Dimond, South stay undefeated in 4A state volleyball tournament

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Leeanna Atafua, left, and Julia Tosi of Bartlett look to keep the ball in play during their second-round match against Dimond in the Class 4A state volleyball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center at UAA in Anchorage, Alaska, on November 10, 2016. (Bob Hallinen / Alaska Dispatch News)

Dimond and South, who together have won 11 straight state volleyball titles, stayed undefeated through the first day of the Class 4A state tournament, but the Bartlett Golden Bears nearly upset the order of the volleyball universe Thursday at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Dimond, the defending state champion, needed five sets to get past Bartlett to stay in the winner's bracket.

The Lynx beat Bartlett 18-25, 25-22, 25-8, 22-25, 15-12 to move into a Friday winner's-bracket match against South, which cruised to three-set victories Thursday over Colony and Wasilla.

Dimond made it through its first-round match against Palmer easily enough but had its hands full against Bartlett.

Bartlett was a surprise to make the state tournament after finishing sixth in the Cook Inlet Conference in the regular season, but the Golden Bears beat East to finish third in the CIC tournament and earn a spot at state.

"Bartlett, they're the ever-ready batteries," Dimond coach Kim Lauwers said. "They keep that ball in play until you make a mistake. I think they're the most improved team in our league."

Bartlett's defense came out ready for Dimond's big hitters, and the Golden Bears took the first set by seven points.

The second set was closer. The Lynx overcame four lead changes, taking the lead for good at 17-16 on back-to-back kills by Brynn Sulte. Bartlett stuck around, but Dimond clinched the win with an ace by Reilly Plumhoff.

Dimond breezed through the third set 25-8, but neither team led by more than four points in the fourth set. The largest margin came at 15-11 on a kill by Bartlett's Julia Tosi.

The fifth set was even closer. With the match tied at 12-12, Sulte smashed the final three kills for Dimond to take the set 15-12 and the match win.

Sulte's 19 kills were a match-high. Teuila Lolotai finished with 47 assists and 23 digs, and Alissa Pili did a lot of everything with 18 kills, 23 digs and five aces.

"Alissa is one of our players who is playing all the way around," Lauwers said. "She's doing a good job for us."

Bartlett's scrappy play kept Dimond busy the whole match. The Golden Bears finished with four players in double figures for digs, including Leeanna Atafua (17), Pa'ia Togaga'e (17) and Violett Togaga'e (16).

"We never expected them to be the team we'd struggle against," said Dimond's Caley Bringmann. "Every team we play now is just going to be harder and harder."

South struggled early in its winner's bracket match against Wasilla. The Warriors jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the first set before the Wolverines stole the momentum.

The front-row duo of Ashton Jessee and Emilye Grace Williams fueled a 9-2 South run, and the Wolverines took a 16-15 lead on a Williams kill from the left side. Williams and Jessee provided four of the next five points to help South pull away.

Williams finished with 11 kills and 12 digs, and Jessee supplied seven kills and four blocks. Emma Kleven orchestrated the offense with 32 assists and tacked on 12 digs on defense.

South coach Amy Mestas was able to play her entire bench in both of Thursday's wins.

"It was a really fun day," Mestas said. "Our goal at the beginning of the day was to play together, jell as a team and have a lot of fun.

"I felt like they did that, and when we do that, we play really well."

South and Dimond — the only teams to win Class 4A state titles since 2005 — play at 5 p.m. Friday in a rematch of last week's Cook Inlet Conference championship, which Dimond won in the if-necessary set.

The double-elimination state tournament continues through Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. championship and if-necessary match to follow.

ASAA/First National Bank
Class 4A volleyball tournament

Thursday's results

First round

South def. Colony, 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-15)

Wasilla def. Juneau, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-17)

Bartlett def. West Valley, 3-2 (16-25, 25-9, 25-17, 19-25, 15-12)

Dimond def. Palmer, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-15)

Winner's bracket

South def. Wasilla, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-14)

Dimond def. Bartlett, 3-2 (18-25, 25-22, 25-8, 22-25, 15-12)

Friday's matches

Loser's bracket

8 a.m. – Colony vs. Juneau

9:45 a.m. – West Valley vs. Palmer

11:30 a.m. – Bartlett vs. Colony-Juneau winner

1:15 p.m. – Wasilla vs. West Valley-Palmer winner

Winner's bracket

5 p.m. – South vs. Dimond