ANCHORAGE – Senior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders ripped 17 kills and had nine digs Thursday to lead the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team to a 22-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-19 season-opening victory over Azusa Pacific in the first match of the SpringHill Suites Invitational at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Seawolves also got 10 kills and four block assists from senior middle blocker Caitlin Hanson, plus eight kills and 11 digs from senior right-side hitter Julia Mackey to spark the comeback.

The Cougars, from the Los Angeles area, were led by 10 kills and eight digs from senior outside hitter Katy Crouse, but the Pacific West Conference club was out-hit .217 to .143 and outblocked 12-8 by the hosts.

After trailing the entire first set, the Seawolves rebounded to grab a 14-11 lead midway through the second on a solo block by Mackey. UAA slowly extended its lead for the rest of the frame before tying the match on a kill by junior middle blocker Erin Braun.

The third set proved pivotal, with neither team managing more than a two-point lead until UAA went ahead 24-21 on block assists by Zanders and Braun. APU fought off three straight set points to knot it 24-24 on a kill by Mattie Shelford, but UAA called timeout and responded with kills by Zanders and Braun to take a 2-1 lead.

The Seawolves played their most consistent ball of the night in the fourth, with freshman Leah Swiss notching five of her eight kills and junior libero Mikayla Sweet making six of her 11 digs.

Braun finished with four kills and four block assists, while junior setter Morgan Hooe accumulated 36 assists, five kills (without an error), and a career-high-tying five block assists.

The Seawolves – the preseason favorites in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference coaches' poll – return to action in the SpringHill Suites Invitational on Friday at 2 p.m. when they face 23rd-ranked Rockhurst. The Cougars – picked No. 7 in the Pac West – play next on Friday at 11 a.m. against 5th-ranked Nebraska Kearney.