HILO, Hawaii – Junior right-side hitter Eve Stephens had 21 kills and freshman defensive specialist Reilly Plumhoff had career highs of 20 digs and four aces Friday to help the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team to a thrilling 25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 26-28, 16-14 win over 25th-ranked Hawaii Hilo at Vulcan Gym.

The Seawolves (10-1) also got 12 kills from sophomore outside hitter Hannah Pembroke and a career-high-tying 10 kills from freshman middle blocker and Hilo native Mahala Kaapuni to stretch their winning streak to six matches.

The Vulcans (11-2) were led by 20 kills and 18 digs from outside hitter Bria Beale in their first match of the season against an opponent from outside the Hawaiian Islands.

"That was an incredible college volleyball match, and fortunately we made the big plays late in the first, second and fifth sets that made the very small difference between winning and losing," said UAA head coach Chris Green. "Eve really came through in crunchtime, and Reilly showed why we have put so much confidence in her at such a young stage in her career."

UAA used big comebacks to take the opening two sets by identical scores. Hawaii Hilo jumped to a 17-11 lead out of the gate and led 20-15 before Plumhoff served two aces in a 5-0 Seawolf run. The Seawolves trailed 23-21 after an attack error by Stephens, but Green used a timeout to stop the Vulcans' momentum. Tied 23-23, Pembroke ripped a kill, and Vera Pluharova clinched the set with a solo block on Hilo setter Kendall Kott's quick attack.

The Seawolves trailed 9-4 and 14-11 early in the second before finding their stride again. Tied 20-20, Stephens started a 3-0 run with a kill, and the All-American delivered again to make it 24-22. Despite hitting into the Vulcan block on the next rally, Stephens capped the set with yet another kill to put UAA up two sets to none.

After dropping the third set, the Seawolves had multiple chances to pull out a highly competitive fourth frame, earning set points at 25-24 and 26-25. The Vulcans took advantage of a UAA service error, however, and evened the match on a kill by Samara Cruz and an ace by Bria Beale.

UAA never trailed in the fifth, although the hosts made it dramatic after erasing four Seawolf match points and knotting it 14-14 on an ace by Taira Kaawaloa. Stephens was there with the final answers, though, as the Colony High School product smashed a perfectly placed kill from a tough angle at the antenna, and then teamed with Pluharova to stuff Beale's attack on UAA's seventh total match point.

Stephens hit a match-high .340 and added 15 digs – two shy of her career high – to record her fourth double-double of the season, along with two aces, no service errors and three block assists.

Junior setter Ellen Floyd dished 43 assists, made 16 digs and was one shy of her career high with six kills, along with a pair of block assists, while Pluharova led UAA with four total blocks.

Plumhoff, a true freshman from Dimond High School, more than doubled her previous career high of nine digs.

The Seawolves have a quick turnaround, facing Chaminade (5-7) at 4:30 p.m. ADT at Vulcan Gym in the second of five matches this weekend.