determine placement for the double elimination bracket Saturday.
The Lady Whalers won the varsity bracket Saturday, beating out Nome in the final game. The Lady Nanook JV team took their bracket’s title, beating Barrow’s JV team for first.
“In volleyball each point is a battle. We might not have claimed the tournament championship, but we emerged stronger and continue the ongoing journey to improve and prepare for the next game,” Nanook Coach Veronica Alviso said.
The energy in the den was electric all weekend, with a packed crowd passionately cheering on the teams. Walls were covered in pink volleyballs, which the Lady Nanooks sold leading up to the tournament as part of the fundraiser.
Barrow, Bethel and Nome are three out of the four teams in the region, making this tournament a good preview for regionals which will be hosted in Nome November 3-4.
“Even though they’re far away, we still are very connected to Barrow and Bethel through families. Anytime they come, it’s very exciting because they all know each other,” Alviso said.
On Saturday, once the games finished and Barrow Varsity and Nome JV were crowned winners, awards began.  
Six JV players and nine varsity players received All Tournament Awards. The awards are determined by coaches and referees. Coaches pick out the top 10 players from the tournament who aren’t on their team and the referees pick their top 10 players. The results are tallied up and the players with the most votes receive the award.
The Most Valuable Player is awarded to a person from the winning team.
Tournament MVP: Arlene Unutoa, Barrow.
Varsity All Tournament: Aiga Unutoa, Barrow; Zadah Unutoa, Barrow; Allie Alexie, Bethel; Priscilla Wang, Lathrop; Brooklyn Crowe, Nome; Taylor Gorn, Nome; Bennie Lie, Nome; Harmony Martinson, Nome.
JV All Tournament: Blessing Kupu, Barrow; Ahmela McFadden, Barrow; Jisu Jang, Bethel; Kailey Hensley, Nome; Angela Omedelina, Nome; Kive Shannon, Nome.
Overall Results:
Varsity first place: Barrow; second place: Nome
JV first place: Nome, second place: Barrow.