UAA Athletics

UAA volleyball team leaves town on a losing streak, returns on a winning streak

The UAA volleyball team took a three-match losing streak on the road for its first week of conference play, and it’s coming home with a two-match winning streak.

The Seawolves swept Western Oregon on Saturday for its second straight win in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, grabbing a 25-14, 25-21, 25-22 win in Monmouth, Oregon.

They’ll take a 9-5 overall mark and a 2-0 GNAC record into a pair of home matches this week at the Alaska Airlines Center, where spectators will be allowed but must wear masks.

Outside hitters Lisa Jaunet and Eve Stephens combined for 25 kills and four others also put down kills to help UAA to a .275 attack percentage. Five players contributed to eight team blocks that helped the Seawolves hold Western Oregon to a .088 hitting percentage.

”Our outside hitters really played well today,” UAA coach Chris Green said in a press release from the school. “We asked them to step up, and they did so this series. Our block is getting better also.

“We are excited to get back to Anchorage and play in front of our home fans next week.”

UAA outblocked the Wolves 8-4 and outdug them 51-46. Four block assists by Vera Pluharova and three apiece by Ellen Floyd and Akor Maywin fueled the Seawolves at the net, and 12 digs from Tai Leauanae and 10 from Reilly Plumhoff also helped deny the Wolves.

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Stephens had five of her 13 kills in the first set and Jaunet had six of her 12 in the third set. Jaunet’s hitting percentage of .475, which included two errors on 21 attack attempts, led the Seawolves.

Floyd, who scored match-point with a kill, turned in a solid effort with 33 assists, eight digs, three kills, three block assists and two aces.

The Seawolves resume conference play with a Thursday match against Montana State-Billings at 7 p.m. and a Saturday match against Seattle Pacific at 2 p.m.

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