Volleyball

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 UAA Seawolves were matched up against the Western Oregon Wolves in Thursday's home and conference opener.  Despite two clutch wins in games 2 and 3, the ladies fell short in five games, 26-24, 21-25, 18-25, 28-26, 15-7.  UAA drops to 4 and 5 overall and 0 and 1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Game one was a point for point battle, until Western Oregon pulled ahead 24-18 over UAA.  Jackie Matthisen served the Seawolves back to a 24-24 tie, but the Wolves denied the comeback.  The Seawolves posted the good early numbers in game two, and kept a wide spread until Western Oregon closed the gap at 15-14.  After a timeout, Nikkie Viotto served 7 straight points to give UAA the 22-14 lead.  Oregon attempted a comeback, bringing the score to 24-21 until UAA got the sideout to win, 25-21.

The UAA Volleyball team will be among the favorites to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title in 2011; just not the singular favorite. The Seawolves, under fourth year head coach Chris Green, have been picked to finish third in the preseason GNAC coaches poll.  UAA returns four of six starters from a team that finished 18 and 9 last season and made a second straight NCAA Division II tournament.  Defending co-league champions Seattle Pacific and Western Washington are first and second in the poll.

Saturday’s volleyball action was headlined by the Mixed 6 final, with Point Hope Harpooners and Aniak Halfbreeds squaring off for the crown. The Harpooners were already up a game when a point scored by Adam Sage helped them also take the second game 25-16. But Aniak wasn’t ready to concede yet. Fighting back in a must-win third game, a good swing by Harry Morgan allowed the Halfbreeds to extend the match with a 25-23 win. Aniak wouldn't be able to claw all the way back, however, with the match point in Game 4 put away by Zach Lane as Point Hope won the Mixed 6. Meanwhile, the New Stuyahok Eagles and Port Lions Lions faced off for the 1A-2A title.

The ASAA Mixed Six and 1A/2A state volleyball tournaments got underway on Thursday at Dimond High School, but only one defending state champion emerged unscathed.   In the Mixed Six quarterfinals, two-time reigning champion Point Hope swept Russian Mission, 25-15, 25-14, 25-10.  The Harpooners move on to face Glacier View, which defeated Golovin, 25-17, 25-15, 25-11.  On the other side of the bracket, Aniak swept Unalakleet, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21.  The Halfbreeds will take on Alak in the semifinals, which took down Andreafski, 25-21, 25-15, 25-21.

The Seawolves volleyball team ended its regular season Saturday in a home matchup with Western Oregon University, with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s No. 3 spot and a probable bid in the NCAA tournament at stake. Both the Wolves and the Seawolves were playing high-level game as Robyn Burton punched through a block to score a point that still left UAA trailing 3-1. The Wolves pulled out the win in Game 1 although they needed extra points to do it, 27-25. That win would be the visitors’ only victory, however, as UAA regrouped to win the next three games.

The high-school volleyball season culminated in Saturday’s state championship games, with Dimond facing South for the 4A title and Grace Christian pitted against Mount Edgecumbe in the 3A match. Dimond’s bid for three straight state titles was blocked only by 19-0 South. The Lynx tried to jump out in the first frame, with Deanna Nielson contributing to an early 3-1 Dimond lead. As the score reached 23-19 Dimond, a strong Lynx defense with blocks by Kristi Lauwers and Abby Pacolt secured a win in the frame.

Between them, Dimond and South Anchorage have win the state’s last five 4A volleyball titles. Despite that history, the two rivals have never met head-to-head for the ultimate prize. That’s about to change Saturday after the Lynx and Wolverines took down their semifinal opponents to set up a rematch of last week's Cook Inlet Conference final, which was won by South. The Wolverines defeated West Valley in four games, 25-12, 25-16, 26-28, 25-10, while the Lynx swept Chugiak, 25-23, 25-17, 26-24.

The South Anchorage and Grace Christian volleyball teams advanced to the 4A and 3A semifinals, respectively, of the state tournament that began on Thursday in Wasilla. Both squads entered the tournament undefeated on the season. Grace took care of Delta Junction to begin the 3A tourney, 25-7, 25-12, 25-23. The Grizzlies will face Dillingham in the semifinals. The Wolverines advanced by beating Craig in a close four-game match, 25-19, 26-24, 22-25, 25-18. The other 3A semifinal will pit Mt. Edgecumbe against Seward, after both swept their quarterfinal matches.

Despite recent losses, the University of Alaska Anchorage volleyball team is still in position to make a return to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Seawolves hang on to the No. 7 ranking in this week's regional poll, with the top eight teams earning NCAA bids. Selections for the regional, which will likely be held at California State-San Bernardino, come after this weekend's final regular-season matches. That said, UAA can ill afford a slipup against 2 and 20 St. Martin's in a Thursday home game.