UAA volleyball star Tia Allen is one of the most accomplished spikers in GNAC history and on Saturday recorded her 1,200th kill in Ellensburg, Wash.

But it was her play below the net late in the fourth set that helped the Seawolves beat Central Washington 22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12 to solidify their playoff position in the West Region.

Allen, a 5-foot-11 all-conference senior out of Clayton, Wash., made two quick-thinking, quick-twitched volleys on set point to save the rally that led to a Central attack error and tied the match, giving UAA (21-5, 12-4 GNAC) the momentum it needed to seal the deal in the decisive fifth.

But things may have been different had Allen not saved the day at the end of the fourth. She first stretched to dig a ball from her knees, banging it into the net to keep it alive, and then Martina Riba stabbed at it with her hand right before Allen, who was still on the ground, popped up and punched the ball over the net.

GNAC Volleyball

TEAM	CONF	OVERALL
Central Washington	13-3	17-6
UAF	12-4	21-5
UAA	12-4	21-5
Simon Fraser	12-4	18-4
Western Washington	12-4	18-5
Seattle Pacific	7-9	12-12
Saint Martin’s	6-11	13-12
NW Nazarene	5-11	6-17
Western Oregon	2-15	3-22
MSU Billings	0-16	2-20

Saturday’s Results
UAA 3, Central Washington 2
UAF 3, NW Nazarene 1
Saint Martin’s 3, MSU-Billings 0
Simon Fraser 3, Western Washington 1
Seattle Pacific 3, Western Oregon 1
Thursday’s Matches
MSU-Billings at UAA
Seattle Pacific at UAF
NW Nazarene at Simon Fraser
Central Washington at Western Washington
Saturday’s Matches
Seattle Pacific at UAA
Western Oregon at Saint Martin’s
MSU-Billings at UAF
Central Washington at Simon Fraser
NW Nazarene at Western Washington
END REGULAR SEASON

Allen finished with 20 kills and 14 digs, Lee Ivakina bagged a season-high 22 kills and Elana Hansen had five aces for the Seawolves, who won for the fourth straight time and seventh in their last eight matches.

Allen’s 1,200 kills (583 at UAA and 617 at Saint Martin’s) rank top-30 in GNAC history.

The Seawolves snapped Central’s six-match winning streak, although the Wildcats (17-6, 13-3) still hold a slim first-place lead over a pack of four teams – UAA, UAF, Simon Fraser and Western Washington – going into the final weekend of the regular season.

In the fifth set, Bella Burney’s blast gave the Seawolves a 13-10 lead and Ivakina roofed a Central hitter with a solo block. Then Ivakina won it with a kill off the defense.

UAA 22 25 22 25 15
Central Washington 25 23 25 22 12
Attack percentage – UAA .208 (Burney .450, Allen .333, Ivakina .158), Central Washington .209 (Ellsworth .322, Bines .300, Webb .176). Kills – UAA 68 (Ivakina 22, Allen 20, Burney 10), Central Washington 64 (Ellsworth 24, Bines 15). Assists – UAA 66 (Malikova 42, Trotter 15), Central Washington 64 (Chang 30, Allen 28). Solo blocks – UAA 3 (Allen, Riba, Ivakina), Central Washington 7 (Ellsworth 2, Godden 2). Digs – UAA 73 (Galloway 16, Allen 14), Central Washington 73 (Parker 34). Aces – UAA 7 (Hansen 5), Central Washington 4 (Marble 2).