ANCHORAGE - Alaska Anchorage setter Calli Scott had 43 assists to pace a balanced Alaska Anchorage attack Saturday as the host Seawolves defended the title of their own Extended Stay Deluxe Invitational volleyball tournament with a 25-16, 21-25, 25-23, 25-14 victory over Academy of Art at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Sophomore outside hitter Jackie Matthisen registered her first career double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs for UAA (3-1), which earned the ESDI title for the fourth time in 15 tries.
Academy of Art (3-1) got 14 kills and nine digs from all-tourney selection Dan Yang, but the visitors from San Francisco were out-hit .291 to .165 and outblocked 10-4. Setter Melissa Cheng had 35 assists and outside hitter Jelena Hakovljevic eight kills and eight digs for the Urban Knights of the Pacific West Conference as both earned all-tourney plaques.
Scott - who became the first player to earn back-to-back ESDI Most Outstanding Player honors - had a terrific all-around match with three kills, two aces, seven digs and a career-best seven block assists.
"Calli was incredible tonight," said UAA head coach Chris Green. "She does so many things right, along with providing the leadership for a very young team. But really all of our players stepped up and made a difference as you can see by our balanced stats."
In addition to Matthisen, the Seawolves also got double-digit kills from sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Moss (13), junior middle blocker Cortney Lundberg (12) and freshman Marie Borowikow (12). Lundberg hit for a .400 attack percentage and totaled seven blocks, while Borowikow posted UAA's best attack percentage of the young season at .500 (12-1-22).
Moss and Matthisen both earned spots on the All-Tournament Team as well.
After splitting the first two sets, the third was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Urban Knights claim a 17-13 advantage in the late-going. But UAA rallied behind the play of Matthisen as the former East Anchorage High School star ripped kills for UAA's 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th points to earn the narrowest of victories.
The fourth set stayed tied through just eight rallies before Scott served four straight points for an 8-4 lead. UAA would cruise from there, avenging Friday's 3-2 loss to the Knights in round-robin play.
UAA is back in action Sept. 4-5 when it travels to La Jolla, Calif., for the UC San Diego Triton Invitational. The Seawolves will face three preseason top-25 teams at the RIMAC Arena, starting Friday against No. 20 Cal State-Los Angeles.
2009 Extended Stay Deluxe Invitational
All-Tournament Team
Melissa Cheng, Academy of Art
Amanda Hennessy, Mary
Jackie Matthisen, UAA
Jelena Jakovljevic, Academy of Art
McKenzie Moss, UAA
Dan Yang, Academy of Art
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Calli Scott, UAA
