UAA volleyball closes out 2024 season with sweep of Simon Fraser

Even though a trip to the playoffs was no longer on the table, the University of Alaska Anchorage volleyball team was on a mission to close out the 2024 season with a bang on senior day.

“They were really focused and determined this week to finish the season on a high note, especially for those seniors who won’t be coming back next year,” UAA head coach Stacie Meisner said. “It’s pretty special that we were able to go out and do that for them.”

The Seawolves didn’t disappoint as they notched their second straight victory over a higher-ranked opponent: Their three-set sweep (25-13, 25-17, 25-20) of playoff-bound Simon Fraser on Saturday came just two days after they did the same to fourth-seeded Western Washington in an arena packed with fifth-graders from across the Anchorage School District.

“We always talk about how tough this conference is, and I think this absolutely proves why,” Meisner said. “I think any given night, any team can win, so even though we went into these matches as the underdog, we knew that we had a shot not to just compete but to go out and win. That’s how we approach every night.”

UAA dominated the first set, jumping out to an 18-8 lead before cruising to a 25-13 victory. The second was more tightly contested and saw the Seawolves trail until they were able to tie it up 13-13. They then used three straight aces from freshman setter Hannah Trotter to pull ahead for good as they won 25-17 to go up two sets to nil.

UAA didn’t trail in the third set and outhit Simon Fraser .351 to .220. Senior Katie Birtcil recorded five of her team-leading 13 kills, including the game-winner off an assist from fellow senior Kadyn Osborne, who led the team with a match-high 21 in the final set of their collegiate careers.

“I was about to start crying before it even ended,” Osborne said. “We were at 23 points, and I could just feel the tears coming, and right when we hit 25, they just started.”

Helping make the game-winning play was a better ending to her final career match than she “could’ve ever imagined.”

“It’s probably the best possible way you could end your career, with your girls on the court ending that way in a sweep too against an incredible team that has had an incredible season,” Osborne said.

Meisner praised the six seniors on this year’s team for their work ethic, competitiveness and overall character they displayed throughout the season.

“It’s been a joy to coach them and they’re definitely going to be missed,” she said. “We wish we wouldn’t have dropped a few games here or there and maybe we’d be in contention for regionals, but it’s a good lesson for our underclassmen to learn now. Hopefully, they’ll take that with them moving forward.”

UAA finished its season 16-12 and 10-8 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.