Nikolaevsk first in Mixed 6 tourney

By McKibben Jackinsky

Staff writer

A multi-school mixed-six volleyball invitational tournament at Nikolaevsk Nov. 7-8 ended with Nikolaevsk taking first place and the Kodiak EES team in second.

“Kodiak beat us in five sets at our last tournament taking first place, so it was nice to be able to come back and beat them in three sets,” said Nikolaevsk Head Coach Bea Klaich.

The teams battled through two days of play after traveling from Seldovia, Anderson, Tanalian and the villages represented by the Kodiak EES team: Akhiok, Karluk, Old Harbor, Port Lions, Larsen Bay and Ouzinkie.

In Friday’s five games, Seldovia, Tanalian and Kodiak each scored a victory; Nikolaevsk scored two in games against Kodiak and Seldovia.

On Saturday, Seldovia won a battle against Anderson; Kodiak scored two victories, one against Tanalian and one against Seldovia; Nikolaevsk won a match against Anderson and beat Tanalian in the last game of the tourney.

“Taking first place was rewarding since all the teams except for Tanalian are in our conference and we will be playing them at Kodiak at the conference tournament on Dec. 5-6,” said Klaich.

Named to the all-tourney team were:

Rainy Bircher, Kodiak;

Josh Blom,Tanalian;

Jonah Fefelov, Nikolaevsk;

Kilina Klaich, Nikolaevsk;

Marisa Olsen, Tanalian;

Summer Panamarioff, Kodiak;

Greg Trail, Nikolaevsk; and

Olivia Turner, Seldovia.

The Nikolaevsk Warriors continued to refine their on-court skills with a community scrimmage on Monday. On Tuesday, the junior varsity and varsity teams played against the Ninilchik Wolverines at Ninilchik.

The Warriors scrimmage at home again Monday. On Tuesday, they travel to Seldovia for junior varsity and varsity games against the Otters.