ANCHORAGE (Sept. 6) - O'Lita McWilliams ripped 22 kills as the Seawolf volleyball team played a nearly flawless match Saturday, beating Western New Mexico 30-23, 30-25, 30-25 to repeat as champions of their own UAA Invitational.
UAA (6-2) got 12 kills apiece from Mindy Cason and Starr Burgan, while setter Kasey Kuelper came through with 52 assists. WNMU (6-4) was led by 12 kills from Liz Narkon and 11 from Laree Green.
The Seawolves jumped on the Mustangs early, taking a 7-1 lead in Game 1 and winning that frame behind 10 kills from McWilliams.
Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair, however. With the Mustangs up 23-21, UAA rallied for seven straight points on Burgan's serve, including two kills from Michelle Garvin and one from Cason to finish the run.
McWilliams, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, got the Seawolves untracked in the third game as well, using her jump serve to start a Seawolf rally midway through the frame. Burgan, who made the All-Tournament team along with fellow senior Kuelper, ended the match with a resounding kill.
The Seawolves have now won eight straight matches in the Invitational and their overall winning streak this season has reached five.
Garvin led the match with 15 digs, and McWilliams had 14. McWilliams has now tallied double-digit kills and digs in six of UAA's eight matches this year. The senior from Alpine, Texas, led the tournament in total kills (72), kills per game (4.8) and aces (10), and ranked second in attack percentage (.365). Burgan had the tournament's top attack percentage with .419, and Kuelper was the leading setter with 13.07 assists per game.
The Seawolves begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play next Friday and Saturday when they host Seattle Pacific and nationally ranked Western Washington.
2003 UAA Invitational
All-Tournament Team
Lindsey Siefken, Cal Baptist
Dana Buss, Nova Southeastern
Malia Kauhi, Western New Mexico
Liz Narkon, Western New Mexico
Starr Burgan, UAA
Kasey Kuelper, UAA
Most Outstanding Player: O'Lita McWilliams, UAA
