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Spikers win fifth straight, 3-1 at SPU

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Spikers win fifth straight, 3-1 at SPU

SEATTLE – Junior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders had 15 kills and career-high 20 digs Thursday to help the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team to its fifth straight victory with a 25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20 decision over Seattle Pacific at Royal Brougham Pavilion.

UAA (15-3, 9-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) also got a career-high 15 kills from sophomore middle blocker Erin Braun as it swept the season series for the second consecutive time.

SPU (10-8, 4-6) was led by 15 kills and 10 digs from outside hitter Madi Cavell, but the hosts were out-hit .220 to .127 and outdug 74-64.

The Seawolves – who remained in a first-place tie with No. 17 Northwest Nazarene (16-2, 9-1) – slowly pulled away in the first set, going from a 9-8 deficit to a 20-14 lead behind three kills from senior outside hitter Brooke Pottle. Pottle finished with 11 kills on .286 hitting, three aces and five digs.

The second set was a struggle as the Seawolves dropped their first frame since Sept. 27, but they righted the ship in the third. Leading just 15-14, Kayla McGlathery blasted one of her 11 kills and Pottle followed with another to start a closing 10-2 run.

UAA rallied at the same point in the fourth set, snapping a 12-12 tie by scoring five straight points on Pottle's serve, including two of her aces. The Falcons never got closer than four points the rest of the way, and Braun ended it on a middle attack on match point.

Braun, a 6-footer from San Bernardino, Calif., topped her previous career-high of 10 kills and led UAA with a match-best .294 attack percentage and five block assists. In last month's sweep of SPU in Anchorage, Braun delivered eight kills on 1.000 hitting.

Meanwhile, fellow middle blocker McGlathery helped control the center of the net with several resounding kills and four total blocks, including a solo.

Sophomore setter Morgan Hooe exhibited her usual versatility with 48 assists, 11 digs, four kills and four block assists, and junior right-side hitter Julia Mackey had three kills, three block assists and three assists in her return to action after missing last week's match against Alaska Fairbanks.

For Zanders – an All-GNAC performer and reigning AVCA Second Team All-American – the effort marked her fifth double-double and broke her previous career-best of 17 digs.

With the win, UAA improves to 5-1 in GNAC road matches this year and 14-1 over the past year and a half.

The Seawolves complete this week's road trip with a Saturday showdown at Montana State Billings at 5 p.m. ADT.

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Players Mentioned

Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

RS
5' 11"
Freshman
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
Kayla McGlathery

#12 Kayla McGlathery

MB
6' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

5' 11"
Freshman
RS
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
Kayla McGlathery

#12 Kayla McGlathery

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB