The Kenai Central and Nikiski volleyball teams advanced to the semifinal of the Southcentral Conference tournament Thursday at Grace Christian in Anchorage.
In the Northern Lights Conference tournament at Kodiak, Soldotna, the No. 3 seed, lost in five sets to No. 2 seed Colony. The Stars will play Kodiak, the No. 4 seed, at 3 p.m. Friday and need to win to stay alive for the tournament’s two automatic berths to state.
If SoHi (7-10 overall in nontournament play) wins at 3 p.m., the Stars play again at 5 p.m. Win that match, and the Stars would play at 2 p.m. Saturday for a state berth and spot in the final.
In the first round at Grace Christian, Mountain City Christian Academy, the top seed from the North Division, defeated Homer (4-10), No. 4 from the South, 3-1; Nikiski (16-6), No. 2 from the South, defeated Redington, No. 3 from the North, 3-0; Seward (8-6), No. 3 from the South, defeated Houston, No. 2 from the North, 3-0; and Kenai (15-1), No. 1 from the South, defeated Grace Christian, No. 4 from the North, 3-0.
In the quarterfinals, Nikiski defeated MCCA 3-0 and Kenai, the two-time defending conference champion, defeated Seward 3-0.
All teams are still alive for the two automatic berths available at the tournament.
The playback bracket begins Friday at 10 a.m. with Homer vs. Redington and at 11:45 a.m. with Houston vs. Grace.
The Homer-Redington winner plays Seward at 1:30 p.m., while the Houston-Grace winner plays MCCA at 3:15 p.m.
The winner of those two matches plays at 7 p.m. Friday. The winner of that match plays for a state berth and conference championship berth against the loser of the 5:15 p.m. Friday semifinal match between Kenai and Nikiski.
The Kenai-Nikiski winner gets a state berth and berth in the championship, plus an if-necessary game if losing the championship match.
Kenai 3, Seward 0
The Kardinals got out of the second round by stopping the Seahawks 25-18, 25-11 and 25-13.
Jaycie Castillo had 25 digs and a pair of assists, while Kate Wisnewski had 27 assists and 16 digs, Avia Miller had three kills, Emma Beck had 26 kills and 11 digs, Camilla Gonzalez had two aces and 10 digs, Brynnen Hanson had 10 digs and Sophie Tapley had five kills.
Nikiski 3, Mountain City Christian Academy 0
The Bulldogs cruised past the Lions 25-21, 25-18 and 25-15 in the second round.
Kailey Stynsberg had 20 digs for the Bulldogs, while Maggie Grenier had 18 assists, 17 digs and eight kills, Avery Ellis had 14 assists and five kills, Alexa Iyatunguk had eight kills and four blocks, Zoey Ellis had seven kills, and Mandee Roofe had five kills and five blocks.
Kenai 3, Grace Christian 0
The Kardinals opened up the tournament with a 25-4, 25-9 and 25-13 victory.
Castillo had 14 digs and two assists, while Wisnewski had 23 assists, 10 digs, three aces and three kills, Beck had 14 kills, 10 digs and five aces, Avia Miller had four kills, Tapley had six kills and Ellsi Miller had two kills.
Nikiski 3, Redington 0
The Bulldogs got a 25-12, 25-17 and 25-15 victory in the first round.
Stynsberg had 15 digs and two aces, Grenier had 13 digs and 13 assists, Avery Ellis had 13 digs, 16 assists and two aces, Evelyn Reichert had eight kills, and Roofe had seven kills and three blocks.
Seward 3, Houston 1
The Seahawks claimed a 20-25, 25-17, 25-15 and 25-17 victory in the first round.
Mountain City Christian Academy 3, Homer 1
The Lions topped the Mariners 21-25, 25-21, 27-25 and 25-21 in the first round.
Alexandra Casey had seven kills and two blocks for Homer, while Channing Lowney had 12 kills and a block, and Rebecca Trowbridge had 28 assists and six aces.
