FAIRBANKS, AK---  Stan State (4-1) began its play in the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic with four-set victory (11-25, 25-23, 25-21, 26-24) over the Lander University Bearcats.  Haley Burdo recorded her 25^th career double-double with 24 assists and 12 digs to lead the way for the Warriors.  The Warriors had 14 total blocks in the four-set victory. 
 
FIRST SET:  Lander (4-2) came out on to begin the match and took an 11-0 lead capped by a Olivia Dow kill.  The Warriors scored the next four points cut the deficit to 11-4.  The Bearcats increased its lead to 24-8 on a kill by Katie Miller.  The Warriors didn't go away as they scored the next three points including on a service ace by Haley Burdo, but Lander recorded the final point on a Miller kill to take the first set 25-11.
 
SECOND SET:  The next set went back and forth until the Warriors took a 18-16 lead.  The Bearcats tied the match at 20-20 on back-to-back kills.  Stan State (4-1) came right with the next two points including on a combined block by Isabella Saucedo and Autumn Kirby.  Lander tied the match at 23-23, but Stan State finished the set off on back-to-back kills by Mariah Iosua to even the match at 1-1.
 
THIRD SET:  Lander, who earlier in the day, defeated Biola in three, took a 9-6 early third set lead.  The Bearcats increased their lead to 15-11 on a service ace by Ellyn Adams. They held a 17-13 lead, but the Warriors scored four of the next five points to cut the deficit to 18-17.  Stan State scored six of the next eight points to take a 24-19 capped by a combined block by Alex Byrd and Emily Vander Weide. They finished the set off, 25-21, on a kill by Byrd off an assist from Haley Burdo.
 
FOURTH SET:  Once again, Lander took a 12-8 lead to begin the fourth set.  The Warriors tied the set at 14-14 on a kill by Mariah Iosua off an assist from Eyriana Eatmon.  Lander held a 18-15 lead, but like throughout the match Stan State came back and tied the set at 18-18 led by back-to-back kills by Mariah Iosua and Ellison Weaver.  It looked like the Bearcats were going to even the match as they took a 21-18 lead, but Stan State scored the next three points on a combined block by Ellison Weaver and Alx Byrd and two kills by Byrd and Isabella Saucedo to tie the set at 21-21. The Warriors recorded five of the final eight points capped by an Eyriana Eatmon service ace to take the set 26-24 and the match 3-1.
 
LEADERS:  Isabella Saucedo had a team high 11 kills followed by Alex Byrd and Autumn Kirby each with seven kills.  Eyriana Eatmon had three service aces to go with Autumn Kirby's eight blocks and Byrd's six.  Haley Burdo recorded 24 assists to lead the way for the Warriors.  Gabby Rawson had a team high 17 digs with Burdo recording 12 and Saucedo 11.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE:  Haley Burdo recorded her 25^th career double-double this evening with 24 assists and 12 digs. 
 
BLOCKING AWAY:  Stan State had 14 team blocks this evening with Autumn Kirby recording eight and Alex Byrd six.  Emily Vander Weide added three.
 
LANDER:  The Warriors snapped the Bearcats four-match winning streak.  The last two years in a row, Lander went to the NCAA Division II post-season.
 
UP NEXT:  Stan State will return to the court tomorrow morning at 11am (AT), when the Warriors face Biola.  The Eagles lost in three sets to Lander earlier today in Fairbanks, Alaska.  They will finish off the Classic with two matches on Saturday, September 9 at 10am (AT) versus No. 21 Alaska Anchorage and at 7:30pm (AT) versus Alaska.