Sports

Streaking UAA volleyball team rises to No. 8 in national rankings

With a shot at tying a school record for consecutive wins later this week, UAA's volleyball team Monday improved on its school-record national ranking for the third straight week.

The Seawolves (12-0) were ranked No. 8 nationally, rising three spots in the NCAA Division II poll conducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

UAA, which received one first-place vote, was one of nine teams to earn at least one such vote. Minnesota-Duluth (11-2) maintained the No. 1 position.

UAA has steadily moved up the poll all season – from 14th to 12th, 11th and now eighth. Prior to this season, the 1990 team's No. 13 ranking was the best in program history, which dates to 1980.

With a victory Thursday against visiting Seattle Pacific, UAA can tie the school-record winning streak of 13 matches set by the 2009 team that won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title in coach Chris Green's second season. The Seawolves have qualified for the NCAA tournament in five of the last six seasons under Green.

UAA's 12-0 start is the best in its history, topping the 10-0 start of the 1988 team.

UAA sits in a first-place tie with No. 15 Western Washington in the GNAC at 4-0. The Seawolves in conference games lead the circuit in hitting percentage (.278), opponents' hitting percentage (.103) and aces per set (2.14). Senior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders leads the conference in points per set (4.89).

The Seawolves, who Thursday drew a program-record 1,366 fans for a sweep of Montana State-Billings, play two conference home matches at the Alaska Airlines Center this week. After facing Seattle Pacific on Thursday, they entertain St. Martin's on Saturday. Both matches start at 7 p.m.

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