Nikiski volleyball makes final four; Homer eliminated

  • By Staff Report
  • Friday, November 14, 2014 10:57pm
  • Sports

The Nikiski volleyball team advanced to the final four of the Class 3A state volleyball tournament with a pair of Friday victories at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

The Bulldogs started the day with a 19-25, 25-15, 25-21 and 25-21 victory over Barrow.

Nikiski, which took third at the Southcentral Conference tournament last weekend, then took out Southcentral champ Homer by a 25-14, 25-18, 25-27, 17-25 and 15-6 count. The Bulldogs and Mariners had split during the regular season.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Saturday, the Bulldogs face a long climb to a state championship. Nikiski would have to win four straight matches, starting with an 8 a.m. contest against Grace Christian.

Nikiski has not had success against the Grizzlies this season — losing twice in the regular season, once in the Southcentral Conference tournament and once in the Dimond-Service tournament.

However, Homer just beat Grace at the Southcentral Conference tournament, giving the Bulldogs confidence they can do the same.

“If Homer can do it, so can we,” Nikiski coach Stacey Segura said. “We almost did it at regions. It was just a matter of an attitude change at regions.

“The girls are getting a grasp of that. I’m excited to see if we can do it in the morning.”

At the Southcentral tourney, Nikiski beat Grace in the first game. In the second game, Segura said her squad played really well, but lost and never recovered.

But Segura said that the Homer match shows her squad has grown. After losing the third game 27-25 and then the fourth game, Nikiski was able to recover in the fifth.

“I was disappointed in how we played the fourth game, and it came down to the fact of whether we could turn it around,” Segura said. “I knew we could do it.

“It was a matter of whether we were going to get excited about winning every single point and make sure we weren’t making mistakes.”

Senior Laura Hufford got player of the match, collecting 17 digs. Fellow senior Rachel Thompson had six kills, 29 assists and 17 digs.

Also for Nikiski, Brianna Vollertson had four aces, seven kills and 10 digs; Brittany Perry had four aces; Ayla Pitt had nine kills and three blocks; Lauren O’Brien had seven kills; Verity Seltman had a block; and Zykiah Cooney had 10 digs.

“It was such a blur,” Segura said. “It was so stressful for me. But it was nice to send our region champions home.”

Against Barrow, Nikiski fell into a 7-0 hole in the first game and was able to recover from there.

“I think we just kind of overlooked Barrow that first game,” Segura said. “We saw them during the Shayna Pritchard tournament and we knew we competed well with them.”

Thompson was player of the match with 32 assists and 15 digs.

Also for the Bulldogs, Vollertson had five aces and five kills; Cooney had two aces and 10 digs; Pitt had 11 kills and two blocks; Melanie Sexton had seven kills; O’Brien had five kills; Vollertson had five kills; and Hufford had 16 digs.

More in Sports

Runners line up at the start for the Seldovia Salmon Shuffle 5K race on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Seldovia, Alaska. Photo courtesy Ecola Collier
255 do the Salmon Shuffle

The 5K race is held annually as part of Seldovia’s 4th of July celebrations.

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

tease
Post 20 Twins enact mercy rule on Eagle River

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins defeated Eagle River 11-0 in… Continue reading

tease
Tri Nikiski draws 79 participants

The ninth annual Tri Nikiski was held Saturday starting from the Nikiski… Continue reading

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in