Knights finish second in NLC volleyball tourney, advance to state

The Colony Knights pushed the top seed to the brink, but the host Stars were able to escape with a victory and a region title.

Soldotna, the No. 1 seed, held on to score a 30-28 victory over the second-seeded Knights in the “if necessary” game and capture the conference crown during the final day of the Northern Lights Conference Championships Saturday afternoon in Soldotna.

Colony forced the tiebreaker in the double-elimination tournament with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-16) in the region title match. That forced the if-necessary tiebreaker.

Both teams clinched the NLC’s automatic berths to the ASAA/ First National Bank 4A State Volleyball Championships, which start Thursday at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Colony opens against Mid-Alaska Conference champion Lathrop Thursday at 3:15 p.m. The Knights are also on the same side of the bracket as Cook Inlet Conference runner-up Dimond and Southeast Conference champ Juneau-Douglas.

Colony faced host Soldotna twice during the three-day NLC tourney. The Stars beat the Knights 3-1 (25-16, 13-25, 25-18, 25-17) in the conference semifinals.

The Knights also played rival Wasilla, the No. 3 seed, twice in three days.

Colony swept the Warriors 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-14) on the opening day of the tourney, and then needed a tough 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-13, 15-10) victory over Wasilla in an elimination match on the consolation side of the bracket to move into the region final.

After the first loss to Colony, Wasilla used a 3-0 victory over fifth-seeded Kodiak and 3-1 (25-11, 25-15, 19-25, 25-22) win over fourth-seeded Palmer to stay alive.

Palmer opened the tournament with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-14) over Kodiak. Soldotna needed a tough 3-2 (22-25, 25-13, 25-19, 17-25, 15-6) win to get past the upset-minded Moose in the next round.

Colony’s Emily DeHart was named the NLC MVP. Palmer’s Laekyn Leroux and Audrey Cahill; Wasilla’s Marissa Monroe, Ki Schachle and Mia Caldwell; and Colony’s Taylor Passard joined DeHart on the NLC all-conference first-team.

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