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Seawolves hit season-best in sweep of UAF

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves hit season-best in sweep of UAF

FAIRBANKS – Outside hitter Katelynn Zanders and Brooke Pottle combined for 21 kills Saturday to lead 25th-ranked Alaska Anchorage to a 25-11, 25-23, 25-12 sweep of Alaska Fairbanks in volleyball action at the Patty Center.

The Seawolves (20-4, 14-2) also got a match-high 21 digs from senior libero Quinn Barker as they beat their in-state rivals for the ninth straight time and clinched no worse than a tie for second place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.

The Nanooks (3-21, 3-13) were led by 10 kills from Brooke Mattice but the hosts were out-hit .341 to .079, allowing UAA its best hitting percentage this season.

UAA, ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA Div. II West Regional poll, started strong with a 7-0 lead and took the first set in just 16 minutes.

UAF responded by taking a 13-9 lead in the second frame, but UAA head coach Chris Green whistled a timeout that effectively changed the momentum, and the Seawolves eventually nudged ahead, 21-20, on a kill by Mattice. That would be the final threat, however, as junior right-side hitter Julia Mackey pounded one of her nine kills, followed by spikes from Erin Braun and Pottle to end it.

The Seawolves trailed 4-3 early in the third before scoring eight of the next nine points, and they added a bookend 7-0 run to finish the contest, capped by an ace from setter Morgan Hooe.

Hooe finished with 19 assists and eight digs, while freshman setter Kristi Farley chipped in 10 assists.

Zanders had 11 kills, four aces and five assists, and Pottle recorded a career-best hitting percentage of .444, connecting for 10 kills on just 18 attacks.

Mackey hit a team-high .500, along with five digs and four assists, and sophomore middle blocker Kayla McGlathery ripped six kills.

With the victory, UAA has now won 20 matches for the 10th time in program history and the first time in back-to-back seasons since 1989 (23-13) and 1990 (24-15). It marks the third 20-win campaign under Green, who improved to 131-64 in seven years at UAA.

The Seawolves finish the regular season with home matches against Simon Fraser (Thur., Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.) and nationally ranked Western Washington (Sat., Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.) at the Alaska Airlines Center, before awaiting their likely NCAA Tournament draw on Sunday, Nov. 16.

The Seawolves can clinch second place in the GNAC outright with just one win next week, however they would need to win both matches and hope Northwest Nazarene (23-2, 16-1) loses at Central Washington next Saturday to earn a tie for the league title. NNU has already clinched the league's automatic NCAA berth.

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Players Mentioned

Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

RS
5' 11"
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
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

S
5' 6"
Freshman
Brooke Pottle

#13 Brooke Pottle

OH
5' 8"
Junior
Kristi Farley

#10 Kristi Farley

S
5' 6"
Freshman
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
Quinn Barker

#1 Quinn Barker

5' 4"
Junior
L
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
Kristi Farley

#10 Kristi Farley

5' 6"
Freshman
S
Kayla McGlathery

#12 Kayla McGlathery

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB