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'Wolves test #1 Coyotes in 4-set NCAA loss

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

'Wolves test #1 Coyotes in 4-set NCAA loss

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team delivered one of its best performances of the season Thursday but could not overcome the top-ranked team in the country as Cal State San Bernardino earned a 25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18 victory over the Seawolves in the first round of the NCAA West Regional Championships at Coussoulis Arena.

UAA (18-9) got a match-high 14 kills apiece from all-region performers Robyn Burton and Jackie Matthisen as they became just the seventh team this year to take a set from CSUSB.

The Coyotes (28-0) got five double-digit kills from five players, including 13 from outside hitter Priscilla Collings. Senior middle blocker Samantha Middleborn, the West Region Player of the Year, had 12 kills and three blocks to help CSUSB run its home winning streak to 62 matches.

“I thought we had to play the perfect match to beat them, and we almost did,” said UAA head coach Chris Green, who had the Seawolves in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. “They are obviously an outstanding team, and they proved why. I'm extremely proud of our players for the way they fought hard tonight and throughout the season.”

After dropping the first two sets in close fashion, UAA responded in the third as Burton and Matthisen got on a roll. The Seawolves trailed 12-10 early but took the lead at 17-15 with two straight blocks by Miranda Doing. The Coyotes sliced their deficit to one point on five occasions, fighting off one set point at 24-22, but Matthisen ended it on a long rally with a kill on the next point. It marked just the first time the three-time defending West Region champions have lost a set in the regional tournament since the 2007 regional final against Western Washington.

UAA took four of the first five points in the fourth set to make thing interesting, and stayed within 19-18 before the Coyotes pulled away.

“They were good. They were really good,” said CSUSB head coach Kim Cherniss. “They are a really physical team, and we were actually quite surprised that their physicality didn't play more of a role when we played them in September (in a 3-0 CSUSB win). Going into the postseason we're playing champions, though, and we were up to the effort.”

The Seawolves gave a terrific effort out of the gate, leading through most of the first set, including 17-15 late in the frame. UAA led 19-18 before the Coyotes rallied for the last seven points. Led by five kills from Ariel Austin, the Seawolves hit an impressive .303 in the first, but the hosts connected at a .406 rate.

UAA fought hard throughout the second set as well, rallying for three straight points to tie it 20-20 on McKenzie Moss's service ace. The Coyotes responded once again, however, taking a timeout and scoring the next four points to take control. Burton slammed a kill down the middle and CSUSB committed an attack error to keep the Seawolves alive before Middleborn ended it with a spike down the middle of the court.

Matthisen, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, also added 11 digs for her 15th double-double of the season. The senior ends her three-year Seawolf career No. 3 on the program's all-time kills list with 1,134.

Burton, meanwhile, hit over .500 for the 12th time this year, connecting for a match-high .619 attack percentage (14 kills-1 error-21 attacks). The nation's No. 4 hitter coming in with a .409 percentage, Burton also added four total blocks. The sophomore from Eagle River (Chugiak HS) finishes the season with a .416 attack percentage, breaking the 29-year-old school record of Tammy Middaugh (.333 in 1982) by 83 points.

UAA got other nice efforts Thursday from setter Kimya Jafroudi – the GNAC Newcomer of the Year – with 49 assists, plus 11 kills from junior right-side hitter Ariel Austin. Junior outside hitter Nikkie Viotto had nine kills and a career-high-tying four aces.

Doing, from nearby La Mirada, Calif., had six kills and six block assists, and libero Quincy Haught tallied 10 digs.

The Seawolves came in as the No. 8 seed, while top-seeded CSUSB will move on to Friday's semifinals against No. 4 seed BYU-Hawaii.

UAA, which was making its fifth all-time NCAA appearance, also ends the season with a school record for attack percentage at .236, breaking the mark of .224 from 2003.

The Seawolves lose just two seniors from this year's team in Matthisen and Moss.


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Players Mentioned

Jackie Matthisen

#RS Jackie Matthisen

MB/OH
5' 11"
Sophomore
McKenzie Moss

#6 McKenzie Moss

OH
5' 11"
Freshman
Nikkie Viotto

#9 Nikkie Viotto

DS
5' 8"
Freshman
Robyn Burton

#4 Robyn Burton

MB
5' 11"
Freshman
Quincy Haught

#7 Quincy Haught

DS
5' 7"
Freshman
Ariel Austin

#5 Ariel Austin

RS
6' 0"
Junior
Miranda Doing

#14 Miranda Doing

MB
5' 11"
Junior
Kimya Jafroudi

#11 Kimya Jafroudi

S
5' 7"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Jackie Matthisen

#RS Jackie Matthisen

5' 11"
Sophomore
MB/OH
McKenzie Moss

#6 McKenzie Moss

5' 11"
Freshman
OH
Nikkie Viotto

#9 Nikkie Viotto

5' 8"
Freshman
DS
Robyn Burton

#4 Robyn Burton

5' 11"
Freshman
MB
Quincy Haught

#7 Quincy Haught

5' 7"
Freshman
DS
Ariel Austin

#5 Ariel Austin

6' 0"
Junior
RS
Miranda Doing

#14 Miranda Doing

5' 11"
Junior
MB
Kimya Jafroudi

#11 Kimya Jafroudi

5' 7"
Junior
S