Defending state champion Dimond is undefeated since returning from a trip to Utah. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
After being served up as dessert in the desert, defending Class volleyball 4A state champion Dimond is back in Alaska and back on the hunt.
The Lynx started the season at the Desert Hills Classic in Utah, where they lost all four matches against Class 6A, 5A and 4A competition but gained valuable experience that should serve the Cook Inlet Conference team well moving forward.
“They were extremely talented, which is what I wanted,” Dimond coach Kim Lauwers said. “I like to travel and play teams that are of high quality so it pushes us and shows our weaknesses, so we can learn and get better.”
Since coming home, the Lynx are 3-0 with sweeps over Eagle River, West Anchorage and East Anchorage going into Thursday’s match at Service.
Dimond is led by MaxPreps Alaska Preseason Player of the Year Anayah Sila, a 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter who collected 518 digs, 453 kills, 424 assists, 91 blocks and 42 aces as a sophomore.
She’s off to a good start this year.
Sila is averaging 3.0 digs, 2.2 kills, 2.3 assists and 0.7 blocks per set.
On Tuesday, Sila slammed 12 kills to lead Dimond to a 25-23, 25-11, 25-14 victory over East. She hit .360 and added 12 digs and 10 assists for her first triple-double of the season.
MaxPreps Preseason Alaska Player of the Year Anayah Sila Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Ailafo Fautanu chipped in 10 kills and 11 digs, while Puao Asailevai had 21 assists and Evie McKenna 22 digs.
Dimond improved to 3-4 overall, bouncing back after a humbling experience in Utah.
“By getting to play this level of competition, teams can either take it negatively or positively, but we choose to take it positively,” Lauwers said.
“We are not supposed to be at are best at the beginning of the season,” Lauwers said. “We are striving to get better week by week and hopefully stay healthy and be at our best at the end of the season.”
Palmer 3, Mountain City 1
Rainee Reiter racked up 14 kills and the Moose rallied for a 23-25, 25-8, 25-13, 25-23 win over Mountain City.
Lola Wardhaugh joined in with nine kills and Brynn Johnson and Riley Jenski each had five.
Defensively, Laekyn Leroux had 18 digs and Kasey Frank had 17.
West 3, Bartlett 0
Ava Lundebye and Zoey Fox highlighted the offense in a 25-16, 25-20, 25-22 victory over the Golden Bears on Tuesday.
Lundebye had seven kills and Fox added six kills and 18 digs. Avehya Tito collected eight assists, six digs and three aces.
Bartlett’s Upuline Fruean led her team with five kills and two blocks, while Chaunti McMorris had 10 assists.
South 3, Eagle River 0
Harper Landry and Joie Powers combined for 16 kills to power the Wolverines to a 25-9, 25-11, 25-16 win over the Wolves on Tuesday.
Landry had nine kills and hit .538, while Powers had seven kills with a .700 attack percentage.
Jessica Gieser had five kills, seven assists and seven digs.
Setter Brooklynn Freeman dished out 23 assists.
Chugiak 3, Service 1
After splitting the first two sets, the Mustangs closed it out to improve to 7-1 on the season.
Chugiak won 25-23, 16-25, 25-10, 25-23.
Service’s Kailyn Smith smashed 13 kills and Tara Fine added 16 assists.
