The Seawolves and Nanooks are both 22-5 after Thursday’s victories. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
With one match left in the regular season, it’s looking increasingly like the UAA and UAF volleyball teams will advance to the NCAA Tournament after both teams swept opponents Thursday to solidify their status in the all-important West Region pecking order.
The second-ranked Seawolves blitzed Montana State Billings while the fifth-ranked Nanooks stuffed Seattle Pacific as both teams maintained identical records (22-5 overall, 13-4 GNAC) going into their respective final regular-season home matches.
UAA will face SPU on Saturday at noon at the Alaska Airlines Center while UAF will take on Billings on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Patty Center.
The Seawolves could be playing for the right to host the West Region Championships. A loss by top-ranked Point Loma in Friday’s Pac West Tournament title match against Fresno Pacific coupled with a UAA win over SPU on Saturday would make things interesting going into Monday, when official NCAA Tournament seeds will be announced.
The eight-team West Region Championships are set for Dec. 4-6, presumably hosted by the highest seed.
Each of the top five teams in this week’s West Region rankings were victorious on Thursday. Sixth-ranked Western Washington fell to No. 7 Central Washington, which holds a one-match lead for first place in the GNAC over three teams.
In the GNAC, the regular-season winner earns an automatic NCAA playoff berth while everyone else must wait until Monday to find out if they are officially invited to the big dance.
The Seawolves. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Nanooks. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Judging by how UAF got snubbed by the NCAA committee last season and how UAA continues to get dogged in this year’s ACVA Top 25, Alaska teams are used to getting the short end of the stick.
But it would be difficult to argue against UAA and UAF this season, given their West Region standing going with just one match left in the regular season.
West Region Rankings
1. Point Loma (23-4) Thurs: Beat Hawaii Hilo; Fri: vs. Fresno Pacific
2. UAA (22-5) Thurs: Beat Billings; Sat: vs SPU
3. Simon Fraser (19-4) Thurs: Beat NW Nazarene; Sat: vs. Central Washington
4. Fresno Pacific (24-1) Thurs: Beat Chaminade; Fri: vs. Point Loma
5. UAF (22-5) Thurs: Beat SPU; Sat: vs. Billings
6. Western Washington (18-6) Thurs: Lost Central Washington; Sat: vs. NW Nazarene
7. Central Washington (18-6) Thurs: Beat Western Washington; Sat: at Simon Fraser
8. Cal Poly Pomona (19-5) Thurs: No match; Fri: vs. San Francisco State
9. Hawaii Hilo (20-9) Thurs: Lost Point Loma; Fri: No match
10. Cal State San Bernardino (20-5) Thurs: No match; Fri: vs. Cal Sate East Bay
On Thursday, UAA beat Billings 25-13, 25-14, 25-13 behind an offense that outhit the visitors .376 to .056.
Freshman Emma Beck of Kenai ripped 11 kills on .526 hitting and junior Lee Ivakina had 12 kills on .360 hitting, with freshman setter Johana Malikova posting 35 assists.
“I’m happy that we showed good focus and got the job done,” said UAA coach Stacie Meisner, whose team remained alive for a chance to share the GNAC title. “We’ll need to keep our foot on the pedal Saturday against a dangerous opponent.”
Billings 13 14 13
UAA 25 25 25
Attack percentage – Billings .056 (Holcomb .278, Dorman .167), UAA .376 (Beck .526, Allen .412, Ivakina .360, Burney .353). Kills – Billings 21 (Dorman 6, Holcomb 6), UAA 44 (Ivakina 12, Beck 11, Allen 8, Burney 7). Assists – Billings 21 (Sherwood 12), UAA 41 (Malikova 35). Digs – Billings 33 (Sherwood 10), UAA 49 (Galloway 15, Allen 12, Hansen 10). Solo blocks – Billings 0, UAA 0. Aces – Billings 1 (Dorman), UAA 9 (Hansen 3, Ivakina 2). A – 840.
In Fairbanks, Haylee Lyons laced 15 kills and Mikala Henderson had 14 as the Nanooks won 25-19, 26-24, 25-15 to beat SPU.
Lyons added 15 digs and two aces to rack up a team-high 17 points. Henderson hit .423 and added two blocks.
Cynphany Henderson chipped in 21 assists, five digs, four kills and two blocks while Tessa Onaga led the way with 21 digs.
SPU 19 24 15
UAF 25 26 25
Attack percentage – SPU .106 (Evans .235, Freff .071), UAF .262 (M. Henderson .423, Lyons .324). Kills – SPU 32 (Omlid 9, Greff 8, Evans 7), UAF 50 (Lyons 15, M. Henderson 14, Guc 9). Assists – SPU 31 (Chambers 14, Veenendall 13), UAF 46 (C. Henderson 21, White 17). Digs – SPU 59 (Lopez 19), UAF 64 (Onaga 21, Lyons 15, Flynn 12). Solo blocks – SPU 0, UAF 1 (Engelauf). Aces – SPU 5 (Omlid 2), UAF 4 (Lyons 2). A – 553.
