Scoreboard

#11 UAA sweeps #16 WWU in 1st-place battle

Women's Volleyball UAA Media Relations

#11 UAA sweeps #16 WWU in 1st-place battle

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Senior Katelynn Zanders had 17 kills and 12 digs Saturday to lift No. 11 Alaska Anchorage to a 25-19, 25-20, 30-28 sweep of No. 16 Western Washington in a battle for first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at Whatcom Community College Pavilion.

The Seawolves (24-2, 16-2 GNAC) also got 11 kills and 12 digs from freshman outside hitter Leah Swiss as they avenged last month's 5-set home loss to WWU and took a one-match lead with just two contests remaining for each team.

The Vikings (21-5, 15-3) were led by nine kills and nine digs from outside hitter Abby Phelps, but the hosts were out-hit .262 to .142 and out-dug 67-54 in a contest between teams ranked No. 1 (UAA) and No. 2 in the NCAA Div. II West Region.

UAA got a huge effort from freshman libero Kyla Militante-Amper, whose 28 digs were a UAA season-best and equaled the third-most by a GNAC player in a 3-setter this year. The Hillsboro, Ore., native had missed the Oct. 15 match against WWU in Anchorage with a concussion.

After erasing a 10-3 deficit to win the first set, UAA rallied again to take the second. Trailing 18-15, the surge started with a block by Zanders and Erin Braun, followed by a kill from Swiss and four straight spikes from senior right-side hitter Julia Mackey. UAA's 8-0 run finally ended on a kill by Jolene Buckner, but Mackey answered with another kill, and UAA earned a 2-0 lead on a WWU service error.

The Vikings led again in the third, 17-12, before the Seawolves scored nine straight points, including four kills by Zanders. UAA led 22-18 and 23-20 before Mackey served for match point at 24-23. WWU stayed alive and took the lead on back-to-back kills from Rachel Roeder and Buckner, but Swiss fought off the Vikings' lone try at set point with a kill to make it 25-25. On their fifth attempt at match point, setter Morgan Hooe found Braun for a spike down the middle, setting off a dogpile celebration by the Seawolves.

Mackey finished with 11 kills and three block assists, while Braun had three kills and a match-high six block assists. Hooe dished 42 assists and made 11 digs to continue her strong play, and senior middle blocker Caitlin Hanson had five kills and three block assists.

UAA can clinch at least a tie for its second GNAC title with a win in its next match, Thursday at 7 p.m. against Concordia, Ore. (17-9, 9-9) at the Alaska Airlines Center. The final match of the regular season is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. against Western Oregon, and the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field will be made on Sunday night.

For ticket information, visit GoSeawolves.com or call 907-786-1562.

NOTES: The Seawolves equaled the program record with their 24th victory, matching the 1990 and 1992 squads … UAA has also clinched its record for fewest losses and best winning percentage, set in last year's 21-6 (.778) campaign … the Seawolves are trying to win the GNAC for the first time since 2009 and just the second time in the league's 15-year history … Zanders's double-double was her fourth consecutive and 14th this season … Swiss registered her second straight double-double and fifth of the season … the win was UAA's third straight in Bellingham … the road team has won six straight and eight of the last 10 meetings in the head-to-head series … WWU is playing its home games at Whatcom CC this year while its on-campus Carver Gymnasium undergoes a two-year renovation project.

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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
Caitlin Hanson

#8 Caitlin Hanson

MB/RS
5' 11"
Sophomore
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

S
5' 6"
Freshman
Leah Swiss

#7 Leah Swiss

OH
6' 0"
Freshman
Kyla Militante-Amper

#3 Kyla Militante-Amper

L/S
5' 3"
Freshman

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
Caitlin Hanson

#8 Caitlin Hanson

5' 11"
Sophomore
MB/RS
Morgan Hooe

#2 Morgan Hooe

5' 6"
Freshman
S
Leah Swiss

#7 Leah Swiss

6' 0"
Freshman
OH
Kyla Militante-Amper

#3 Kyla Militante-Amper

5' 3"
Freshman
L/S