Anchorage’s Brooke Dexter had a successful homecoming with Thursday’s win over UAA. Photo by Jacob Thompson/Thompson Sports
When they were in high school, Kaydn Osborne’s Dimond teams got the better of West and Brooke Dexter.
But Dexter has had the upper hand in college.
Dexter and Simon Fraser won in four sets Thursday night in Anchorage over Osborne and the Seawolves at the Alaska Airline Center.
The two former Cook Inlet Conference first-team all-stars were all over the court and stuffed the stat sheet in this GNAC matchup.
Dexter shared match-high honors with 18 kills to go alongside six digs, three blocks and three aces.
Meanwhile, Osborne registered 21 assists, four blocks, four digs and one kill.
Kadyn Osborne
Osborne is the 2020 Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year who transferred to UAA this season.
The 5-foot-10 junior setter was especially clutch in the second set, having a hand in eight points during a 16-3 run that helped the Seawolves prevail 25-16.
Osborne’s six assists and two blocks coupled with effective serving by Nicole Blue and Isabel Evans led UAA in that second set, snapping Simon Fraser’s streak of six straight set wins in the series stretching three matches dating back to 2022.
But Dexter wasn’t going to let the Seawolves spoil her homecoming.
With the match tied 1-1, the 6-foot-2 southpaw hitter helped the Red Leafs stake an early 17-11 in the third set lead with four kills, a block and an ace. Later she served five straight points as the lead swelled to 22-13.
In the fourth set, Dexter slammed five kills including one that gave Simon Fraser a 23-21 lead. Three points later the match was over as the Red Leafs completed the regular-season sweep.
Ainsley Smith
In Fairbanks, North Pole’s Ainsley Smith helped the Nanooks make history as UAF beat Western Washington for the first time in 15 years.
Smith bagged 15 assists, seven digs and two aces in the three-set sweep.
Smith provided instant offense as the 5-foot-10 setter ignited an 8-1 run that paved the way to UAF winning the first set 25-13, with the Alaskan assisting on the clinching point.
She kept it going, combing for 11 assists in the final two sets.
GNAC Volleyball Standings
| TEAM | CONF | OVERALL |
| Seattle Pacific | 9-1 | 15-3 |
| Simon Fraser | 7-3 | 12-6 |
| Western Washington | 6-4 | 6-12 |
| Central Washington | 6-4 | 12-6 |
| Saint Martin’s | 5-4 | 12-7 |
| Northwest Nazarene | 5-5 | 9-9 |
| UAA Seawolves | 4-6 | 12-13 |
| UAF Nanooks | 4-6 | 11-13 |
| Western Oregon | 2-7 | 8-9 |
| MSU-Billings | 1-9 | 3-17 |