Women’s volleyball is four games into the Northwest Conference (NWC) season and has a 3-1 winning record.
Expectations are high for women’s volleyball after their impressive 2012 season. The team had a 22-6 record and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
The Loggers are in a position to have another successful season, but they will need to pull off key victories against the few teams they lost to last season.
The Loggers’ first conference games were on Sept. 20 and 21 against Linfield and George Fox, respectively.
They won both games with ease, becoming one of only three Northwest Conference teams to open up the conference season with a perfect record.
These wins helped strengthen their position in the American Volleyball Coaches Association moving to rank 14th.
The Loggers played their rivals, the Pacific Lutheran (PLU) Lutes, on Sept. 25 and lost their first conference game of the season.
The Lutes are ranked 16th and won on their home court. The Lutes will play the Loggers at the Memorial Fieldhouse on Oct. 23, giving the Loggers a chance to secure a win at home.
The Loggers defeated the Lutes during the Puget Sound Premier on Sept. 31, so the Oct. 23 match promises to be exciting as both teams compete to break their current tie.
The loss on Sept. 25 did not set the Loggers back for long, and they won their next match in Portland against Lewis and Clark.
The Loggers started out strong against the Pioneers, winning their first set 25-17. The Pioneers won the second set 25-17, but ultimately it was the Loggers’ game and they won the next two sets at 25-19 and 25-15.
As always, there is an impressive lineup of athletes on the women’s volleyball team.
The seven starters from last year’s team have returned for another successful season and have already had impressive matches early in the season.
In the match against Lewis and Clark, seniors Jenni Brehove (Vista, Calif.) and Jackie Harvey (Santa Barbara, Calif.) helped lead the team to victory with their impressive performances. Brehove brought in a total of 43 assists and Harvey came through with 15 kills and 17 digs.
There is no shortage of players to look out for on the volleyball team but it is the combined teamwork and effort of individually strong players that has helped with their continued success.
The team is also led by an impressive coaching staff including head coach Mark Massey, who is popular with the team on the courts and as an instructor in the Physical Education department.
Massey has been with the Loggers since 1996 and has led women’s volleyball to the NCAA quarterfinals three times. In 18 years he has produced 13 Top 20 teams.
There are high expectations for women’s volleyball this year after their impressive 2012 season and their advancement to the NCAA tournament.
The Loggers are expected to win the NWC title this year and hope to advance further into the NCAA tournament than they did last year.
Women’s volleyball consistently has a strong cheering section at home games as students come out in support of one of Puget Sound’s most successful athletic teams.
The Loggers will be on the road Oct. 4 and 5, but will return Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. to play Willamette.
