Volleyball

In a match reminiscent of their classic 2008 state final, Dimond outlasted Chugiak 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 16-14 to reach the finals of the Cook Inlet Conference volleyball tournament. The Lynx will play South in the title match. The unbeaten Wolverines downed Eagle River in three games, 25-11, 25-11, 25-16. The CIC will send three teams to next week's state tournament. The Mustangs and Wolves face off for that third seed at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Lynx and Wolverines follow at 6 p.m. Both matches are at Service High School.

A year ago, the South Wolverines volleyball team entered the state championship match undefeated but were upset by Dimond in a three-game sweep.  In their first meeting since, the Wolverines made sure there would be no repeat performance. South swept Dimond in Cook Inlet Conference play on Tuesday night, 25-21, 25-20, 25-18.  Sarah Johnson led the Wolverines potent attack with 15 kills while Lindsey Logan registered 10 digs and four aces.   For the Lynx, Kristi Lauwers pounded nine kills.  Don't rule out a rematch later on this week in the West Spiketacular, a key early season tournament.   

The Cook Inlet Conference volleyball championship game was contested Saturday evening at Service High School, as unbeaten South matched up against Dimond. South took the first frame 25-16, continuing on to a three-game sweep despite Dimond’s attempts to mount an attack on the Wolverines’ strong defense. The win earns South not only the CIC crown, but also a high seed at the state championships. “We all just played together, and I thought that any time we play together we can take on anybody -- we played pretty hard, I thought we deserved it,” said South’s Morgan Hooe.

The University of Alaska Anchorage volleyball team was matched up Saturday against one of the strongest teams in Division II: Seattle Pacific University and its 21-1 record. The Seawolves looked to attack early and often in the first game, soon tying the score at 22. Cortney Lundberg used finesse to defeat a block by SPU, giving UAA the lead by a point. On the ensuing serve, a tremendous back-and-forth occurred between the two sides’ stout defenses, until the Seawolves’ Jackie Matthisen ended the rally to open UAA’s lead to 24-22.

UAA volleyball coach Chris Green has led the Seawolves to three consecutive NCAA tournaments in Division II thanks to major contributions from Alaskans.  The Seawolves will  look to keep that trend alive next season. UAA has signed home-grown players Katelynn Zanders of state 4A champion South Anchorage and Julia Mackey from West Valley high school. Zanders, a 5 foot 8 middle blocker, led the Wolverines in blocks as a senior and finished third on the team in kills.  She projects to be an outside hitter in college.

Coaches talk all the time about being in mid-season form. That's exactly what Coach Chris Green is seeing out of his UAA volleyball squad. The Seawolves can't be counted out of the GNAC title race. They've won five out of six to reach 6-3 in conference. UAA can avenge one of those defeats Saturday at UAF. It’ll be an important trip for some of the Seawolves who grew up watching the rivalry. "To play against a crowd is almost as fun as playing with a crowd.

The top hitting team in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference came up big in a critical league match on Thursday.  UAA downed Montana State-Billings in a three-game sweep, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20 to move into a tie with Seattle Pacific for the conference lead.  Both schools are 11-2 in conference play and square off on Saturday. Jackie Matthisen led the Seawolves with 15 kills, while Ariel Austin floored 9 kills on 20 attempts.  UAA, which leads the GNAC in hitting percentage with a season average of .232, hit for a .257 attack rate against the Yellowjackets.

The University of Alaska Anchorage volleyball team broke out of a miniature funk on Thursday night with a three-game sweep of first-year GNAC program Simon Fraser, 25-14, 25-15, 25-23. The win evens the Seawolves’ conference record at 2-2. McKenzie Moss led the attack for UAA with 10 kills, while middle blockers Robyn Burton and Cortney Lundberg added 6 kills apiece.   UAA also showed small signs of improvement in the serving department. The Seawolves committed eight service errors, compared to the 14 they racked up in last Saturday's loss to UAF.  Siobhan Johansen had two of the team's seven service aces.

By this time next week, prep volleyball teams will be looking toward the postseason. What better way to prepare than with a miniature state tournament? Some 18 schools are in Anchorage this weekend for the Dimond-Service tournament, which is too big for just one facility. With 3A and 4A classifiactions represented, players say it's nice to get a peek at what lurks around the corner. “This is when we get to see how who is doing, who has the players, who doesn't -- who has the teams that will pull through at the end,” said Chugiak’s Krysten LaBrecque.