This Homecoming weekend fans poured into Memorial Fieldhouse to support the Puget Sound Volleyball Team. The Volleyball Team kept their winning streak from their previous tournaments going against the Lewis and Clark Pioneers on Friday and the Linfield Wildcats on Saturday by sweeping both games 3-0. Both of these games were NWC league games making the Loggers currently 2-0 in the league.
The first match against Lewis and Clark had a slow finish with the Loggers only winning the match 26-24.The speed was picked up in second and third match with the Loggers defeating the Pioneers with a score of 25-12 in the second match and 25-18 in the third. All of the spikes, blocks, and digs were working perfectly for the Loggers. Sophomore Jackie Harvey (Santa Barbara, Calif.) led the team with ten kills and also had ten digs, while Freshman Nicolette Reynaud (Los Gatos, Calif.) totaled eight blocks. Senior Juliette Witous (Sonoma, Calif.) was also a key player on Friday by leading the team with eleven digs.
During the game against the Linfield, the Loggers clearly came to play and that was apparent to everyone watching on Saturday. Throughout the game the Loggers held a strong lead a majority of the time, even when it seemed as if Linfield was catching up. The first match ended with a score of 25-22 in the Loggers favor. The second match was a little similar to the first score wise, but with Senior Brynn Blickenstaff (Eagle, Idaho) making the winning kill for that match the Loggers pulled through with a score of 25-23. The Loggers also won the final match with a score of 25-19 over Linfield. Senior Stephanie O’Connor (Ontario, Ore.) helped the team with fourteen digs and six kills.
Coming into Homecoming weekend the Puget Sound Volleyball Team is currently ranked 16th in the nation, but their new ranking will come out on Tuesday. From this team’s momentum and strong game play, it can be suspected that their ranking will continue to get better. It is apparent that the team dynamic this year is different than last year, and Blickenstaff said, “The difference between how the team played last year vs. this year is that we are more well-rounded and confident in a quick swing attack. Our offense is dynamic and we have an incredible defense and passing lineup that allows us to put big numbers on the board.” When talking about expectations for the season Senior Erika Greene (Sandy, Utah) said, “We are hoping to win the conference to make it to regionals, rather than an at large bid. We think we have the talent to be in the elite 8 as long as we stay focused, work hard, and execute.” This Wednesday the Loggers will be playing against cross-town rivals Pacific Lutheran University.