FAIRBANKS, Alaska - No. 9 Fresno Pacific volleyball saved its best for last at the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic, closing the tournament with a dominant six-set run against two fellow NCAA West Region performers to remain perfect at 7-0 on the season. After battling back from an 0-2 deficit against Alaska Anchorage earlier in the day, the 'Birds carried their momentum into their matchup with tournament host, No. 16 Alaska Fairbanks, sweeping the Nanooks 25-15, 25-17, 25-20 to cap an impressive final day and undefeated Alaskan roadtrip.
"Going 4–0 in Alaska is something we're really proud of," said head coach
Kelsee Montagna. "This trip tested us in a lot of different ways, and I loved how our team continued to respond every time we were challenged."
FPU vs UAA (16-25, 28-30, 25-19, 25-18, 15-9)
Fresno Pacific battled Alaska Anchorage in a back-and-forth opening set, with
Rachel Plantinga,
Madelyn Feramisco and
Addisen Hamilton helping the 'Birds stay within striking distance.
Rylee Pitney sparked a late push with back-to-back kills, but Anchorage held on to take the first set 25-16. The second set was a marathon, with neither team able to pull away. After Anchorage tied it at 18-18, sisters
Devyn Castaneda and
Morgan Castaneda helped FPU reach 20 first. The 'Birds fought back from a 22-20 deficit to tie the set at 24 and later took a 25-24 lead behind a clutch
Mikayla Weiss swing. The graduate Sunbird would go on to collect a career-high 62 assists in the match. Despite succumbing to the pressure at the serving line, Anchorage ultimately survived the battle, taking the set 30-28. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the No. 9 Sunbirds responded fearlessly.
Amanda Lauer opened the comeback with a block and cross-court kill, sparking FPU to take control of the third set. The 'Birds closed it out 25-19 before carrying the momentum into the fourth and fifth sets to complete the reverse sweep and secure their sixth straight victory.
FPU vs UAF (25-15, 25-17, 25-20)
The Blue and Orange never let up against Alaska Fairbanks, jumping out to an early 6-0 lead in the opening set behind a serving run from Feramisco. The 'Birds maintained control throughout the match, taking the first two sets before overcoming a third-set deficit to finish off the sweep. In the third set, the last six points of the 7-0 run that put the Sunbirds ahead 11-6 came on Castaneda's serve. Feramisco and Weiss added kills during that stretch, and the Sunbirds later pushed the margin to 19-9 before the Nanooks cut into the lead. Pitney's kill brought up set point, and
Julia Nicolet followed with a service ace to close a 25-20 third-set win.
"To reverse sweep anyone, shows a tremendous amount of grit and resilience but then to turn around and finish the trip the way we did against a very tough opponent and environment says a lot about the maturity and competitiveness of this team," Montagna added. "We played to the caliber that we have known this team can play at. We came to Alaska to compete, get better, and learn more about who we are, and I think we did exactly that."
The win was also a milestone moment for graduate setter Weiss who recorded the 2,000th assist of her career in the first set. Weiss capped the weekend by being named the Ice Block Classic Tournament MVP. Feramisco's strong tournament also earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team, adding another accolade to an impressive opening stretch for the sophomore. She had two consecutive double-doubles on the day, tallying 26 kills and 14 digs against Anchorage then 11 kills and 10 digs with a whopping .550 attack percentage in the sweep over Fairbanks.
"Reaching 2,000 career assists is an incredible milestone for Mik and so well deserved," Montagna said after the game. "What makes her special isn't just the number, it's the consistency and leadership she brings to the program. She makes the people around her better, and that's exactly what you want from your setter and leader. We're incredibly proud of her, and I know she's nowhere near finished."
UP NEXT: The Birds are back in action this week closer to home, with a non-conference clash with former PacWest rival Concordia University Irvine on Friday at 5pm in the Special Events Center, followed by a short drive up the 99 on Saturday to take on UC Merced in the CCAA conference opener at 5pm.
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