Katelynn Zanders' 17 kills Thursday morning helped spark the unbeaten UAA volleyball team to the second-best start in program history.
The Seawolves (5-0) of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, ranked No. 14 in Division II, swept Fresno Pacific – 25-12, 25-16, 25-21 – in their opener at the GNAC/Pac West Crossover tournament in Ellensburg, Washington.
That marks the second 5-0 start in UAA history. The 1988 team opened the season with 10 straight victories.
UAA picked up where it left off last week, when it won its SpringHill Suites Invitational, defeating two ranked opponents while winning four straight matches. The Seawolves, unranked in the preseason, used that strong start to rocket into the rankings at No. 14. Thursday's match was just the second this season for Fresno Pacific (0-2).
"We're in a very good place,'' UAA coach Chris Green said by cellphone. "The mental aspect is always important. Winning will always keep you on that positive side.''
Zanders, a senior from Anchorage who was All-American honorable mention last season, bombed her 17 kills while recording just two attack errors.
"She was kind of a horse out there,'' Green said.
Zanders' efficient and deadly hitting furnished her a .517 hitting percentage, and UAA hit .402, exceptionally high, as a team.
"We played pretty well,'' Green said. "We've been pretty consistent this year, and our hitters have been very consistent.''
Leah Swiss added seven kills for the Seawolves, Erin Braun delivered six, Caitlin Hanson generated five and Julia Mackey, named Most Outstanding Player at the SpringHill Suites Invitational, registered four.
Kyla Militante-Amper led UAA in digs with nine, and Swiss and Mackey each added seven. Setter Morgan Hooe furnished 29 assists.
UAA on Friday faces two ranked opponents, marking the second time this season it has faced two ranked teams in one day. The Seawolves play No. 20 Point Loma at 8 a.m. ADT and No. 21 BYU-Hawaii at 4 p.m. ADT.