Oct. 22, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Alysa Horn almost single handily took the wind out of the sails of the Wasilla High School volleyball squad. After the Warriors took the first game of the Northern Lights Conference match, the 5-foot-10 middle blocker sparked the Bears with three consecutive kills and a massive block during a seven-point Kodiak run in the second game. Horn and the Bears went on to claim the 3-1 (23-25, 25-6, 25-18, 25-14) win over the Warriors Friday at Wasilla High School.

“That long run killed our momentum,” Wasilla head coach Marge Johnson said.

With kills on three straight plays, Horn showed her power, height and ability to finesse. On the first play, Horn rocketed a shot into the middle of the Warriors' defense. She followed by just leaping high into the air, and smacking the ball down just on the other side of the net. And then she showed a little pizzazz, tipping the ball away from the direction her own momentum was carrying her.

Kodiak head coach Rick Carman said this caliber of play is not unusual for the rangy middle blocker.

“We depend on her for a lot of things,” Carmen said.

Horn led the Bears with 10 kills and seven blocks.

Kodiak's height, most notably Horn and 5-foot-10 middle blocker Maureen Sabado, did prevent the Warriors from doing some of the things they wanted to do, but Wasilla's leading hitters, junior Ashlen Welch and sophomore Jenna Johnson, were still productive.

“They blocked us a lot, but we were still swinging,” Marge Johnson said.

Jenna Johnson and Welch combined for 50 attacks in the game.

Johnson scored a team-high 13 kills, and showed her ability to hop with five blocks. Johnson consistently was able to get her hands in front of the shots delivered by the taller Kodiak hitters.

Welch added 12 kills and four blocks.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.