The Kenai Central volleyball team clinched its fourth straight berth to the Class 3A state volleyball tournament Friday by advancing to the championship of the Southcentral Conference volleyball tournament at Grace Christian in Anchorage.
The Kardinals (16-1), the top seed from the South Division, defeated Nikiski (16-7), No. 2 from the South, 25-18, 25-17 and 25-18.
At the Northern Lights Conference tournament in Kodiak, No. 3 seed Soldotna won two elimination games to stay alive for a state berth.
The Stars defeated No. 4 Kodiak 3-2 and No. 5 Palmer 3-2. SoHi now plays No. 2 Colony at 2 p.m. Saturday for a state berth and berth in the 5 p.m. championship against No. 1 Wasilla.
The Stars (9-10) lost twice to the Knights on the final weekend of the regular season, then lost again to Colony in the opening match of the NLC tourney. All were five-set losses.
In the playback bracket of the Southcentral tourney, Homer, the No. 4 seed out of the South, defeated Redington, No. 3 from the North, 3-0; and Grace, No. 4 from the North, defeated Houston, No. 2 from the North.
In the second round of the playback bracket, Seward, No. 3 from the South, defeated Homer 3-1; and Grace defeated North top seed Mountain City Christian Academy. Homer ended its season at 5-11.
Seward (10-6) then defeated Grace 21-25, 25-5, 25-18 and 26-24 to move into a 10 a.m. match Saturday with Nikiski. The winner earns an automatic state berth and faces Kenai in the final. The Kards are looking for a third straight conference title.
Kenai 3, Nikiski 0
The Kards got the sweep to make the final.
Avery Ellis had 14 digs and 11 assists for Nikiski, while Alexa Iyatunguk had 12 kills, Kailey Stynsberg had 19 digs, Zoey Ellis had six kills and Evelyn Reichert had 17 digs.
Soldotna 3, Kodiak 2
The Stars pulled out a 21-25, 25-19, 25-19, 17-25 and 15-8 victory to stay alive in the tournament.
Kiara Forkner had 31 digs for SoHi, while Sadie Lane had 28 digs, 14 kills and four aces, Nicole Dickinson had a personal-best 42 assists and three aces, Athena Rossiter had nine kills, Abygale Shaeffer had seven kills, Morgan Simac had seven kills, Hallie Fischer had five kills and Veronica Crane had 28 digs and two aces.
Soldotna 3, Palmer 2
The Stars knocked the Moose out of the tournament with a big comeback. Scores were 17-25, 22-25, 25-13, 25-23 and 15-5.
Forkner had 20 digs and two aces, while Dickinson set a personal best again with 47 assists. Lane had 17 kills, 15 digs and five aces, while Rossiter had 10 kills, Simac had 13 kills, Cassidy Kruse had four kills and Shaeffer had five kills and four blocks.
