Tuesday, September 8, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore, - The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team knocked off two AVCA Division II Coaches’ Preseason Poll Top-25 teams on its way to a perfect 4-0 week, earning the Seawolves the GNAC’s first Red Lion Team of the Week Award for the 2015-16 season.

The Seawolves played host to the UAA SpringHill Suites Invitational for their first official competition of the 2015 season, giving their home fans a show with a 4-0 start and tournament title. Alaska Anchorage dropped just two total sets combined over the weekend.

“Overall, we played well this weekend against quality opponents,” said head coach Chris Green. “We are proud of this opening weekend, and honored to be named GNAC Team of the Week.”

After defeating Azusa Pacific Friday, the Seawolves faced two top-25 teams on Saturday. The team defeated No. 23 Rockhurst in four sets, 25-18, 25-22, 16-25 and 28-26. Senior Katelynn Zanders led the Seawolves with 21 kills and 18 digs in the match.

In the third game of the tournament, UAA matched up with No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney, but took three-straight sets 25-16, 25-17 and 25-23 to advance to 3-0. Julia Mackey, the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week and the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, totaled nine kills, seven digs and six block assists, while finishing with a .500 hitting percentage.

In the final game, the Seawolves swept Cal Poly Pomona 25-16, 25-18 and 25-14 to earn the tournament title and complete the perfect weekend. Mackey once again led the team with 12 kills and a .600 hitting percentage.

Mackey, Zanders and junior Morgan Hooe were named to the All-Tournament Team. Hooe had 37 assists and nine digs in the final game against Cal Poly.

The weekend performance catapulted the Seawolves into the AVCA Division II Top-25 Poll. After being among teams receiving votes in the preseason poll, they enter the week ranked No. 14.

“The team is working hard to build on our home tournament win, and we look forward to the GNAC-PacWest Crossover in Ellensburg this coming weekend,” said Green.

The Seawolves will next travel to Ellensburg, Wash., for the GNAC-PacWest Crossover where they will play four matches beginning on Thursday. They will once again face two top-25 teams in No. 20 Point Loma and No. 21 BYU-Hawaii, both on Friday.