On a first day of a state volleyball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage marked by close matches, Kenai Central cruised into the semifinals.

In both the Class 3A and 4A tournaments, the Kardinals, the two-time defending Class 3A state champs, were the only team not to lose a set.

The Kards toppled Monroe Catholic 25-11, 25-15 and 25-16 in the first round before defeating Sitka 25-17, 25-22 and 25-14 in the second round.

Against the Rams, Sophie Tapley had 12 kills, while Avia Miller had five and Ellsi Miller had four. Kate Wisnewski had 27 assists. Both Brynnen Hanson and Stella Selanoff had 17 digs, while Ellsi Miller and Tapley each had two blocks, and Wisnewski had eight aces.

Against the Wolves, Wisnewski had 29 assists. Tapley had eight of those kills, while Ellsi Miller and Selanoff each had five. Hanson had 21 digs, while Selanoff had 17. Both Avia Miller and Ellsi Miller had three blocks.

The Kardinals will meet Valdez in the semifinal at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15. The two squads have met in the last three Class 3A state finals. Kenai will be playing to appear in a fifth straight Class 3A final.

The Buccaneers reached the semifinal by defeating the other two Kenai Peninsula teams in the Class 3A tourney.

In the first round, Valdez defeated Nikiski 29-31, 25-20, 26-24, 24-26 and 15-11.

Kailey Stynsberg had 27 digs for Nikiski, while Evelyn Reichert had 23 digs.

Avery Ellis had 34 assists, with Ashlynne Playle pounding down 20 kills and Alexa Iyatunguk connecting on 13 kills. Playle and Mandee Roofe each had six blocks, while Ellis had seven aces.

The Bulldogs are still alive in the tournament and start the journey back in the playback bracket at 11:45 a.m. against Barrow. The winner of that match plays Sitka at 3:15 p.m. Friday. The winner of that match plays the survivor of the other side of the playback bracket at 7 p.m. Friday for a spot in the semifinal against the Kenai-Valdez loser.

Barrow was knocked into the playback bracket by Seward. The Seahawks, the only at-large team in the tournament, outlasted the Whalers in a dramatic five-setter. The scores were 20-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22 and 15-13.

Seward then lost to Valdez 22-25, 25-17, 25-16 and 25-17. The Seahawks play the Monroe-Kotzebue winner at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the playback bracket. The winner of that match takes on the survivor of the other side of the bracket at 7 p.m. Friday for a spot in the semifinal against the Kenai-Valdez loser.

In the Class 4A tournament, Soldotna put up a fight against Dimond, the champion of the Cook Inlet Conference. The scores were 28-26, 27-25, 21-25 and 25-14.

Soldotna middles Cassidy Kruse and Hallie Fischer continued to flourish late in the season, as Soldotna head coach Luke Baumer wrote in a text message that the Lynx had trouble with the Soldotna block. Both Kruse and Fischer had seven blocks.

Sarah Brown had 37 assists, with Sadie Lane getting 14 kills, Morgan Simac getting 10 kills, and Hallie Fischer and Kruse each getting eight kills.

Veronica Crane had 23 digs, while Lane had 17. Soldotna also served tough, with Fischer getting five aces, Abygale Schaeffer getting three aces and Morgan Simac getting two aces.

Soldotna begins the journey in the playback bracket against Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale at 11:45 a.m. Friday. The winner gets defending 4A champ Wasilla at 3:15 p.m. The winner of that plays the survivor of the other side of the playback bracket at 7 p.m. Friday for a spot in the semifinals against the South-Service loser.

Soldotna senior Sadie Lane grabs the dig during a 3-1 loss to Dimond on the first day of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Volleyball Championships on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Bruce Eggleston/matsusports.net)