The semifinal and championship matches are still to come in the Cook Inlet Conference volleyball tournament, but on Thursday the Dimond Lynx won the match the matters most of all -- the one that guarantees them a spot in next week's Class 4A state tournament.
Dimond dispatched East in three sets, prevailing 25-15, 25-20, 25-15 in the day's only winners' bracket game. The win gives the Lynx one of the three state berths at stake in the CIC tournament.
Rohyn Huss slammed 16 kills and Claire Dieckgraeff had 10 to spark Dimond, which advanced to a Friday night semifinal against South, which clinched a state tournament berth Wednesday.
Four teams remain in the running for the final state berth, including West, which stayed alive Thursday with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-13 win over Eagle River in an elimination match.
On Friday, West plays Chugiak and Service meets East in a pair of elimination matches. The winners will meet Saturday afternoon, and the winner of that match will join South and Dimond at the state tournament.
Chrisalyn Johnson's eight kills and 26 digs, Cali Clark's eight kills and Allie McDonnell's 26 assists helped the second-seeded Lynx sweep the third-seeded T-birds on Thursday.
"The players seemed pretty calm. I was probably a lot more (nervous)," Dimond coach Kim Lauwers said. "East, we lost to them one time this year. They're a great team, and in a tournament you see so many things happen. I'm so proud of our players to stay in our game and get the win."
West used five kills, 10 digs and three aces from Mia Keyser to get past Eagle River. Rosie Rush distributed 27 assists, Alyssa Albright and Ashton Jessee chipped in six kills apiece and Kia Hasson added 11 digs for the Eagles.
More state tournament berths are up for grabs this weekend at the Region III tournament at Grace Christian.
Seven teams, including top-seeded Grace Christian, will vie for three berths in next week's Class 3A state tournament. The tournament opens with five matches Friday and wraps up Saturday with a 6 p.m. championship match.
CIC tournament
Service High
Thursday's results
Winners bracket
Dimond 3, East 0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-15)
Losers bracket
West 3, Eagle River 0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-13)
Friday's matches
4 p.m. -- West vs. Chugiak (loser out)
5:45 p.m. -- East vs. Service (loser out)
7:30 p.m. -- South vs. Dimond (semifinal)
Region III tournament
Grace Christian School
Friday's matches
Noon -- Cordova vs. Nikiski
2 p.m. -- Homer vs. Seward
4 p.m. -- ACS vs. Houston
6 p.m. -- Grace vs. Cordova-Nikiski winner
8 p.m. -- Homer-Seward winner vs. ACS-Houston winner