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Seawolves escape Nanook upset bid, 3-1

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves escape Nanook upset bid, 3-1

ANCHORAGE – Sophomore outside hitter Katelynn Zanders smashed nine of her 18 kills in the fourth set Saturday to help the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team fend off an upset challenge from rival Alaska Fairbanks, winning 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 28-26 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

UAA (18-8, 12-2 GNAC) – ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Div. II West Region – also got a career match from its other outside hitter as junior Brooke Pottle notched personal-bests of 15 kills and four block assists, along with 16 digs.

The Seawolves fought off a pair of UAF set points in the fourth frame – getting clutch kills from Pottle and senior middle blocker Jodi Huddleston – to earn the win and stay in a first-place tie with 10th-ranked Western Washington atop the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings. UAA and WWU will meet Thursday in Anchorage at 7 p.m. as the Vikings try to avenge a 5-set home loss to the Seawolves last month.

UAF (4-21, 3-11) got 15 kills apiece from outside hitters Sam Harthun and Keri Knight, with Harthun adding 10 digs. Morgan McGrath tallied eight kills and four blocks for the visitors, who fell to UAA for the seventh straight time in the series.

The Nanooks nearly rallied from a 23-20 deficit in the opening set, drawing within 24-23 on a kill by Britt Glaeser, but Harthun's next attack sailed long to give UAA the early advantage.

After claiming an easier win in the second set, the Seawolves fell behind early in the third and never reclaimed the lead, despite tying it 22-22 in the late-going. Setter Morgan Hooe sneaked a kill to the deep corner to pull UAA within 24-23 before Harthun kept the Nanooks alive with an emphatic smash.

The fourth set was tense throughout, with neither team leading by more than two points before UAA stretched to a 20-17 advantage. UAF came right back to tie it 22-22, however, and claimed a set point at 24-23.

Pottle answered with her final kill, but hit it long on the next rally to allow the Nanooks another shot. UAF would never get a chance on their side of the net, though, as Huddleston delivered on the initial attack to make it 26-26. The next two points featured long rallies with identical results, with Zanders delivering on feeds from Johansen to clinch it.

Zanders also finished with 16 digs to claim her sixth straight double-double and team-high 11th this season.

Johansen had 26 assists and seven digs, and fellow setter Morgan Hooe produced 20 assists and a career-high-tying three kills.

Huddleston also notched a career-high with nine block assists and added six kills, and freshman middle blocker Erin Braun contributed eight kills and six block assists.

UAA matched a season-high with 15 total blocks, while out-digging the Nanooks 65-60. After connecting for a GNAC-record .520 attack percentage in their Oct. 12 sweep in Fairbanks, the Seawolves still out-hit their rivals, but this time by a more pedestrian .156 to .122 count.

NOTES: Johansen moved up on a pair of UAA career lists, ascending to No. 8 in assists (1,588) and No. 13 in digs (925) … the Seawolves swept the season series for the third straight year and now lead 62-34 all-time (35-12 in Anchorage) over the Nanooks.


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Players Mentioned

Jodi Huddleston

#16 Jodi Huddleston

MB
6' 1"
Junior
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

OH
5' 9"
Freshman
Erin Braun

#15 Erin Braun

MB
6' 0"
Freshman
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

S
5' 6"
Freshman
Brooke Pottle

#13 Brooke Pottle

OH
5' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Jodi Huddleston

#16 Jodi Huddleston

6' 1"
Junior
MB
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

5' 9"
Freshman
OH
Erin Braun

#15 Erin Braun

6' 0"
Freshman
MB
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

5' 6"
Freshman
S
Brooke Pottle

#13 Brooke Pottle

5' 8"
Junior
OH