Saint Martin’s volleybelles win one and lose one in weekend visit to Alaska  

The Saints traveled to their farthest conference opponents way up in Alaska for the last match week of September, splitting the results with a 1-3 defeat against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (21-25, 15-25, 25-22, 15-25) last Thursday, September 26, before redeeming themselves with a 3-1 victory over the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks (21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-21) last Saturday, September 28. 

These results from the last frontier resulted in a 2-2 win-loss record for the Saints as they have a relatively slow start in the conference, sharing the same record with three other schools, including the Nanoooks. As of the time of writing, the Central Washington Wildcats lead the table with four wins in their first four games.  

After their difficult journey in Alaska, the Saints will return home to host three consecutive games to kick off October. On the 3rd, they will host the Western Washington Vikings before facing the Simon Fraser Red Leafs on the 5th. Both teams have a 2-1 record so far.  

The Saints will have no midweek games the following week, pouncing on an extended rest day or further practice before hosting the Western Oregon Wolves on Saturday, October 12. 

Saint Martin’s 1, Alaska Anchorage 3: Saints hand first conference win of Seawolves  

The Saints’ first match in Alaska resulted in a 1-3 defeat against the in-form Alaska Anchorage Seahawks in the latter’s opening home game at the Alaska Airlines Center last Thursday. 

Despite losing their first two GNAC fixtures, the Seawolves had a successful preseason starting last August, winning seven out of 11 preseason matches in a loaded game schedule. This paid off as they slipped past the Saints in dominating fashion. 

Emily Garten led the Saints on the attack with an impressive 0.400 hitting percentage with 18 kills and 14 digs, while Emmy Hansen also contributed huge on both ends with a 0.270 hitting percentage from 13 kills and 13 digs. Meanwhile, five players from the hosts had hitting percentages of at least 0.300. 

It was a close first set with lead changes all over, up to one point in the opener, when the Saints led 20-19. However, a 4-0 run by the hosts, led by their top scorer and outside hitter Katie Birtcil-Tipton, overturned the momentum as the Saints failed to catch up. The momentum continued to swing to the hosts in the following set, as they established the lead earlier, finishing it at 25-15. 

The Saints pulled one set back in the third as they established an early 19-8 blitz, thanks to the efforts of Garten, Hansen, and Jennifer Soha in the frontline, along with help from Kingsley Mason and Zoey Crimin. The Seawolves tried to finish the match as they pulled off runs of their own and closed in to a point deficit, 23-22, before two errors from the Alaskans gave the Saints a lifeline. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long as the hosts closed the winning set in a 25-15 spanking. 

 Saint Martin’s 3, Alaska Fairbanks 1: Saints get second win of the season over cold Nanooks 

The Saints quickly redeemed their earlier loss and got one win back over the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks, winning 3-1 at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium Saturday to improve their record to 2-2. 

Losing the opening set in a close 25-21, the Saints climbed back to punish the Nanooks in three straight sets to get a win in the last frontier finally.

Four Saints had double digits in the kills department, with Emily Garten hitting 13 kills, five service aces, and 14 digs with a 0.244 hitting percentage, and Emmy Hansen with 13 kills and 11 digs at a 0.227 hit percentage. Jennifer Soha added 11 kills and nine digs at 0.375 hittings, while Zoey Crimin had 10 kills at 0.227 hittings. 

After the opening set loss, the Saints regrouped in the second set, forcing ties early before a 4-0 run turned things around for the Saints as they forced errors to their opponents to make it 13-9, and they never went back as they tie things to 1-1 at a 25-18 win in the second set. 

The Saints continued the rampage in the third, leading as high as seven at 14-7 before the Nanooks tried to close it out until 23-21 before Emmy Hansen’s two points ended the scare to secure the 2-1 lead for the visitors. 

The Nanooks tried to force a deciding fifth set, building an early lead at 8-5 before efforts from Garten, Soha, and Zoey Crimin forced ties until the Saints led by 17-14. The hosts forced another tie at 19-19 but that was the game's last deadlock as the Saints decided to close the match after a final 3-0 run to close their Alaska road trip with a well-deserved win.