2008 Volleyball Season Review
AND
A FRESHMAN SHALL LEAD THEM: Freshman middle blocker Kelsy Takashima
proved to be a quiet, but very effective presence for Pacific at the net.
Effective enough that she became the second First Team All-Northwest Conference
selection in as many years.
Takashima appeared in all 86 sets for the Boxers and proved to have an impact in dominating style. The freshman led the Boxers and ranked second in the NWC with a .279 attack percentage, which included 215 kills against just 73 attack errors. She also finished ranked 10th in the conference in blocking at 0.70 blocks per set and was second for the Boxers with her total of 59 blocks. Takashima set a school record for blocks in a three-set match with her eight against Willamette on Oct. 31 and also set a second record with nine block assists. She finished with a season high of 17 kills in a match against George Fox on Oct. 15.
"Kelsy has been a joy to work with since day one," said Pacific Head Coach Lena Chan. "No matter if the team is winning or losing, she gives the team everything she has. The way she plays gives confidence to the players around her. She is one of the best middles in the conference and the best thing is that we have only seen the beginning stages of her maximum potential."
Takashima was a component of a very young group that comprised the All-NWC Volleyball Team. She was one of three freshman of the team. The rest of the squad consists of three sophomores and one junior.
WELL
DUNN, MELISSA: A solid end to a good four-year career for Melissa
Dunn was rewarded with her first all-conference honors of her career, being
selected by conference coaches to the All-NWC Second Team.
Dunn capped her career with perhaps her best season. She led the Boxers with 246 kills, 33 aces and 332 digs, and ranked third in the conference in aces, eighth in kills and ninth in digs. Her 332 digs rank eighth on Pacific's single season list. Dunn finished the year with eight double-doubles (kills and digs). She established season highs of 20 kills against Linfield on Nov. 1 and 30 digs against George Fox on Oct. 15.
"Melissa was our best all-around player," Chan said. "Once she learned the new system, Melissa ended up to be an incredible defensive asset to the team in addition to being one of our most consistent hitters all season long. Melissa has a competitive spirit that will take her places. I am only sorry to say that I had only one season to work with her."
MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT: The adjustment from one coach to another can be a difficult and bumpy process. Such was the case for Pacific volleyball in 2008 as Lena Chan took the reins from Chris Stanley, who retired after five seasons with the program.
After opening their season with a four-set victory over Neumann (Pa.) in the opening match of the Boxer Kickoff Invitational, the Boxers struggled over the rest of the non-conference schedule. Their seven-match losing streak included three losses at the Boxer Kickoff, including two to nationally ranked foes in Cal State East Bay and Christopher Newport, and four at the Pacific Coast Classic in Southern California.
Pacific righted the ship by posting a three-set win over George Fox and went on to win four of their first five NWC matches. The span included three wins in straight sets and a five-set win in a slug out with Willamette.
Much of the rest of the season was punctuated by a number of matches where the Boxers were in it, but didn't quite get over the top. Pacific closed the year with a 2-9 record, which included three five-set heartbreakers to Lewis & Clark, George Fox and Linfield. Pacific closed the season with a 7-17 record and a 6-10 conference mark, tying them with George Fox for sixth in the NWC standings.
A
STRONG SET-UP: With the departure of Anela Iseke, the Boxers had
a hole to fill at setter. The Boxers looked to a freshman and a pair of
sophomores to fill the void.
Freshman Brittney Johnson earned the starting role for the Boxers and posted a solid season in her first playing collegiate volleyball. Johnson started in and played in all 86 sets. Her 515 assists and 5.99 assists per set were ranked fifth in the NWC. She posted a season high of 39 assists in a five-set loss to Lewis & Clark on Oct. 10. She also ranked fourth best for the Boxers with 155 digs, coming up with 1.80 digs per set.
Likewise, sophomores Brooke Toy and Lia Nishikura were effective in making Lena Chan's two-setter system work well. Toy played in 18 matches, coming up with 151 assists. Nishikura, meanwhile, saw action in 15 matches and finished with 136 assists.
A BOXER FOR THE BLOCK, PLEASE: If the Boxers improved in any one area of their game, it was in their blocking. Pacific saw five blocking records tied or fall over the course of the season. As a team, Pacific set a record for blocks in a three-set match. Their 11 against Willamette on Oct. 31 surpassed the old mark of nine set against Southwestern (Texas) in 2006. Pacific also tied a record for blocks in a five-set match with 12 against George Fox on Oct. 15, matching the mark set most recently against Warner Pacific in 2007.
Individually, Kelsy Takashima established a new mark for individual blocks in a three-set match against the Bearcats. Her eight blocks surpassed the mark set by Lexie Graham in 2002. Meanwhile, Takashima and Joanna Delanty took turns setting records for block assists in a match. Delanty established a new mark with eight block assists against Chapman on Sept. 5. Takashima later equaled it with eight block assists against George Fox on Sept. 17. She later hold the record for herself against Willamette, registering nine block assists.
CAREERS WELL ENDED: Outside hitter Caitlin Gollehon came into her own over the final two years of her Pacific career and finished up with a stellar season. Gollehon ranked 10th in the NWC in kills, averaging 2.77 per set while playing in all 86 sets. Her totals of 238 kills, 167 digs and 34 blocks were all career highs.
Likewise, Joanna Delanty saw her Pacific career end with a solid starting effort at middle blocker. Delanty appeared in 76 sets and started 18 matches. Her biggest contribution came in the blocking department where her 57 blocks trailed Takashima by just two. Delanty's 0.75 blocks per game tied her for seventh in the NWC.
Season Summary
Overall Record: 7-17
NWC Record/Finish: 6-10 (tie 6th)
Home Record: 4-8 Away Record: 3-7 Neutral Site: 0-2
SEASON HONORS
First Team All-Northwest Conference: Kelsy Takashima (MB)
Second Team All-Northwest Conference: Melissa Dunn (OH)