Scoreboard

Seawolves take streak north to UAF

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves blank Falcons, await NCAA fate

SEATTLE – Led by 21 kills from outside hitter Katelynn Zanders, the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team used a dominant hitting performance Saturday to post a 25-20, 25-23, 25-14 sweep of Seattle Pacific at Royal Brougham Pavilion and earn a possible NCAA Tournament bid in the process.

UAA (21-9, 15-3 GNAC) – ranked No. 7 in this week's final NCAA Div. II West Region poll – also got 11 kills and 12 digs from junior outside hitter Brooke Pottle to clinch an outright runner-up finish in the final Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.

SPU (15-11, 11-7) got 11 kills from outside hitter Lexi Biondi, but the Falcons were doubled up in attack percentage by the Seawolves, .342 to .162.

UAA also won the digs battle 50-39, paced by a career-high-tying 25 from junior libero Quinn Barker.

The Seawolves, who also posted a sweep Thursday at Montana State Billings, will now wait until the NCAA selection show at 3:30 p.m. AST on Monday to learn their postseason fate.

After pulling ahead midway through the first set to take the early advantage, UAA trailed through much of the second and faced a 22-20 deficit in the late going. But UAA's Erin Braun would come up big as the Seawolves took five of the last six rallies. The freshman middle blocker smashed a kill to start the run, and then teamed with junior Maureen Sabado for the tying and set-point block assists.

With all the momentum, UAA used an early 10-0 blitz to pull ahead 11-4 in the third set. The Falcons fought to within 15-12 before the Seawolves called timeout and responded with the next nine points. Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Johnson ripped her sixth kill on match point, while Braun wound up with six kills and a match-high five block assists.

Senior setter Siobhan Johansen was instrumental in UAA's big hitting performance, notching a team season-high 42 assists, plus a pair of kills and aces in her final regular-season match.

NOTES: UAA set a program record by finishing 9-0 in GNAC road matches … oddly, UAA and league champ Western Washington – which finished 16-2 – suffered all five combined losses on their respective home courts … Pottle's double-double was her sixth of the season and fourth this month … Zanders notched her fourth 20-plus kills effort of the season … just a sophomore, Zanders rose to No. 16 on UAA's career kills list, now with 668 … Johansen moved up multiple career lists Saturday, rising to 17th in aces (90), 13th in matches played (110) and 13th in sets played (396) … Barker moved up to No. 9 on UAA's single-season digs list, now with 496 … UAA swept the season series from SPU for the first time since 2009 … should UAA earn an NCAA Tournament bid, it would be the program's fourth in the last five seasons under head coach Chris Green.


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Players Mentioned

Siobhan Johansen

#10 Siobhan Johansen

S
5' 7"
Freshman
Maureen Sabado

#RS Maureen Sabado

MB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Sarah Johnson

#12 Sarah Johnson

OH
6' 1"
Freshman
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

OH
5' 9"
Freshman
Quinn Barker

#1 Quinn Barker

L
5' 4"
Junior
Erin Braun

#15 Erin Braun

MB
6' 0"
Freshman
Brooke Pottle

#13 Brooke Pottle

OH
5' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Siobhan Johansen

#10 Siobhan Johansen

5' 7"
Freshman
S
Maureen Sabado

#RS Maureen Sabado

5' 10"
Sophomore
MB
Sarah Johnson

#12 Sarah Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
OH
Katelynn Zanders

#14 Katelynn Zanders

5' 9"
Freshman
OH
Quinn Barker

#1 Quinn Barker

5' 4"
Junior
L
Erin Braun

#15 Erin Braun

6' 0"
Freshman
MB
Brooke Pottle

#13 Brooke Pottle

5' 8"
Junior
OH