BILLINGS, Mont. (Nov. 12) – Seniors
Bella Burney and
Lee Ivakina had 12 kills apiece and the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team got late heroics from freshman
Indy Kmet to secure a 25-17, 25-15, 25-23 sweep of Montana State Billings on Thursday at Alterowitz Gymnasium.
The Seawolves (20-7, 13-4 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) also got 33 assists and 14 digs from senior setter
Hannah Trotter, winning their sixth match in a row and moving into a three-way tie for second in the GNAC with one match remaining.
The Yellowjackets (5-22, 1-16) were led by seven kills from Allie Dorman and 13 digs from Avarey Stuff, but could not capitalize on a third-set comeback to extend the contest.
"Our serving was on point tonight and it helped us stay in a nice rhythm offensively," said first-year head coach
Morgan Hooe, whose UAA program achieved its 18th 20-win campaign. "We've been on a nice run recently and overcome some adversity, but our biggest challenge is still ahead of us, and our players are excited to put it all on the line Saturday."
With other results around the league Thursday, UAA now stands tied in the GNAC with Simon Fraser (16-7, 13-4) and Seattle Pacific (18-7, 13-4) as all three teams battle for a potential NCAA West Regional Championships bid. Winners in 10 of their last 11, the Seawolves finish the regular season Saturday (1 pm AST) at SPU.
Aiming for their 16th straight win over Billings and a 12th consecutive sweep, the Seawolves got five kills in the opening set from sophomore
Trinity Byrne take control. UAA led just 17-15 after a Yellowjacket surge, but Hooe used a timeout that sparked a 5-0 run to pull away.
Ivakina and Burney continued their recent hot hitting in set two as the pair combined for 11 kills on 18 swings, and UAA jumped to a 5-0 lead in the third. Despite holding edges of 17-12 and 18-15, the Seawolves saw the hosts take the next seven rallies, prompting another key timeout.
After playing in just a handful of rallies as a rookie, Kmet would step up for a major contribution when she blasted a kill to make it 21-19 and another to tie it. Knotted at 23-23, the former South Anchorage High School star gave UAA match point with her third kill, before finishing things with her first career solo block.
Ivakina was a defensive standout again with a team-high 19 digs, claiming her 14th double-double, while Burney hit .500 to reach that plateau for the eighth time.
Byrne had eight kills,
Emma Beck and
Martina Riba added five kills apiece, and Riba tied her career high with four aces. Senior libero
Elena Hansen notched 13 digs, two aces and a kill, while Burney led UAA with three blocks.
The Seawolves committed just one service error and outdug the Yellowjackets 62-43.
