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Seawolves blank LIU Post in front of record crowd

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves blank LIU Post in front of record crowd

ANCHORAGE – The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team sent a record crowd home happy Friday night, getting big matches from outside hitter Katelynn Zanders and libero Quinn Barker to earn a 25-22, 25-16, 25-21 sweep of LIU Post in the SpringHill Suites Invitational at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Playing in their brand-new building, Zanders tallied 15 kills, eight digs and a career-high five aces, while Barker added a career-high-tying 25 digs as UAA won its second contest of the day. The crowd of 1,200 easily topped the old record of 884, set Sept. 29, 2012 against Alaska Fairbanks at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

LIU Post (1-1) was led by six kills and 11 digs from outside hitter Danielle Valenza, but the defending NCAA Div. II East Regional champions were out-hit .224 to .076 by the hosts.

The first set was tight throughout, featuring 11 ties and six lead changes. The Pioneers, from Brookville, N.Y., held a 20-17 lead before Julia Mackey and Brooke Pottle smashed back-to-back kills for UAA, and the Seawolves knotted it 21-21 on a Pottle ace moments later. Tied 22-22, freshman setter Kristi Farley set Zanders for a kill, and Caitlin McInerney and Maureen Sabado combined for a block to earn set point. Zanders then came through again as the junior All-American finished her night with a .297 attack percentage (15-4-37) and eight digs.

“This evening was a better performance against a team that served very tough,” said UAA head coach Chris Green, whose team topped Saint Leo, 3-2, in the season-opener Friday morning. “Winning Game 1 we had to come from five or six behind, and I think that was the key to the whole match. Overall, we're very happy with the two wins and excited to start off the Alaska Airlines Center with a 2-0 record.”

UAA took control of the second set, taking five straight rallies to make it 10-6, and pulling away from there. The third set was also tight affair, but the Pioneers never managed to lead or tie. Sophomore Breanne Sytnyk, coming off an injury redshirt season, sparked the 3rd-set charge, ripping six kills on just seven attempts in that frame.

The Seawolves also got nice efforts from Pottle (9 kills, 10 digs), Mackey (7 kills), sophomore middle blocker Erin Braun (5 kills, .333 att%) and sophomore setter Morgan Hooe (23 assists, 7 digs).

UAA and LIU Post will meet for a rematch in Match 3 of the SpringHill Suites Invitational on Saturday at 9 a.m.


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Players Mentioned

Maureen Sabado

#RS Maureen Sabado

MB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

RS
5' 11"
Freshman
Breanne Sytnyk

#5 Breanne Sytnyk

MB/RS
6' 0"
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
Caitlin Hanson

#8 Caitlin Hanson

MB/RS
5' 11"
Sophomore
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

Players Mentioned

Maureen Sabado

#RS Maureen Sabado

5' 10"
Sophomore
MB
Julia Mackey

#6 Julia Mackey

5' 11"
Freshman
RS
Breanne Sytnyk

#5 Breanne Sytnyk

6' 0"
Freshman
MB/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
Caitlin Hanson

#8 Caitlin Hanson

5' 11"
Sophomore
MB/RS
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