14-AND-O-SO-GOOD

WASILLA — Nearly perfect.

That’s the line for the Wasilla volleyball squad going into this week’s regional tournament. The Warriors will be the top seed on the back of an undefeated 14-0 record against Northern Lights Conference teams and 15-1 overall. Their only defeat came Thursday to Grace Christian, which served “as a big wake-up call,” said head coach Claudia Farias Pinard.

Apparently, the Warriors heard that call loud and clear, finishing out their unblemished conference schedule with dominating 3-0 wins Friday and Saturday over Soldotna and Kenai. Wasilla topped SoHi Friday 25-20, 27-25, 25-15, then made quick work of the Kardinals Saturday in a 40-minute match 25-13, 25-10, 25-8.

“We finished the regular season strong without losing any of our conference games,” Farias Pinard said. “This team is a team of which any coach would dream. They are positive, they have good skills, and most importantly, they work hard. One just needs to direct them in the right way for them to get wings and fly.”

Although the loss to Grace eliminates the possibility of a perfect season, it could be a blessing in disguise for the Warriors, the coach said.

“It tells them that they’re not unbeatable and they have to work every game, every match,” she said. “We’re not there yet. We still have improvements to make and some practices before regionals. We need to play every single game as a championship game. That loss to Grace is a wake-up call for us.”

On Saturday, Kenai couldn’t handle Wasilla’s powerful jump serves, which accounted for 25 aces in the match. That was huge advantage, Farias Pinard said.

“Yes, that was making a big difference on the game,” she said. “They all did a great job on serve.”

Senior Aryn Crane had two of those aces and 13 kills in her last game in the WHS gymnasium.

“When our serve’s on, it’s a huge advantage because each one of our jump serves are different,” she said. “Also, not many do the jump serve, so it’s not something (opponents) see a lot.”

As one of the team’s captains, Crane helps set a winning tone, the coach said.

“Aryn Crane, the captain of the team, has great leadership and it makes a huge difference,” Farias Pinard said. “She doesn’t only bring the team her strong hits and serves, but also her heart.”

The Warriors’ performance earned them Halloween treat bags from their coach, who said the key to keeping focus to perform better each match begins at practice.

“Whatever team you play, the goal is to be the top one,” she said. “Practice sets the standards for the game. If you don’t care in practice, how are you going to care in the game?”

Wasilla set the tone early in the first game against the Kardinals. Haley Taylor served up the first three points, including two aces, and the lead would balloon to 11-5 midway through the game. That’s when Sariah Tuisaula stepped up to the service line to put the game out of reach. She had a pair of aces and served for five straight points to build a 19-7 advantage.

While the Warriors made quick work of the 25-12 win in game one, it was Tuisaula’s dominant serve that took over the match in the second game.

Kayla Bell made a statement with two straight aces to start the game, pacing Wasilla to a 9-3 lead. But the Kardinals rallied behind the serve of Alisha Peterson to cut the advantage to a point at 10-9.

Tuisaula then stepped up to serve nine straight points, including five aces, to put Wasilla ahead 20-9, the start of a 15-1 run to close out the game. Tuisaula’s fearless play can take over a game, Farias Pinard said.

“She’s a great player and has potential Outside (at the college level),” the coach said. “She has good leadership and the heart to compete.”

That tenacious play is infectious, said Crane, who gets pumped up when her teammates make a big hit or serve up an ace.

“I like that Sariah’s not afraid,” she said. “When she makes the big hit, we’re all watching. I was really excited to play (well) my last home game.”

Already ahead 2-0 in the match, the deciding third game went quickly for Wasilla, again sparked by an overpowering performance from the service line. The Warriors built up a quick 11-3 lead on the serves of Kyla Bell and Tayler, who combined for nine points and five aces. Bell then put the game away serving another pair of aces and the final four points in the 25-8 win.

Finishing undefeated in conference and securing the top seed is a good position for the Warriors to be in, Farias Pinard said, but that record means nothing if the team doesn’t continue to win.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.