Warriors don’t let history repeat itself

KENAI — The upset-minded Kenai Central volleyball team had won the first set 25-15 and the Kardinals student body was at full throat.

Wasilla coach Josie Cannon had been here before, and it didn’t end pretty.

Last season, the Warriors played the Kards on a Friday night and Kenai pulled out a five-set victory in front of frenzied students starting a homecoming weekend.

But this Friday, the Warriors steadied and clipped off 25-23, 25-20 and 25-13 victories to move to 8-0 in the Northern Lights Conference and 10-2 overall. The Kards fell to 5-5 overall and 1-5 in the conference.

“They played like crafty veterans,” Cannon said of her squad, which has nine seniors in the starting rotation. “They adjusted what we asked them to adjust and stayed calm under pressure.”

The first game belonged to Abby Beck’s cannon of a top-spin, jump serve. Beck went on an extended run of points that put the Kards up 18-6 and the game was basically over.

It was hard to say which was more booming during the run, Beck’s serve or the approving, body-painted students.

“Our crowd is so fun,” Kenai coach Tracie Beck said. “It is so fun for us to play in front of them.”

In the second game, Wasilla’s Emily Rushing had a kill to give her squad at 24-21 lead, but the Warriors missed a serve and Cierra King had a stuff block to bring the Kards within 24-23.

However, a bad set on the next point gave the Warriors the win.

“They wanted it so bad,” Beck said. “They love to play and it shows.

“Sometimes, they want it so bad, they get in their own way.”

Cannon said her squad was gradually able to control the match with solid passing on serve-receive and defense, which opened up options on the attack.

Olivia Vincent, at 6-foot-3, had 11 kills, while Andraia Bella had seven kills and Maggie Zwolinski had 19 assists and three aces.

“It was a team effort — really, truly a team effort,” Cannon said. “We had to pass the ball on serve-receive and play good defense, and both those things take the team.”

Kenai again hung around in the third game, cutting Wasilla’s lead to 21-19 on a kill by Emily Koziczkowski, but Wasilla pulled away for a 25-20 victory punctuated by a Rushing tip kill.

In the fourth game, Kenai’s troubles on serve-receive led to the 25-13 loss.

Beck said the match showed Kenai’s potential and its main challenge. In the first three games, the Kards didn’t let mistakes dampen their energy.

“They are such an amazing group of kids,” Beck said. “Let’s just play like we love it, and let the rest sort itself out.”

Abby Beck had 12 digs, nine kills and seven aces, while Koziczkowski had five kills and three stuff blocks.

Kenai plays Palmer on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The game has been moved to Kenai Middle School.

Palmer 3, Soldotna 2

The visiting Moose notched a 28-30, 25-17, 18-25, 25-15 and 15-10 NLC victory Friday against the Stars.

SoHi fell to 6-3 in the conference and 10-3 overall.

Stars coach Sheila Kupferschmid said the match was important as her team fights for the second seed, and a bye, at the conference tournament.

“We’re right in there and the kids knew it,” Kupferschmid said. “They brought a lot of passion and heart to the floor.

“They worked very hard, and I’m proud of the team’s effort.”

It was the third game in three nights for the Stars.

“That’s a difficult schedule to play three matches in a row and have the energy to play that fifth set,” Kupferschmid said. “That was a gut check for our kids tonight and I’m proud of the effort.”

The coach said seniors Taylor Earll, Drewe Zeek and Abi Tuttle provided good leadership, with Tuttle doing a good job filling in for the injured Shaylynn Zener at libero.

Kupferschmid said Ituau Tuisaula, only a freshman and playing on a torn anterior cruciate ligament, continues to come of age and show she’s one of the region’s top hitters.

Tuisaula led with 12 kills, while Drewe Zeek had nine and Kodi Gillivary and Ella Stenga had six apiece.

Tuisaula also had five blocks, while Zeek had four and Aliann Schmidt had three. Cally Christianson led with 16 service points, while Tuttle had 13, McGillivary and Zeek had nine, and Tuisaula had seven.

Nikiski 3, Redington 0

The host Bulldogs celebrated senior night Friday with a Southcentral Conference sweep of the Huskies. The scores were 25-8, 25-6 and 25-9.

Homer 3, Houston 1

The Mariners notched a Southcentral Conference victory over the Hawks on Friday in Homer.

Wasilla 3, Soldotna 0

One night after sweeping the Colony Knights in a three-game weekend of conference action, the Stars fell in a sweep to the Warriors Thursday night at Soldotna High School with scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-10.

Colony 3, Kenai 0

The Kardinals lost to the Knights Thursday night with scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 25-22.