ANCHORAGE – Leilani Elder ripped a career-high 11 kills and Nicole Blue had 11 kills and five critical aces Saturday to push the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team to a 25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 25-20 victory over Florida Tech in the final match of the Seawolf Invitational at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Seawolves (4-4) also got 16 digs and four aces from junior libero Reilly Plumhoff, who joined Elder on the all-tournament team, and a 12 kills from junior rightside hitter Larssen Anderson.

The Panthers (0-4) were led by 13 kills on match-high .462 hitting and 18 digs from outside hitter Maria Jesus Munoz, but the visitors could not complete their comeback effort as they were outhit .182 to .119.

"We started out fantastic, but we have to be able to hold on to that consistency and have more killer instinct in those kinds of matches," said UAA head coach Stacie Meisner, whose team is ranked No. 14 in the NCAA Div. II preseason top 25 poll. "Florida Tech is a good team despite their record, and their defense stepped up and gave us a great test tonight in the final two sets."

After hitting .433 in the opening frame and cruising to victory in the second, UAA found itself in a third-set battle that featured 12 ties and four lead changes. The Seawolves turned a 17-14 deficit into a 21-18 advantage when Anderson collected consecutive kills to end a big run, but it would take another kill from Anderson moments later to forge a 23-23 tie. The Panthers then took the frame on a service error by Blue and a kill by Munoz into the middle of the court.

UAA surrendered a 10-5 lead and found itself tied 19-19 when Florida Tech won four straight rallies in the fourth. Lexi Lueger and Anderson traded kills to keep it knotted at 20-20, and a lift call on Panthers setter Kenzie Delacher gave the Seawolves the lead. Blue followed with three straight aces to earn set point, and Isabel Evans teamed with Kadyn Osborne to stuff Chiara Patelli's attack for the victory.

Blue's five aces were a career high for the senior, while Evans had a career-high three of UAA's season-high 12 aces. Evans also matched Elder with a team-high five total blocks.

A junior middle blocker, Elder's 11 kills were three more than her previous career best, which she equaled in Saturday's earlier 3-0 victory over Cal Poly Humboldt.

Sophomore defensive specialist Madison Galloway led UAA with a career-high 17 digs and went 17-of-17 in serve receptions, and setter Makana Eleneki collected 22 assists, 14 digs and kills on her only two attack attempts.

The Seawolves play three more non-conference matches next weekend in Fairbanks, but not before starting defense of their Great Northwest Athletic Conference title with a Thursday (7:30 pm) road tilt against rival Alaska Fairbanks (2-6). Surf to GoSeawolves.com for links to live coverage.

2023 Seawolf Invitational All-Tournament Team
Emma Berran, St. Cloud State
Ella Bines, Alaska Fairbanks
Leilani Elder, Alaska Anchorage
Awelina Fakalata, Cal Poly Humboldt
Emily Kono, Upper Iowa
Keely Kurschner, St. Cloud State
Reilly Plumhoff, Alaska Anchorage
Most Outstanding Player: Kenzie Foley, St. Cloud State