Knights grab region sweep

PALMER -- Tuesday the Colony Knight volleyball squad was a group on a mission.

After suffering a pair of tough losses to Dimond and Service last week, Colony -- a team with lofty goals -- took its aggression out on rival Palmer. The Knights pummeled Palmer 3-0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-20).

"Our losses last week motivated us more to do what we needed to do tonight," Colony senior Amanda Aafedt said. "They were so close, hurt close. We had to get revenge tonight. We hope to meet (Dimond and Service) again at the state tournament, but right now we have to improve our game within our region."

The Knights, led by a bevy of seniors with three years of varsity experience, have blown through their early region schedule sweeping Kodiak in a pair of matches and now Palmer.

"There's a lot of stuff we've been working on for three years, especially with the group of seniors we have," Colony head coach Faith Scott said. "Working on being really precise with the basic stuff."

The basic stuff worked against Palmer. Colony stormed out of the gate to an 8-1 lead in the first game of the match and kept a more than comfortable lead throughout.

"We expected it," Palmer head coach Steve Reynolds said of Colony's quick start. "They're definitely the top in the region."

Colony scored early and often on several Palmer unforced errors, and the duo of Aafedt and Rochelle Ray provided the offense for the Knights. Ray led the Knights with 12 kills on 20 attempts and Aafedt added 10 kills.

Of Aafedt's team-best 13 digs, one dig potentially preserved the sweep for Colony. Late in the third game with Palmer leading 17-16, Moose outside hitter Karoline Naegele swatted a rocket shot over the net that nearly everyone in the Palmer High Gym thought was a kill. Just as the ball was about to touch the floor and give the Moose a two-point lead, Aafedt slid right underneath the ball and registered the clean dig.

"I closed my eyes and hoped it was there," Aafedt said.

"It's always good to have some brilliant moment like that to get the team pumped up," Scott said. "That's kind of how (Amanda) is. She throws her body into it; she's a never-say-die player."

Colony set the ball to Ray and the senior scored the kill, sparking a four-point Knight run.

"That last little bit, you could just feel the momentum going their way," Reynolds said.