Dimond Volleyball Heads to Regions as Region IV Favorite

Dimond High School volleyball enters this week's Region IV championship tournament as the top seed, carrying a 33-0 record against in-state opponents. The Lynx will host their opening round games on Tuesday at 7 p.m., aiming to extend a winning streak that dates back to their 4A state title run last season. Head coach Kim Lauwers described the upcoming tournament as a fresh start, noting that previous results do not carry over into the postseason format.

The team closed the regular season on Oct. 27 with a four-set win over South. While Dimond won the match, South forced the Lynx to play four tight sets, marking the final regular season contest. This victory capped a stretch of challenging games against top Cook Inlet Conference rivals. The team had previously faced Chugiak on Oct. 16, where they rallied from a 0-2 deficit to win in five sets. Prior to that, Colony also forced a five-set match against Dimond earlier in the month.

Lauwers said these recent close games provided necessary preparation for the postseason. She stated that the team needed to be pushed to test their resilience before entering the tournament. "It's a totally new tournament; it doesn't matter what you just did," Lauwers said. "Anything can happen, so we have to get them refocused on that first match and then go one match at a time." The coach emphasized that the team treats each match independently rather than dwelling on their undefeated status.

Key players on the roster include junior Anayah Sila and senior Ailafo Fautanu. Both serve as captains and play in all six rotations. Fautanu leads the team with 309 digs and has recorded 266 kills. Sila leads the squad with 277 kills and has 308 digs. Lauwers noted that these players carry significant load, handling hitting, defense, passing, and setting duties. She credited their experience with helping younger players understand the coaching staff's expectations.

The team began the 2026 season with a four-game losing streak at an out-of-state tournament. They lost two of those matches by sweep and the other two in four sets. Sila said the travel helped the team improve its serving, serve-receive, and speed. After returning home, Dimond swept its first five in-state opponents and lost only two sets over the following two months. Fautanu said the out-of-state competition taught the team how to adjust its play.

The Region IV tournament uses a double-elimination format. The opening round begins Tuesday with top seeds hosting their matches. Dimond will host No. 8 Eagle River at 7 p.m. and the East vs. West matchup at 5 p.m. South will host Service at 7 p.m. and Chugiak vs. Bartlett at 5 p.m. The remaining games will take place at Service. The tournament concludes with the finals Saturday at 7 p.m.

Lauwers said the team remains focused on the next opponent rather than the overall record. She said the upperclassmen have maintained a culture of humility and hard work. Sila said the team wants to stay consistent and work hard because other teams will be motivated to beat them. "We still want to practice hard because these other teams are going to want it even more," Sila said. "We got to keep working hard and stay consistent and be together as one."

The Lynx have not lost to an in-state team since their run to the state championship last year. Last season, they had to navigate the losers bracket to win the title. This year, they aim to run the table in the postseason. The team will face familiar opponents from the Cook Inlet Conference during the tournament. The players and coaching staff view the upcoming matches as an opportunity to prove their preparation was effective.