October 23, 2025 by the Seward Folly Staff
The Seward Seahawks volleyball teams delivered a memorable week of action on their home court, highlighted by an emotional Senior Night victory over Kenai that snapped a decade-long drought.
The week began on Saturday, October 18, with the Seahawks hosting the Homer Mariners. All three Seward squads, C-Team, Junior Varsity, and Varsity, faced a tough challenge. Despite gritty efforts, the Seahawks couldn’t find a way past the visiting Mariners. The C-Team dropped two close sets, 23-25 and 20-25, while the JV fell 10-25 and 19-25. Varsity struggled to build momentum against Homer’s deep, club-trained defense, falling in three sets (7-25, 20-25, 14-25).
Mikinley Williams hits. Photo by Cindy Ecklund; Seahawks block. Photo by Heather Shank
“Homer’s program is always a challenge. Their girls focus on volleyball, and it shows, especially on defense. Our team made good passes and played hard, but Homer’s depth was tough to match.”
-Head Coach Kurtz praises Homer’s year-round focus and defensive sharpness.
Saturday’s matches were about more than the score, though. Both teams traded their usual uniforms for pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the Seahawks debuting brand-new pink jerseys and pink fringed cowboy hats. “Pink Night” brought a festive spirit to the gym.
Photo by Jodi Kurtz
Earlier in the week, the team had traveled to Anchorage to watch UAA face Central Washington. The UAA team gave away the signature pink hats, a keepsake most players were eager to take home.
The Seahawks’ week reached its emotional high point on Tuesday, October 21, when they hosted Kenai for Senior Night. The Seward win was the first against Kenai since 2014, when Coach Kurtz first took the helm.
Seward’s Varsity squad came out strong, battling through a tense five-set match:
Set 1: 25-20 Seward
Set 2: 21-25 Kenai
Set 3: 20-25 Kenai
Set 4: 25-19 Seward
Set 5: 15-11 Seward
“Kenai is a tough team to beat, and all the girls had to play their best volleyball to get it done.”
-Coach Kurtz credits the team’s aggressive play and defensive grit for the breakthrough.
Senior Night brought out the best in the Seahawks. Junior Lia Shank stood out with powerful hitting and all-around play, dominating at the middle blocker position and anchoring the defense in the back row. Senior Ava Jagielski impressed with her consistency and sharp reads on short plays and tips, turning defense into offense.
“This night was more than I could have hoped for, and I’m so blessed to have you all in our volleyball program! Thank you for the best Senior Night Seward has ever seen!”
-After the match, star player Mikinley Williams sums up the night.
The evening also included recognition for seniors Mikinley Williams, Regan Seibert, Ava Jagielski, Makena DesErmia, Kaylynn Reed, and Jennifer Fernandez. Coach Kurtz gave special mention to Regan Seibert, a standout hitter with college-level skills who will graduate early, making these final games especially meaningful.
As the regular season draws to a close, the Seahawk volleyball team will travel to Bethel for a three-day tournament, followed by a trip north for the Barrow Tournament from October 30 to November 1. After that, it’s on to regionals at Houston High School beginning November 6, and then, for those who qualify, the State Tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.
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