ANCHORAGE – Julia Mackey equaled her career-high with 18 kills but the hot hitting of Augustana was too much as the visiting Vikings came away with a 20-25, 29-27, 25-18, 25-20 volleyball victory in Saturday's final match of the SpringHill Suites Invitational at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Augustana (4-0) was powered by 20 kills and three block assists from tourney Most Outstanding Player Holly Hafemeyer, while teammate and all-tourney selection Courtney Ysker accounted for 19 kills and nine digs.
UAA (4-3) lost its only match of the tournament despite Mackey's career night – including a .424 attack pct. – and the first career double-double for fellow sophomore Katelynn Zanders, who had 15 kills and 13 digs.
Mackey made the all-tournament team, along with teammates Quinn Barker (14 digs) and Jodi Huddleston (4 kills, 5 total blocks).
Vikings setter Marissa Johnson – also an all-tourney pick – dished 21 of her 57 assists in an epic second set that saw both teams fight off set points. Huddleston gave UAA a 25-24 edge with an unassisted kill, but Augustana's Taylor Hrdlichka answered with back-to-back kills. Kills by Huddleston and Zanders extended the frame to 27-27 before Hafemeyer ended it with back-to-back kills.
UAA hung close in the final two sets before the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference club took control midway through each frame.
The Seawolves put five players in double-digit digs, led by Barker's 14, while setter Siobhan Johansen dished 23 assists and made 11 digs.
UAA returns to the court in two days for a showdown against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe Colorado Christian. That match has an early start time of 5:30 p.m. at the WFSC.
2013 SpringHill Suites Invitational All-Tournament Team
Dominique Tarrant, Notre Dame de Namur
Caitlin Connelly, American International
Stephanie Johns, Texas A&M Kingsville
Quinn Barker, Alaska Anchorage
Marissa Johnson, Augustana
Jodi Huddleston, Alaska Anchorage
Courtney Ysker, Augustana
Julia Mackey, Alaska Anchorage
Most Outstanding Player: Holly Hafemeyer, Augustana
