ANCHORAGE ? The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team played a spirited third set but could not overcome nationally 13th-ranked Central Missouri as the visitors earned a 25-17, 25-16, 25-22 sweep of the Seawolves in the season-opener for both teams Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
UAA got a combined 15 kills and 13 digs from senior outside hitters Rachel Kidwell and Rhea Cardwell, but it was not enough to overcome early deficits in each set.
UCM benefited from a match-high 14 kills from freshman outside hitter Allie Huffman, plus 10 digs and 12 digs from sophomore outside hitter Rachel Fister. The Jennies, of Warrensburg, Mo., and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Conference, are led by 33rd-year head coach Peggy Martin, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division II history (1,036-271-8).
Meanwhile, it was the UAA coaching debut for Chris Green, whose Seawolves struggled to negative hitting percentages in the first two games. UAA showed more life in the third set, however, hitting an impressive .234 (14-3-47) and fighting off four match points before Fister's final kill went down.
UAA got solid debuts from a pair of junior-college transfers as sophomore middle blocker Cortney Lundberg tallied six kills and four total blocks (2 solo), and junior libero Stacie Meisner made a team-high 12 digs and dished four assists.
Another transfer, junior setter Calli Scott, ran the offense in her Seawolf debut, finishing with 21 assists and nine digs.
The Seawolves have a short turnaround before they return to action at 11 a.m. Friday when they host Ohio Valley to begin the 14th annual Extended Stay Invitational. UAA will play Harding at 7 p.m. Friday as well.
