The Dixie State volleyball team dropped its final match of the GNAC/PacWest Crossover Tournament Saturday, losing in straight sets, 21-25, 18-25, 21-25, to No. 14 Alaska Anchorage. The Storm (3-5) finish the tournament with a 1-3 record in Ellensburg, Wash.
Dixie State fell behind early in the first set, but never trailed by more than three points, eventually taking its first lead at 21-20. However, the Seawolves recorded the final five points of the set to secure a 25-21 victory. The Storm hit .343 as a team in the first set, while allowing the Seawolves to hit .429.
Alaska Anchorage picked up where it left off in the first set and jumped to a big lead in the second set. The Storm tried to hang close, but the Seawolves seized momentum in the set and surged to a 17-9 lead. Dixie State responded with a 6-1 run to pull within 18-15, but could get no closer and dropped the second set, 18-25. Both teams took a drop in hitting percentage in the set, with the Storm hitting .194 and the Seawolves falling to .278.
The Red Storm looked determined to extend the match to a fourth set, jumping out to a 14-11 lead in the third set, but UAA had other plans. The Seawolves stayed close while the teams traded points, taking the lead for good at 20-19, and eventually closed out the match with a 25-21 win.
Dixie State hit .269 as team in the match and finished with 38 kills. Junior outside hitter
Delayne Daniel (American Fork, Utah/Pleaseant Grove HS) led the Storm with her third double-double (fourth of the season) in as many games, finishing with 12 kills and 10 assists. Junior setter
Kailey Frei (Orem, Utah/Timpanogos HS) recorded a team-high 29 assists and six digs, and senior middle blocker
Makenzi Bird-Murphey (St. George, Utah/Snow Canyon HS) led the team with three blocks to go with eight kills. Sophomore libero
Talia Brown (Kahuku, Hawai'i/Kahuku HS) finished with a team-high 11 kills.
Alaska Anchorage finished the game with a .390 hitting percentage and 49 kills.
The Storm open Pacific West Conference play next weekend, traveling first to Riverside, Calif. to take on California Baptist University on Friday, then heading to San Diego, Calif. to battle Point Loma on Saturday.
