FAIRBANKS, Alaska – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball picked up two more wins Friday at the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic, defeating both Black Hills State and the University of Findlay in four sets.
The Lions continue the tournament Saturday against the two Alaska schools, playing No. 20 Alaska Anchorage at 12:30 p.m. and closing the weekend at 5:30 p.m. against host Alaska Fairbanks.
UAFS 3, Black Hills State 1 (27-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16)
The Lions used a pair of comebacks in the first and third sets to earn a four-set win in the opener over the Yellow Jackets.
UAFS trailed 23-19 in set one before going on a 5-0 run for a 24-23 lead, taking advantage of three Yellow Jacket errors. BHSU then scored the next two points before the Lions scored the final three to complete the comeback.
In set three, BHSU broke a 16-16 tie with a 6-0 run before the Lions responded with a 7-0 burst for a 23-22 lead. Middle blocker Kaelyn McDonald had two kills in the run along with three straight attack errors by the Yellow Jackets. The set then played out exactly like the first set, with BHSU scoring consecutive points to take the lead before UAFS winning it with three straight points.
The Lions were then able to cruise in the fourth set, hitting .313 and holding the Yellow Jackets to .079. They broke the set open with an 8-0 run when leading 16-14 to lead 24-14, getting three aces and a kill from outside hitter Chloe Alderson.
Five players recorded double-digit digs, led by libero Lauren Weber's 20 as the Lions held the Yellow Jackets to a .166 attack percentage. Setter Chloe Price followed with 16 digs, while defensive specialist Taylor Lintz added 15. Alderson finished with 12 digs while outside hitter Reagan Macha had 10.
Macha tallied yet another double-double with a team-high 12 kills while McDonald had 10 kills with a .389 attack percentage. Both Alderson and middle blocker Chyra Thompson had nine kills.
UAFS had a 12-8 advantage in aces with four from Macha and the three from Alderson. Price added 40 assists, as well.
UAFS 3, Findlay 1 (15-25, 25-22, 25-17, 26-24)
The Lions rallied once again, this time taking the final three sets after dropping the opening frame to the Oilers.
UAFS hit .000 in set one, but followed it up by hitting .310 in set two and .571 in set three. UAFS would hit .240 for the match.
Outside hitter Abby Cagle came off the bench to steal the show, hitting .393 with a career-high 13 kills and eight digs. She had five kills in set two and four each in sets three and four.
Set three featured an 8-0 run by the Lions to break open a one-point game fueled by two kills by Cagle and two blocks by middle blocker Hannah Holland.
Macha registered a season-high 17 kills on a .349 attack percentage while Thompson added seven kills. Price totaled 40 assists for the second consecutive match while Weber tallied a season-high 29 digs.
