FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The 2014 St. Edward's volleyball team started its 2014 campaign with a 3-0 victory over Alaska-Fairbanks in the Flint Hills Resources Nanook Classic Thursday evening. The Hilltoppers defeated the Nanooks, 25-21, 25-22, 26-24.
In what was a tight match throughout each of the three sets, St. Edward's (1-0) pulled away late, using timely kills from outside hitter Hannah Rauch.
In the first set, the Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage before Alaska-Fairbanks (0-1) used a 7-2 run to go ahead, 9-7. The lead would be traded six times until the two teams sat deadlocked at 19-19. Two kills each from Rauch, Elissa Stanton and Mary Koehler pushed St. Edward's to a set-ending 6-2 run and a 25-21 victory. Rauch came up clutch with the final two kills of the set.
Set two, again, saw the Hilltoppers race out early, taking a 10-5 lead. The Nanooks battled back. The home team got as close as 21-20, but two kills by Rauch and some timely errors from Alaska-Fairbanks handed St. Edward's a 2-0 lead in sets.
The Nanooks felt the match slipping away, so with a renewed effort they were able to turn the table on the Hilltoppers with an early 14-10 advantage. A kill from Koehler and three-straight Nanook hitting errors knotted the score, 14-14. After Alaska-Fairbanks responded by taking a late 23-21 lead, St. Edward's rallied by winning five of the final six points to take the sweep. Rauch was at it again with a kill for the final point.
"Fairbanks fought hard to protect its home court and it was a great match," head coach Sean Donahue said. "I feel the biggest difference for us was our experience and our seniors stepping up when they needed to."
Rauch finished the night with a team-high 15 kills, seven digs and a .448 hitting percentage. Setter Loren Kelly also had an outstanding night, registering 22 assists and 13 digs for her first double-double of the season. Leading the way for the middle hitters was Stanton, as she collected eight kills and a team-high three blocks. Kelly Jimenez tied Kelly for the team lead in digs with 13 of her own.
St. Edward's will be back in action for day two of the Nanook Classic when they take on Tiffin, Friday evening at 8 p.m. CST. Live video will be available on the Nanook Athletic Website.
