Seawolves fend off Nanooks in rival volleyball showdown

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UAA junior Chrisalyn Johnson hits the ball past UAF defenders during a game at the Alaska Airlines Center on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017. (Bill Roth / Alaska Dispatch News)

UAA won its 14th straight match against instate rival UAF and kept its postseason hopes alive Tuesday with a four-set win over the Nanooks at the Alaska Airlines Center.

After dropping the second set and trailing by four points late in the third set, the Seawolves recovered to win 25-15, 22-25, 25-23, 25-18 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup.

Junior outside hitter Leah Swiss fueled UAA with 22 kills on .447 hitting and junior outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson (14 kills, 12 digs) and freshman setter Casey Davenport (45 assists, 12 digs) provided double-doubles.

Senior libero Keala Kaio-Perez added 24 digs and five aces.

A 9-0 run that included three Kaio-Perez aces carried the Seawolves (19-9, 14-5 GNAC) to a win in the first set, but UAF (11-17, 4-15) bounced back with a big 18-9 lead in the second set before holding on to win the set by three points.

In the third set, the Nanooks were poised to take a one-set advantage with a 23-19 lead, but UAA stormed back with six straight points to steal the set on a Swiss kill.

"It was a great comeback in Set 3," UAA coach Chris Green said in the postgame press conference. "If it hadn't been for a couple long-rally wins during that 6-0 run, we might still be playing.

"Leah was incredible all night, especially when we needed her most. She showed tonight why she is a true All-American."

The regionally ninth-ranked Seawolves flew out to an 11-5 lead in the fifth set and never trailed the rest of the way.

UAA outhit UAF .255 to .181 on the match.

UAF, which halted a five-match losing streak on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Western Oregon, was led by Maddie Davis (15 kills), Rachel Nichols (28 assists) and Jenna Hickel (21 digs).