FAIRBANKS, Alaska –
Lisa Jaunet had 13 kills and
Isabel Evans delivered six total blocks Friday night to help the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team rebound from its first loss with a 25-13, 25-20, 25-19 sweep of Black Hill State in the Ice Block Classic at the Patty Center.
The 20th-ranked Seawolves (9-1) also got 37 assists from senior setter
Ellen Floyd and a 10-kill, 10-dig effort from senior
Eve Stephens as they outhit the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference club .265 to .028 and outdug them 52-41. Senior libero
Talia Leauanae patrolled the back row with an impressive 22 digs.
The Yellow Jackets (1-6) were led by nine kills from Kindra Cerrone, but the South Dakotans could not take advantage of a 12-3 lead in the second set to avoid the sweep.
"We weren't at our best offensively, but we still found a way to get back in the win column fortunately," said UAA head coach
Chris Green, whose team suffered a 5-set loss to Florida Southern earlier Friday. "Luckily our block really stepped up today for our best match of the season in that department."
After holding the South Dakotans to -.053 hitting in the opening frame, the Seawolves found themselves in a major hole early in the second, trailing 13-5 when Stephens served into the net. Evans stopped the skid with a kill, however, and UAA roared back to tie it 15-15 on back-to-back kills by Stephens. Evans delivered the go-ahead kill that made it 20-19, put the Seawolves up 22-19 with a block, and finished with another kill on set point. The Montana native also had four total blocks in the frame.
UAA controlled action for most of the third set behind as seven different Seawolves registered kills, including a pair apiece from newcomers
Amirah Young and
Anyah Grigsby. Young's kills were the first of her Seawolf career.
Stephens recorded her second straight double-double and moved within eight kills of becoming just the second Seawolf and second Great Northwest Athletic Conference player to reach 1,600 for career. Meanwhile, Floyd finished the day with 4,113 career assists to move into No. 5 on the all-time GNAC list.
Florida Southern 3, UAA 2
Stephens and Floyd delivered more historic performances but the Seawolves could not overcome an early deficit Friday as they suffered their first loss of the year, falling 25-22, 26-24, 17-25, 23-25, 15-12 to fellow unbeaten Florida Southern at the Patty Center.
Stephens's 31 kills were the most by a Seawolf since Rhea Cardwell had 32 in a 3-2 road win over Central Washington, Nov. 13, 2008, while Floyd's 64 assists were the most by a UAA player since Bethan Murphy's 65 against Western Washington, Oct. 29, 2004.
Jaunet racked up 17 kills and Leauanae made a UAA season-high 25 digs, but the Seawolves (8-1) fell despite outhitting the Mocs (4-0) .302 to .270.
The Seawolves return to the Patty Center for their final match of the Ice Block Classic when they face Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ADT. Surf to GoSeawolves.com for links to free live video and stats links.
GNAC Career Assists Leaders
1. 4,780 - Kate Reome, Central Washington 2001-04
2. 4,371 - Brette Boesel, Western Washington 2015-18
3. 4,176 - Liz Bishop, Western Washington 2000-03
4. 4,149 - Symone Tran, Seattle Pacific 2015-18
5. 4,113 - Ellen Floyd, Alaska Anchorage 2018-22
6. 4,019 - Kyndal Williams, MSU Billings 2012-15
7. 4,009 - Jenna Von Moos, Seattle Pacific 2003-06
8. 3,920 - Morgan Hooe, Alaska Anchorage 2013-16
9. 3,904 - Erika Brunson, Seattle 2001-04
10. 3,898 - Julia Tays, Simon Fraser 2017-19,2021
GNAC Career Kills Leaders
1. 1,628 - Abby Phelps, Western Washington 2015-18
2. 1,592 - Eve Stephens, Alaska Anchorage 2018-22
3. 1,513 - Sam Harthun, Alaska Fairbanks 2012-15
4. 1,491 - Kendra Bodine, Northwest Nazarene 2014-17
5. 1,461 - Sarah Sommerman, Seattle 2002-05
6. 1,454 - Alyssa Given, Seattle Pacific 2004-07
7. 1,442 - Louise Free, Northwest Nazarene 1999-02
8. 1,392 - Katelynn Zanders, Alaska Anchorage 2012-15
9. 1,379 - Meghan Evoy, Western Washington 2001-04
10. 1,369 - Gabby Oddo, Seattle Pacific 2016-19
