ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Sophomore outside hitter Katelynn Zanders tallied 18 kills and 11 digs Thursday to help the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team stay undefeated in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 25-15, 25-21, 12-25, 25-20 victory over Central Washington at Nicholson Pavilion.
The Seawolves (9-6, 3-0 GNAC) also got 12 kills from sophomore right-side hitter Julia Mackey, plus a big fourth-set performance from right-side hitter Maureen Sabado to win the initial battle between the teams picked second (CWU) and third (UAA) in the league's preseason coaches' poll.
UAA's victory sets up a Saturday showdown between the only current 3-0 teams in the GNAC when the Seawolves visit Northwest Nazarene (7-2, 3-0) in Nampa, Idaho (5 p.m. ADT).
The Wildcats (5-6, 1-2), who were nationally ranked all season prior to this week, were led by 11 kills from Emmy Dolan and 10 kills from Linden Firethorne as they dropped their home opener.
Tied 8-8 in the first set, UAA got back-to-back kills from Zanders and senior middle blocker Jodi Huddleston to start a 9-1 run. After controlling much of the second frame as well, the Seawolves' lead was sliced to 18-17 on consecutive kills from Firethorne.But Zanders responded again, blasting kills on the next three rallies, before freshman middle blocker Erin Braun accounted for the final two kills to clinch a 2-0 lead.
After CWU dominated the third set, the Seawolves bounced back with a 6-1 run to start the fourth and never trailed. Ahead 9-6, Sabado had a kill and a solo block on consecutive plays to start another 9-1 surge. The junior from Kodiak added two more of her seven kills later in the run, and UAA held on for its fourth win in its last six visits to Ellensburg.
Junior libero Quinn Barker reached the 20-dig mark for the third time this year, finishing with 21 digs, four assists, four aces, no service errors and just one reception error. Senior setter Siobhan Johansen and freshman setter Morgan Hooe combined for 45 assists and 10 digs.
UAA won for the first time this year despite losing the hitting battle, .222 to .203, although the Seawolves connected on six more kills (53-47) than the hosts. Braun had six kills and a pair of blocks, while Huddleston had five blocks assists and four kills, including match point.
NOTES: Zanders collected her team-high fourth double-double of the season … sophomore outside hitter Sarah Johnson had three kills, two aces and a season-high seven digs … Mackey reached double-digit kills for the third straight time and the ninth time in 15 matches this year.
