Service junior outside hitter Dakota Evans took to the skies Tuesday night on the Service High School volleyball court, soaring for 24 of her team’s 43 total kills in their four-set victory over the East Thunderbirds.
A spectator held a sign addressed to Evans that read ‘hit it to the heavens!’ in bright pink letters, befitting the team’s pink-out night. It’s safe to say the message was received.
Evans said the team’s success against the T-birds boosts a season of “ups and downs” for the Cougars. Tuesday’s 26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19 triumph also marked the Cougars’ first conference win over East since 2022.
“It’s a really big win for us,” Evans said. “I think it’ll push us forward as a program.”
“This one tonight was really important to us,” said junior middle blocker Lily Ruiz, gesturing toward Evans. “We started playing our freshman year, and we have only ever beat East one year.”
CIC Volleyball
CONF | TEAM |
9-0 | Dimond |
8-2 | South |
5-4 | Service |
5-4 | East |
6-5 | Chugiak |
3-7 | West |
1-7 | Eagle River |
0-8 | Bartlett |
THURSDAY
Dimond at South
Lathrop at Service
Eagle River at East
TUESDAY
Eagle River at Dimond
Bartlett at East
Service at South
West at Chugiak
Evans’ stellar performance featured four kills in a five-point Cougar streak during the second set. She was a force to be reckoned with on offense with deep spikes to the back court, but she was also a stout defender with 13 digs.
“I really just think about the end result, like, how bad we all want it, and I try to convey that energy onto the court,” Evans said.
Sophomore libero Jaelyn Lorenzo and senior setter Kiara Iloilo were the heart of the Cougars’ defense, pitching in 22 and 21 digs, respectively. Ruiz contributed seven kills while senior middle blocker Madison Davis led the team with four blocks.
The first set marked a back-and-forth matchup for the teams. Service took an early 11-7 lead, sparked by an Evans spike that elicited oohs from the crowd.
East went on a five-point run later courtesy of outside hitter Sofia Zaccanti, who spiked one to the back line and secured an ace, along with a tip from senior Denise Pinoti. The T-birds took a 21-19 lead near the end of the set behind two Service errors and kills from junior Evelyn Whitson and sophomore Raisa Logoleo.
As the end of the first drew near, Evans sailed one into the far back corner to bring the Cougars one point away from closing out the set. East’s Zaccanti put a hold on the Cougars’ first set point, delivering a powerful spike before Service closed it out 26-24 on two T-bird errors.
In the pivotal third set for the T-birds, the teams were once again neck and neck, with Service holding a narrow lead for the first half. East’s four-point run behind a Whitson kill and two kills from Zaccanti (one following an impressive pancake save by Pinota) gave the T-birds a 19-17 lead and prompted a Service timeout. A few Service errors and more offensive prowess by Zaccanti and Whitson handed the T-birds the set and extended the match.
Coming off the third set loss, Service’s Ruiz said the close matchup helped them keep focus into the fourth and final set.
“I think we just kept our momentum going into the fourth set, and we wanted that one. We were hungry for it the whole time,” she said after the match.