FAIRBANKS – Senior Eve Stephens blasted 19 kills and tied a career high with six aces Saturday to help the 20th-ranked Alaska Anchorage volleyball team claim a 25-17, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20 victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith in the Ice Block Classic at the Patty Center.
 
The Seawolves (10-1) also got 12 kills from Nicole Blue and 20 digs from Talia Leauanae as they finished the non-conference portion of their schedule.
 
The Lions (5-2) were led by 19 kills and 12 digs from outside hitter Reagan Macha, but the Lone Star Conference club had just four aces and 12 service errors, while UAA tallied a season-high 13 aces against just seven service errors.
 
"That was a good, gritty win against a team that is going to do very well in its league," said UAA head coach Chris Green, whose team opens the 18-match Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate Thursday (7 p.m.) at the Alaska Airlines Center against Saint Martin's. "We will continue to work hard this week as we prepare to head into the GNAC."
 
After dominating the opening set, Leauanae helped UAA pull ahead 8-3 with three straight aces and a key dig early in the second. The senior libero finished with her third straight 20-dig effort, along with four aces, no service errors, four assists and 18-of-18 serve receiving.
 
The Seawolves appeared poised for the sweep with a 17-14 lead in the third, but the Lions roared back with an 11-3 run to claim the set, then earned a 5-2 edge to start the fourth.
 
The fourth would feature nine ties and four lead changes, with UAA taking the final advantage at 19-18 on a second straight Fort Smith service error. Seawolf setter Ellen Floyd followed with a block and a kill on consecutive rallies, and fed Blue for a 22-18 lead. Stephens finished the match with an ace to make it 24-18 and the clinching kill a couple points later.
 
Floyd had 36 assists as the senior moved into a fourth-place tie with Seattle Pacific's Symone Tran (2015-18) on the GNAC career list at 4,149. Meanwhile, Stephens became just the second Seawolf and second GNAC player to reach 1,600 career kills, finishing the day with 1,611.
 
Surf to GoSeawolves.com for tickets, along with 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
      4,149 - 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. 1,611 - 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