Takashima Slams Boxers To First Win Of Season
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – Kelsy Takashima (Jr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) gave notice that her move from middle blocker to outside hitter was a smart one Friday, smashing 20 kills to lead Pacific to a four-set victory over Oneonta State, 25-18, 19-25, 25-18, 25-20, in volleyball action at the Pacific Athletic Center.
The effort was a career best for Takashima, who hit .405 for the match and also had six digs and a block. The performance paced a strong hitting night for the Boxers (1-1), who hit .170 for the match and hit no worse than .200 in their three winning sets.
Keahi Braginsky-Ahloo (Fr., Wahiawa, Hawaii) added 11 kills off the bench. Danica Thompson (Fr., Sister, Ore.) notched a double-double of 37 digs and 10 assists, Lychelle Roberts-Kirby (Fr., Kent, Wash.) had four blocks and Jade Thompson (So., Marysville, Wash.) finished with 12 digs.
Brittany Calvello led the Red Dragons (0-1), of Oneonta, N.Y., with 12 kills as the team hit .098 for the match. Kelsey Klopfer added 19 assists and Christina Fabiochi finished with 12 digs.
The Boxers stormed out of the gate in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, scoring the first five points of the match in a run that included a pair of aces. The Red Dragons found their stride, coming back to tie things at 11-11 on a service ace. Pacific allowed Oneonta State just two more points off of their own serve the rest of the set while going up 20-14 on a Takashima kill. The Boxers capitalized on an attack error to take the 25-18 victory.
A pair of well-timed runs proved to make the Red Dragons winners in the second set. They led 3-2 before scoring the next five, including three on attack errors, to go up 7-2. The Boxers used a service error to back within 14-9 before a Pacific attack error started a string of seven unanswered points, two off of Calvello kills, made it a 21-9 deficit. A run of five points brought the Boxers to within 21-15, but Oneonta State went on to the 25-19 win.
The two teams engaged in a close third set that saw neither squad led by more than three points until late. Pacific led 15-14 before scoring a string of four straight points to go ahead 19-14. Two kills by Takashima down the stretch made it a 23-18 lead before Samantha Harris' (Fr., Selah, Wash.) service ace gave Pacific the 25-18 win.
Despite going up 4-0 to open the frame, Pacific found themselves well matched in another closet set in the fourth. Oneonta State tied it at 8-8 and took their first lead since the second set, 9-8, on Erica Darpino's kill. The Boxers bounced back to score the next five points, two on service aces, for a 12-9 edge, but the Red Dragons tied it again at 15-15 and took the 16-15 lead on Megan Boeltz's kill.
Pacific took the lead for good when Takashima's 18th kill of the night made it 19-18. Pacific scored six of the next eight points of the match, closing it our on a pair of kills by Braginsky-Ahloo.
Tonight's match was the opener of the 2010 Boxer Kickoff Volleyball Invitational. Action continues Saturday at 9 a.m. when Nebraska Wesleyan faces Linfield. The Boxers return to the floor at 7 p.m. against Bethel (Minn.), while Oneonta State faces Linfield at 1 p.m.
