By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- A successful 2015 season has the Willamette University volleyball team ready for a repeat this fall. The Bearcats will begin the 2016 season with four matches at the Bethel Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota, this weekend.
In 2015, Willamette went 15-9 overall, including 11-5 in the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats finished third in the NWC standings. WU defeated the top two teams -- Whitworth University and Pacific Lutheran University -- in matches at Cone Field House, and ended the year 8-1 at home.
Willamette will open this weekend's tournament against Nebraska Wesleyan University on Friday, Sept. 2 at 3:30 p.m. CDT/1:30 p.m. PDT. The Bearcats will take on host Bethel University on Friday at 7:30 p.m. CDT/5:30 p.m. PDT.
On Saturday, Sept. 3, Willamette will complete the tournament with matches against Wartburg College (Iowa) at 10 a.m. CDT/8 a.m. PDT and versus University of Wisconsin-Superior at 2 p.m. CDT/12 p.m. PDT. Bethel will be providing Video and Live Stats. Please note that video will not be available for the Bearcats' match against UW-Superior.
Willamette graduated last year's top attacker, Sarah Fincher ('16), who was named First Team All-Northwest Conference, NWC Volleyball Player of the Year, and Honorable Mention All-West Region. Lindsey Compton ('16) also graduated after earning First Team All-NWC recognition.
Fincher registered 333 kills, averaged 3.54 kills per set and attained a .239 hitting percentage. She earned 10 or more kills in 19 of 24 matches. She concluded her career with 952 kills and a .209 hitting percentage. Including one season at Southwest Baptist University (Mo.), she pounded out 1,051 kills.
Compton played in all 24 matches and all 94 sets in 2015. She provided the Bearcats with 406 assists for 4.32 assists per set. She also achieved 203 kills (2.16 avg.) and 325 digs (3.46 avg.). During three seasons with the Bearcats, Compton earned 1,095 assists, plus 807 digs and 410 kills.
As the Bearcats enter the new season, Alexa Dowdell (Sr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) is the top returning hitter. She played in every match and every set last fall, while leading Willamette and ranking fourth in the NWC with a .251 hitting percentage. She accumulated 216 kills, 2.30 kills per set, and a ttoal of 73 blocks. She was named Honorable Mention All-NWC.
Head Coach Tom Shoji, in his ninth season at Willamette, plans to have a balanced attack. Dowdell may lead the way, but Shoji also looks for several other attackers to make a difference for the Bearcats this fall.
Other top returning hitters for WU are seniors Riley Fawcett (OH, Normandy Park, WA/John F. Kennedy HS) and Taylor Lum (MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS), along with junior Emma Liband (MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS).
Fawcett supplied 113 kils in 2015, while Liband earned 94 kills and led the Bearcats with 116 blocks (1.55 blocks per set). Lum pounded out 75 kills and recorded 60 total blocks.
Also returning are Aspen Peterman (So., OH/OPP, Bend, OR/Bend HS) and Jo Stensaas (So., MH/OPP, Weed, CA/Weed HS).
Newcomers at the hitter positions are Jennifer Lane (Fr., MH/OH, Salinas, CA/Notre Dame HS), Lauren Stiles (Fr., OH, Altadena, CA/Flintridge Preparatory School), Kendall Fox (Fr., OH, Dupont, WA/Steilacoom HS), Madison Haley (Fr., MH/OPP, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) and Larsen Fellows (So., OH, Homer, AK/Homer HS).
Tynan Gable (Jr., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS), who played in every match and every set last season, led the Bearcats with 451 assists and 4.80 assists per set. Other setters this year are Morgan Webster (So., S/DS, Milwaukie, OR/Milwaukie HS) and Kunani Tuttle (Fr., S/OPP, Anahola, HI/Kappa HS).
After playing in Minnesota this weekend, the Bearcats will return to action in Sherman, Texas, next weekend when they compete at the Austin College Tournament on Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10. WU will take on Sul Ross State University (Texas), McMurry University (Texas), Concordia University (Texas) and host Austin College.
The Bearcats will play their home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 10 against nearby rival Linfield College. Match time at Cone Field House is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).
