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Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves end skid against Saints

ANCHORAGE -- Brenda Cooper ripped a career-high 17 kills, including the winner on match point, as the UAA volleyball team earned its first league victory with a 31-29, 30-27, 24-30, 30-28 triumph over Saint Martin's at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex on Saturday.

The Seawolves (4-13, 1-8 GNAC) also got career-best performances from several other players as they snapped a 9-match losing skid. SMU (1-12, 1-8 GNAC) was led by sensational freshman Shealun Campisi's 25 kills, and 51 assists from setter Lisa Hall.

UAA led through much of the first game, but the Saints came back to tie it late, the final time at 29-29 on a Heather Lyons (12 kills) attack error. The home team would rebound, however, and get the winning points on a Campisi error and a resounding kill from Cooper off an SMU overpass.

Cooper, a sophomore from Anchorage who has been injured much of the season, had her finest match in a Seawolf uniform, also setting a career-high attack percentage of .500 (17 kills, 2 errors, 30 attempts). It was also the most kills for a Seawolf this season.

The second game was a tight affair as well, with SMU hanging close behind until finally taking the lead at 24-23. UAA then forged a 27-27 tie and captured the final three rallies on a kill by Chelsey Jones (career-best 16 kills), an SMU error, and a kill by setter Tehane Kahalehau.

After struggling in dropping Game 3, UAA appeared headed for a possible collapse in the fourth game, falling behind 22-14. But the Seawolves thrilled a raucous home crowd by coming alive and finally notching things at 26-26. Consecutive kills by Jones and Kahalehau made it 29-27, and Cooper delivered a thunderous kill on UAA's second chance at match point.

Junior middle blocker Kim Stolk had several key kills throughout and was the third Seawolf to earn a career-high in that category with 13. Kahalehau, a freshman from Wailuku, Hawaii, made 13 digs and dished a career-best 59 assists. Senior libero Rachael Knecht led UAA with 17 digs, while Cristal Negron and Paepaetele Poasa made 11 each.

UAA won the match despite being barely outhit, .228 to .226, by the visitors from Lacey, Wash. The Seawolves did with the digs category handily, 72-55.

The Seawolves have a short week of preparation before taking on arch-rival Alaska Fairbanks on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the WFSC.
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Players Mentioned

Brenda Cooper

#4 Brenda Cooper

OH
6' 0"
Sophomore
Chelsey Jones

#2 Chelsey Jones

MB
6' 1"
Senior
Tehane Kahalehau

#7 Tehane Kahalehau

S
5' 7"
Freshman
Rachael Knecht

#10 Rachael Knecht

L
5' 6"
Senior
Heather Lyons

#1 Heather Lyons

OH
5' 11"
Sophomore
Cristal Negron

#5 Cristal Negron

DS
5' 5"
Sophomore
Paepaetele Poasa

#12 Paepaetele Poasa

OH
5' 10"
Junior
Kim Stolk

#13 Kim Stolk

MB
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Brenda Cooper

#4 Brenda Cooper

6' 0"
Sophomore
OH
Chelsey Jones

#2 Chelsey Jones

6' 1"
Senior
MB
Tehane Kahalehau

#7 Tehane Kahalehau

5' 7"
Freshman
S
Rachael Knecht

#10 Rachael Knecht

5' 6"
Senior
L
Heather Lyons

#1 Heather Lyons

5' 11"
Sophomore
OH
Cristal Negron

#5 Cristal Negron

5' 5"
Sophomore
DS
Paepaetele Poasa

#12 Paepaetele Poasa

5' 10"
Junior
OH
Kim Stolk

#13 Kim Stolk

6' 1"
Junior
MB