Knights runner-up in state tourney

ANCHORAGE -- The 2003 season was a storybook one for the Colony Knights volleyball squad.

Although they finished one chapter short of a perfect novel, a state championship, the Knights topped off their tremendous turnaround with an appearance in the 4A state title game.

On Friday the Knights scored an impressive victory sweeping the defending state champion Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears 3-0 (28-26, 28-26, 28-26) in the semifinals to place Colony in the state championship game against Service.

Unfortunately for Colony, the Knights ran into a volleyball buzzsaw known as the Service Cougars. Led by the play of an impressive, and tall, front line, Service prevented Colony from completing its perfect story with a 3-1 (12-25, 16-25, 25-21, 20-25) win over the Knights.

Despite the loss Colony was thrilled to be among the state's volleyball best.

"We didn't even make it out of regions last year," Colony junior Rochelle Ray said. "Runner-up is not too bad."

"I think the girls were ecstatic they made it to the championship game," Colony head coach Faith Scott said.

Colony made its first appearance in the state title game since 1999.

Service, one of the top volleyball squads in the state for the entire season, had more than an impressive corps of talent in its favor. The Cougars had the motivation to win the title for their head coach Virgil Hooe, who was retiring after 21 years at the helm of Service volleyball.

"(They) knew that they were the underdog," Scott said of her team. "They had nothing to lose, and had to just go out and play."

Service was able to jump to a quick 7-0 lead in the first game, and won the first two games of the match in a rapid pace.

A corps of Cougars, Meghan Francis, Brenda Cooper, Ashley Waggoner and Caitlin Grenier, whom all have height in their favor, formed a wall on the Service side of the net and rejected most of the hits Colony tried to send to the Service side of the court.

Ray and fellow Colony outside hitter Amanda Aafedt struggled early in the match as the Knights tried to feed the ball through the tough Service front line.

According to Scott, adjustments made by the Knight setters later in the match allowed Ray and Aafedt to have more success in the third and fourth games and find holes in the Service defense.

Colony also used its height, senior middle hitter Kristina Klapperich, to its advantage late in the match.

Scott said once Klapperich and the setters started connecting, the Knights forced the Service middle hitters to make more movement up and down the net, allowing Colony to find more holes in the Service defense.

The Knights began to have success in the third game of the match as they jumped out to leads of 4-0, 6-2 and 10-8. Colony was led in its early runs by the play of Klapperich and Anna Peters.

Service came back to tie the game at 19-19, but Colony took the lead with back-to-back kills from Klapperich and Aafedt. Kills from Peters and Klapperich and a trio of Service hitting errors gave Colony with 25-21 win in the third game.

The Knights erased deficits of 10-5 and 19-14 in the fourth game, but Service prevailed for a 25-20 win in the final set.

Klapperich, Aafedt and Ray were each named to the All-Tournament team for Colony. Joining the trio of Knights on the squad are Palmer's Jessie Macknicki and Wasilla's Laurel Creel.

Colony's Katy McNamara and Kristin Mayschak, Palmer's Tiffany Vaughn and Alicia Berberich and Wasilla's Allie Johnson and Lindsey Wesser were each named to the tournament's good sports team.

Colony won the tournament team sportsmanship award.

In other tournament action, Wasilla advanced to the fourth-place match with a 3-2 (25-19, 28-30, 14-25, 25-19, 15-9) win over Palmer, the Region III champion.

Bartlett defeated the Warriors 3-1 (20-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-13) to take fourth place.

Creel led Wasilla with 10 kills and 14 digs against the Golden Bears. Kaylee Johnson added 10 digs.