Prep volleyball: Moose force series split against Kodiak

PALMER — What a difference a day makes.

Palmer rebounded from a 3-1 ( (25-20, 20-25, 19-25, 23-25) loss on Friday to Kodiak with a dominant 3-0 ( 25-22, 25-18, 25-20) victory over the Bears Saturday at Palmer High School.

“We were a little flat last night, and Kodiak played very well,” Palmer coach Steve Reynolds said following Saturday’s match. “So to come back and win in three was great.”

On Friday, the Moose picked up a win in the first game before dropping the next three in a row to take the loss.

Palmer again got off to a good start Saturday, winning the first game 25-22 by scoring three consecutive points to close out the game.

Instead of letting up, however, the Moose just got stronger.

Palmer dominated the second game, jumping out to a 10-point lead and holding on for a 25-18 win.

Then in the third game, the Moose won a back-and-forth battle, getting an emphatic Sarah Svedin spike to finish off the Bears, 25-20.

Outside hitter Nicole Kenney led a balanced Palmer attack with eight kills, while Svedin added six kills and 12 assists. Setter Rashayne Zimmer also had 12 assists for the Moose.

Palmer’s defense consistently held Kodiak’s big hitters at bay throughout the match, and Reynolds said the win was a result of his team being better prepared for Kodiak’s attack.

“I think mentally, it was just knowing what to expect,” he said.

Outside hitter Colleen Bue was particularly impressive on defense, racking up 15 crucial digs to frustrate the Kodiak offense.

“That probably was her best defensive game she’s had,” Reynolds said of the senior’s performance.