South’s Indy Kmet took over the fifth set Thursday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
It was fitting to see Indy Kmet convert on match point because her hammer is what nailed down Thursday night’s victory for the South High volleyball team.
Kmet slammed a match-high 21 kills, including a half dozen in the decisive fifth set, to punctuate the Wolverines’ upset win over top-ranked Wasilla on Day 1 of the ASAA Class 4A state volleyball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center.
South snapped Wasilla’s 48-match winning streak and dropped the defending state champion Warriors into the loser’s bracket while the Wolverines advanced to a semifinal matchup Friday with Service, which upset Cook Inlet Conference champion Dimond in four sets in Thursday’s nightcap.
In Service’s win, Dakota Evans racked up 10 kills in the fourth set alone to power the Cougars as they beat Dimond for the first time this season.
ASAA Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament
At Alaska Airlines Center
THURSDAY
South 3, Lathrop 0
Wasilla 3, Chugiak 1
Service 3, Juneau 0
Dimond 3, Soldotna 1
South 3, Wasilla 2
Service 3, Dimond 1
FRIDAY
10:00am Lathrop vs Chugiak
11:45am Juneau vs. Soldotna
1:30pm Dimond vs. Lat/Chu winner
3:15 pm Wasilla vs. Jun/Sol winner
5:15pm South vs. Service
SATURDAY
3:00pm Title Match
Fast starts sparked South throughout the match, but never more than in the fifth set when Kmet took over after scoring five straight points on four kills and a block to spot her team a 6-4 lead.
Moments later, her quick-thinking arm save extended a rally that the Wolverines would win to go up 7-5. Kmet seemed to have the golden touch.
Consecutive kills by Ellie Kleven and Eliana Birch pushed the lead to 12-7. Four rallies later, Kmet crushed another spike on match point to seal South’s 25-23, 22-25, 25-12, 21-25, 15-8 victory.
Birch added 11 kills and Kleven engineered the offense at setter as South handed Wasilla its first best-of-5 loss in two years. The Warriors ran the table last year and threatened to do it again this year.
Wasilla didn’t look sharp and made many uncharacteristic errors. Take the third set for example. South won 25-12 with the Warriors making 12 hitting and return errors.
Still, the Wasilla players showcased their moxie at the end of the second set, winning the final five points to take it 25-22, and to finish the fourth set, using a 9-2 run to prevail 25-21.
Service’s Dakota Evans was fabulous in the fourth set Thursday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Allison Devine led the reigning champs with 19 kills while Layla Hays added 12 kills and seven blocks. Violet Schachle chipped in 10 kills.
In the first set, South took control behind Litia Momoisea, who scored points on a kill, block and ace to key a 6-4 run. Kills by Kmet and Birch put the Wolverines in front for good and a Wasilla attack error sealed a 1-set-to-0 lead.
Hays had three kills and three blocks in the second set as the Warriors evened the match. Devine’s five kills in the fourth set extended the match to five.
In the nightcap, Service dropped the first set before rallying to post a 22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17 win over Dimond.
The fourth set was filled with huge momentum swings. Dimond had two four-point runs while Service had a five-point run and two four-point runs.
At times, Evans and Dimond’s Sarah Dittman played their own game within a game. Dittman had seven kills in the fourth set while Evans reached double figures, including three in a row to give the Cougars a commanding 23-15 lead.
ASAA Class 3A State Volleyball Tournament
At Alaska Airlines Center
THURSDAY
Kenai 3, Monroe 0
Sitka 3, Kotzebue 0
Seward 3, Barrow 2
Valdez 3, Nikiski 2
Kenai 3, Sitka 0
Valdez 3, Seward 1
FRIDAY
10:00am Monroe vs. Kotzebue
11:45am Barrow vs. Nikiski
1:30pm Seward vs. Mon/Kotz winner
3:15 pm Sitka vs. Bar/Nik winner
5:15pm Kenai vs. Valdez
SATURDAY
1:00pm Title Match
