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Women's Volleyball

Witkop Named an NCCAA All-Region Selection

November 14, 2007—Cougar Volleyball’s outstanding senior, Trisha Witkop, has added another honor to her already jam-packed trophy case. This time, Witkop has been selected by opposing coaches to the NCCAA All-Region team.

Coming off of an incredibly successful senior campaign, Trisha led the Cougars in combined blocks (64), while ranking second in kills per game (2.17).

In addition to her NCCAA All-Region selection, Trisha also earned a spot on the RMAC Honorable Mention team, and as a top-six vote getter in the NCCAA polls, Witkop is now a candidate for NCCAA All-American recognition.

Trisha Witkop Earns RMAC Honorable Mention Nod

November 7, 2007—CCU senior middle blocker, Trisha Witkop, has been named a 2007-08 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honorable Mention selection.

The award marks the second consecutive honorable mention team for Witkop, who competed in all 31 matches this season for the Cougars.

She ended the year ranked first on the team with 64 combined blocks and second on the team with 2.17 kills per game. Trisha has also been the team leader in solo blocks for three of her four years with CCU.

Witkop also posted nine games with double digit kills this year, including eight games with a .300 or better kill percentage, and two games with a .400 or better kill percentage.

In addition to her athletic success, Trisha has also been named to the 2007-2008 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

Congratulations to Trisha for another great season, and an outstanding career with CCU Volleyball! 

#21 Lopers Out-Gun Cougars 3-0 in Season Finale

November 3, 2007—Three ladies reached double digit kills for Nebraska-Kearney, as the Lopers held on for a hard-fought 3-0 victory (30-28, 30-19, 30-22) over CCU Saturday afternoon at Colorado Christian. Box Score

Erica Burson tallied 14 kills, Jeri Walkowiak added 12, and Nikki Scott chipped in 11 in the UNK sweep.

The Cougars got off to a strong start in game one, leading by as many as three for the lion’s share of the contest. The #21 ranked Lopers would not be denied, however, and came trampling back to tie things up at 22 each capped by a Alison Glidden kill.

Each team traded jabs for the remainder of the set, tying again at 24 and 26, before UNK managed to cash in two unanswered to escape with the 30-28 victory.

Games two and three would not be so kind for CCU, as the Cougars were able to remain within striking distance, but could not string together enough consistent play to seriously threaten for the upset.

CCU freshman Kelly Clausen saved the best for last; pouring in 14 kills in the loss, with graduating senior Trisha Witkop tacking on 10 kills on 19 attempts to go along with a solo block.

The Cougars finish the year at 3-18 overall, while UNK improves to 28-4 and 17-2 in the RMAC.

Cougars Surrender 3-0 Decision to Chadron

November 2, 2007—Elizabeth Most and Lindsy Heisler each had 12 kills for Chadron State, as the Eagles coasted to a 3-0 (30-21, 30-16, 30-22) victory over CCU Friday night at the Cougar Event Center. Box Score

The Cougars kept it interesting midway through game one, tying the contest up at nine each thanks to a heater by Elisa Imhof.

It was all Chadron from that point on however, as the Eagles went on an 11-3 run to kill the Cougar momentum and race to the 30-21 game one victory.

CCU once again found themselves falling behind early in games two and three, and failed to gain any ground on the visitors who ultimately cruised to consecutive wins and the three game sweep.

Kelly Clausen continued her impressive play of late, leading CCU with 10 kills on the evening, while Amy Whitlow managed 11 digs and two kills in the loss.

As a team, the Cougars were only able to muster a .008 attack percentage, while Chadron put down .220 of their attempts.

The ladies look to wrap up the season tomorrow evening when they host the University of Nebraska-Kearney at 4:00 p.m.

Cougars Thump Johnson and Wales in Three

October 30, 2007—CCU junior Tina Nance tallied a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs to lead the Cougars to a 3-0 victory (30-21, 30-22, 30-28) over the Johnson and Wales Wildcats Tuesday evening at the famed Johnson and Wales Arena. Box Score

Outside hitter Lynda Hughes gave the Cougars and the fans a glimpse of things to come, as the sophomore showcased her offensive talents, erupting for a game-high 14 kills on 20 attempts with only one error (.650).

Mandy Walker and Savanna Beaver each turned in three combined blocks on the evening, as the ladies rolled to the easy three game decision.

With another victory in the books, the Cougars now gear up to host the Chadron State Eagles on Family Appreciation Night this Friday at 7:00 p.m.

Leeper Leads Diggers to 3-0 Victory at CCU

October 27, 2007—Nicole Leeper amassed a game-high 21 kills on 33 attempts to lead the Colorado Mines Orediggers to a 3-0 victory (30-28, 30-21, 30-24) over the Cougars Saturday night at CCU. Box Score

The Cougars didn’t make things easy for Mines, playing aggressively behind a team-high 13 kills from a red-hot Kelly Clausen.

Cassie Schott tacked on 12 kills and five digs for a Cougar squad that found themselves in the thick of every contest, but were unable to get over the hump at the end of each game.

Elizabeth Serra-Hsu turned in the matches only double-double performance, posting 15 kills and 11 digs for the Orediggers in the win.

With the victory, Mines improves to 6-11 in conference play, while CCU drops to 1-17 and 2-26 overall.

The ladies are back in action this Tuesday evening when they travel cross-town to Johnson and Wales University. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.

Double-Double for Dynamic Duo in Cougar Loss

October 26, 2007—CCU junior Cassie Schott had 18 kills and 11 digs, and fabulous freshman Amy Whitlow posted 17 kills and a remarkable 28 digs for CCU in a five game loss (30-25, 26-30, 19-30, 30-20, 10-15) at the hands of the Colorado College Tigers Friday night in Colorado Springs. Box Score

The Cougars stormed out of the gates to grab the first game 30-25, but sputtered through the second and third games before rebounding to oust the Tigers with a convincing 30-20 win in game four.

With their backs against the wall, Colorado College edged out a 15-10 victory in the matches deciding game to send the Cougars to their sixth straight loss.

As a team, CCU combined for a stellar 12 blocks and a slightly improved attack percentage of .198.

The ladies are back in action Saturday evening when they host Colorado Mines at 7:00 p.m.

Cougars Fall to Metro in Three

October 25, 2007—The Cougar Volleyball team fell in three games (30-17, 30-25, 30-24) at the hands of the Metro State Roadrunners Thursday evening at Metro State. Box Score

Freshman Kelly Clausen led the Cougars with eight kills on the evening and senior Trisha Witkop tacked on five kills and four assisted blocks in the loss.

The Cougars are back in action Friday night when they travel to Colorado Springs for a non-conference bout with the Colorado College Tigers. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Mandy Walker Named First-Team All-Academic

October 24, 2007—Mandy Walker of the CCU volleyball team has been named First-Team RMAC All-Academic for 2007-08.

The 6’1” Walker is the team leader in total blocks and blocks per game, averaging .51 per outing, while ranking third on the team with 74 kills on the year.

In the classroom Walker is equally impressive, earning a combined GPA of 3.95 in business, one of CCU’s most rigorous academic programs.

To be recognized on the RMAC All-Academic First-Team, student-athletes must hold a combined GPA of 3.2 or better and be a standout in athletic competition. First and second teams are voted on by the Sports Information Directors from each conference school which sponsors the respective sport.

While not qualifying for first or second team selection, a conference best seven other Cougars earned a spot on the 2007-08 RMAC Honor Roll.

The list includes, Trisha Witkop, Savannah Beaver, Lynda Hughes, Amanda Huskey, Elisa Imhof, Brittany James and Sasha Kissman. As a group, these seven averaged a stellar grade point average of 3.58. 

Rangers Rout Cougars in Three

Cassie Schott had eight kills and 12 digs, and Kelly Clausen chipped in seven kills for CCU, in a 3-0 loss (30-20, 30-21, 30-17) to the Regis Rangers Saturday evening at Regis.

Melissa Piazza led all players with 12 kills for Regis, while Liz Franz tacked on nine kills and three assisted blocks.
 
The win lifts the Rangers to 8-7 in conference play, while the Cougars fall to 1-14 in conference and 2-23 overall.

CCU is back in action this Tuesday night when they travel to Metro State. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. 

Schott Leads Cougars in 3-0 Loss at UCCS

October 19, 2007—Cassie Schott tallied a team-high 14 kills on 27 attempts for CCU Friday night, but it was not enough as the ladies fell 3-0 (30-15, 30-22, 32-30) to UCCS in Colorado Springs.

Amy Whitlow chipped in five kills and nine digs in the losing effort, while Kelly Clausen logged a game-high three assisted blocks.

The Cougars fall to 1-13 in conference play and hit the court once again tomorrow night when they square off against Regis University at 7:00 p.m.

Clithero, Tigers Overwhelm Cougars in Four

October 17, 2007—Anna Clithero had a game to remember Wednesday night, pouring in 19 digs and 15 kills to lead Colorado College to a 3-1 victory (30-28, 25-30, 18-30, 22-30) over the Cougars in a non-conference bout at Colorado Christian. Box Score

The Cougars stole a 30-28 game one victory from the guests, but failed to get anything going after that, dropping the next three in the match and falling to 2-21 on the season.

Trisha Witkop tallied a game-high 16 kills and a team-high four total blocks, while Kelly Clausen chipped in 12 kills in the loss.

Emily Perkins got in on the double-double action for Colorado College, racking up 10 kills and 13 digs, as the Tigers improve to 19-8 on the year.

The Cougars now hit the road for four consecutive away games, beginning this Friday when they square off with the Mountain Lions of UCCS at 7:00 p.m.

Murdock leads Western New Mexico over Cougars in Three

October 12, 2007—Natali Murdock detonated for a game-high 17 kills on 31 attempts, and Alzie Auelua grabbed a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs, leading the Western New Mexico Mustangs to a 3-0 victory (30-28, 30-11, 30-15) over CCU Friday night at Colorado Christian. Box Score

The Cougars made things interesting in game one, playing the Mustangs tight and ultimately tying the contest up when junior Cassie Schott pounded one home to make it 25 all.

Western edged ahead 27-25 thanks to a Lindsay Morrison kill, but the Cougars hung tough and knotted it all up once again at 28 when freshman Amy Whitlow snuck an attack past the back row defense.

That would be as close as the Cougars would manage however, as the visitors tacked on two unanswered to squeeze out the 30-28 win.

From that point on it was all Mustangs all the time as Western cruised to easy 30-11 and 30-15 victories to seal the match.

Schott led the way for CCU, posting a double-double of her own with 13 kills and 11 digs in the loss.

Next up for the Cougars will be the Tigers of Colorado College. Don’t miss a minute of the action this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. right here at the Cougar Event Center!

Cougars Lasso Cowgirls in Four Game Bonanza

October 11, 2007—The CCU women’s volleyball team grabbed their first conference win of the year Thursday night, downing the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls four games to one (30-21, 25-30, 30-21, 30-21) in a homecoming week thriller. Box Score

The Cougars trailed 9-14 early on in game one, but came roaring out of a timely Aimee Davison timeout to knot the contest up at 15 each. The ladies eventually pulled ahead 17-15 backed by an Elisa Imhof service ace, extended the lead to 27-20 thanks to a pair of Kelly Clausen kills, and eventually rolled to the 30-21 win.

Highlands would not make things easy for the Cougars in game two. The Cowgirls held steady with CCU at first, tying the contest up at 11 and 12 each, before exploding for an 11-3 run to pull ahead 23-15 and hold off a Cougar rally for the 30-25 win.

With the contest all bunched up at one game each, the Cougars came out of the break with an all-business attitude, holding the lead for the lion’s share of game three and cruising to the 30-21 victory.

Everything was at stake in the deciding game four and the Cougars once again answered the call. Highlands pulled ahead 6-5 on a Jasmine Morris heater, but that would be the last they would see of the lead, as CCU rattled off an 8-1 run and never looked back, sailing to the 30-21 decision.

Trisha Witkop racked up a game-high 13 kills on an incredible .435 attack percentage, while finding the time to stockpile a season-high six total blocks.

Cassie Schott, Kelly Clausen and Amy Whitlow each chipped in eight kills in the victory and the Cougars notched a .222 team hitting percentage in the win.

Three Cowgirls reached double figures for Highlands, as Rachelle Mason and Ashley Murray posted 10 kills and Jasmine Morris added a team-high 12.

Next up for CCU is a 7:00 p.m. meeting with the Western New Mexico Mustangs Friday night at CCU.

Cougars Drop Weekend Set at Pueblo and Adams

October 6, 2007—The CCU women’s volleyball team remained winless in conference, falling in three road games to both CSU-Pueblo and Adams State this weekend.

On Friday the ladies dropped 30-23, 30-16 and 30-24 (box score) decisions to the CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves. Trisha Witkop led the way for CCU, posting nine kills on 18 attempts in the loss.

The tide failed to turn for the Cougars in Saturday night’s action, as the ladies fell 30-26, 30-7, and 30-12 (box score) to a stout Adams State squad. Kelly Clausen chipped in seven kills, while Julia Maben notched 13 digs in the losing effort.

The ladies are back in action this Thursday when they host New Mexico Highlands University at 7:00 p.m.

Mountaineers Escape Cougars in Five Tough Games

October 4, 2007—The Western State Mountaineers rallied from a 0-2 deficit to escape with a 3-2 victory (30-26, 33-31, 20-30, 17-30, 12-15) over a suddenly stalwart Cougar Volleyball team Thursday evening in Gunnison, Colorado. Box Score

Bolstered by the heroics of Amy Whitlow and Cassie Schott, the Cougars went to work early on, shocking the Mountaineers and scoring 30-26 and 33-31 wins in the first two games of the evening.

Both Whitlow and Schott notched double-doubles on the evening, with Schott erupting for 10 kills and 16 digs, while Whitlow nearly single-handedly willed the Cougars to victory with 15 kills and 15 digs.

On the verge of their first conference win of the season, the ladies struggled to get over the hump however, eventually dropping the next three, including the final 12-15 game five heartbreaker.

As a team, the Cougars boasted a .105 attack percentage, with senior Trisha Witkop chipping in 14 kills and four total blocks in the losing effort.

The ladies are right back in action Friday evening when they travel to Pueblo, Colorado, for a 7:00 p.m. date with the CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves. 

Resilient Cougars Drop Three Game Set to Mesa State

September 28, 2007—Cougar junior Cassie Schott poured in a game-high 13 kills and eight digs for CCU, but it was not enough as Mesa State staved off a strong Cougar rally to hold on for a three game decision (30-25, 30-17, 31-29) Friday night at Colorado Christian. Box Score

It was more of the same for CCU, as the ladies were held in check for games one and two, but came out strong in the final set of the evening.

With their backs against the wall, CCU stormed out to a seemingly insurmountable 8-4 lead in game three, only to watch the Mavericks battle back to tie it all up at 13 apiece.

With the momentum in their favor and the normally boisterous Cougar faithful silenced, Mesa extended the margin 25-22 and seemed to be cruising to another easy win.

Aimee Davison’s Cougars would not go quietly however, and dug deep to pull off a 4-1 run and knot the contest up at 26 each.

Battling back and forth, each team found themselves tied once again at 29. The game was in the balance and the home fans were creating a deafening stir, but it was all for naught as the Mavericks rattled off two unanswered, capped by a Lindsey Jefferson heater to escape with the 31-29 victory.

Kristen Schnake notched a double-double for the Mavericks with 11 kills and 10 digs, while Jessica Bird fired home nine kills in the win.

Trisha Witkop posted nine kills for the Cougars, followed by  Kelly Clausen who chipped in four and a game-high six blocks in the loss.

The Cougars are back in action next Thursday when they travel to Gunnison to battle the Western State Mountaineers at 7:00 p.m.

Schwab Leads Skyhawks to 3-0 Victory over Cougars

September 27, 2007—Nicole Schwab notched 15 kills and three total blocks to lead the Fort Lewis Skyhawks to a 3-0 victory (30-22, 30-18, 30-25) over CCU Thursday night at the Cougar Event Center. Box Score

Fort Lewis rolled to quick decisions in games one and two, but had a fight on their hands in the final contest.

CCU matched the Skyhawks point-for-point early on in the evening finale, tying the contest up at eight apiece and ultimately pulling ahead 12-10 to force an FLC timeout.

Coming out of the break, the Skyhawks responded with a 7-1 run that was capped off by a Nicole Schwab block to put the visitors ahead 17-13. With her team suddently down by four, Cougar head coach, Aimee Davison, was forced to call a timeout to talk things over.

Following the timely timeout, the Cougars found themselves suddenly rejuvenated by Davison's articulate combination of instruction and encouragement, battling back to pull within one point at 18-19.

Unfortunatley no amount timeouts could derail Schwab and the rest of the Skyhawks. While the Cougars kept things interesting, Fort Lewis slowly extended the margin and pulled off the hard-fought 30-25 game three win.

Freshman Kelly Clausen had a breakthrough night for CCU, logging a team-high six kills, and chipping in three blocks in the loss.

The Cougars now fall to 1-15 (0-7 RMAC) on the year, while the Skyhawks improve to 10-5 (6-1) with the win.

CCU looks to get back on track tomorrow evening when they take on the Mesa State Mavericks right here in the Cougar Event Center at 7:00 p.m.

UCCS Too Much for Cougars in 3-0 Decision

September 22, 2007—Brooke Akers, Diane Sheldon and Heidi Fehringer each reached double-digit kills for UCCS Saturday night, as the Mountain Lions took down CCU in three games (30-22, 30-21, 30-16) at the Cougar Event Center. Box Score
 
Akers led all players with 11 kills and an impressive .409 attack percentage, in addition to chipping in a combined four blocks in the win.

Sheldon and Fehringer each tallied 10 kills for UCCS, while Cortney Weedman logged 19 assists.

The Cougars put up a strong fight in game one, leading 10-8 early in the contest before watching the Mountain Lions explode on a 13-3 run. CCU gained some slight momentum and eventually battled to within five points (21-26), but fell short thanks to a hand full of attack errors followed by a Diane Sheldon kill that gave UCCS the win.

Game two was much of the same for both teams, as CCU made things interesting early on, only to watch the Mountain Lions begin to slowly pull away late. The Cougars came as close as 17-21 mid-way through the contest, but could not close the gap any further, as the visitors finished the game on a 9-4 scoring streak.

In the evening finale, UCCS was rarely challenged, rolling out to an early 14-4 advantage and cruising to the 30-16 win.

Trisha Witkop poured in a team-high 10 kills for CCU, followed by Amy Whitlow and Cassie Schott at four apiece.

With the win the Mountain Lions improve to 7-8 (5-1 RMAC), while CCU drops to 1-14 (0-6 RMAC).

Next up for the Cougars is a date with the Fort Lewis Skyhawks next Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. right here in the Cougar Event Center.  

Meehan, Regis down Cougars 3-0

September 21, 2007—Meghan Meehan logged 13 kills and Kerry Grady chipped in nine to lead the Regis Rangers to a 3-0 victory (17-30, 19-30, 22-30) over CCU Friday night at the Cougar Event Center. Box Score 

Cassie Schott posted a team-high nine kills for CCU, and Tina Nance finished the contest with four kills and a team-high 12 digs in the loss.

The Cougars take the floor once again tomorrow evening when they face the Mountain Lions of CU-Colorado Springs. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.  

Cougars Cook Johnson and Wales 3-0, Sail to Season’s First Win

September 19, 2007—The Cougar Volleyball team dismantled the Wildcats of Johnson and Wales Wednesday night, as they sailed to a 3-0 decision, (30-14, 30-11, 30-17) and scored their first win of the young season. Box Score

Statistically, the ladies dominated in every category, including 14 service aces to one, and a walloping .413 attack percentage to the Wildcats -.034.

The ladies stormed out to a quick 8-1 lead in game one, and were rarely challenged the rest of the evening.

Tina Nance found her rhythm once again, stacking up a game-high nine kills on 19 attempts, while chipping in seven digs in the victory.

Kelly Clausen and Linda Hughes got in on tonight’s action, each tallying six kills, with Hughes converting an impressive six of nine attack attempts with no errors.

The ladies look to keep the momentum alive Friday night, when they host the Rangers of Regis University. Action tips off at 7:00 p.m. right here in the Cougar Fieldhouse.

Cougars Sputter at Mines, Fall in Three

September 15, 2007—The CCU volleyball team’s struggles continued Friday night, as the ladies dropped a three game set (30-24, 30-14, 30-22) to the Colorado Mines Orediggers in Golden. Box Score

Savanna Beaver once again wowed fans with her remarkable arsenal of high percentage attacks, downing seven kills on only eight attempts for a season-high .875 attack percentage.

Cassie Schott finished the contest with a team-high eight kills for the Cougars, while Julia Maben racked up 12 digs in the loss.

The Cougars (0-12, 0-4 RMAC) now gear up for a home contest against Johnson and Wales University this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Balanced Attack Leads Metro over Cougars in Three

September 11, 2007—Three players reached double-digit kills for the Roadrunners Tuesday night, as Metro improved to 2-1 in RMAC play with a three game sweep (30-21, 30-23, 30-28) over the CCU Cougars in Lakewood. Box Score 

Kelsey Ellis notched 14 kills, Danielle St. Pierre added 10 kills and Julie Green-McFarland hammered home a game-high 16 kills on 39 attempts in the Metro State victory.

The Roadrunners cruised to an easy nine point decision in game one, but the Cougars tightened up to make things more interesting from that point on.

CCU found themselves down early once again in game two, but got right back into the thick of it when freshman Kelly Clausen’s solo block capped a 4-1 run to bring the Cougars to within striking distance at 17-20.

Metro would not be denied however, and rattled off four unanswered points to squash the CCU momentum and eventually roll to the 23-30 final.

Despite trailing for the majority of game three, CCU climbed to within one point (27-28) off of a powerful kill (followed by an even more powerful stomp of celebration) by senior Mandy Walker. McFarland scored the next point for Metro, but followed that up with a service error that gave the Cougars life. Clinging to a 29-28 advantage Ellis zipped the final attack past the CCU defense to seal the 30-28 victory for Metro.

Walker continued her strong play of late for the Cougars, racking up a team-high 11 kills on 20 attempts (.450), while chipping in three total blocks. Junior Cassie Schott tacked on 10 kills and five digs in the loss. 

The loss drops CCU to 0-11 on the year and 0-3 in conference play. The ladies are back in action this Friday when they travel to Golden, Colorado for a 7:00 p.m. bout with the Orediggers of Colorado Mines. 

Chadron Eliminates Cougars in Four 

September 9, 2007—CCU junior Cassie Schott erupted for 18 kills and 13 digs Saturday night at Chadron State, but it was far from enough, as the ladies committed 26 service errors and ultimately fell in four sets (18-30, 30-22, 32-34, 23-30) to the Eagles.

Chadron breezed their way to an early 18-30 decision in game one, but the Cougars stormed back to tie things up with a 30-22 victory in the second set.

The Eagles survived a 34-32 barn-burner in the third match, thanks in part to eight crucial Cougar service miscues. Chadron was then able to ride that momentum to a seven point game-four triumph to wrap up the evening.

Both teams completed the contest with almost identical hitting percentages. CCU notched 60 kills and 30 hitting errors in 197 attempts for a .152 percentage, while Chadron finished the contest at .151.

Mandy Walker continued her strong play on the weekend, adding 12 kills on 31 attempts (.290), while posting a game-high four assisted blocks. Sasha Kissman handed out 45 assists for the Cougars and Julia Maben led the back row defense with 20 digs in the loss.

The setback drops the Cougars to 0-10 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

You won’t want to miss any of the excitement this upcoming Tuesday, when the ladies look to get back on track against cross-town rival Metro State. Come join the crowd and cheer on the ladies as they tip off the action at 7:00 p.m. right here at the Cougar Event Center.

Lopers Drop Cougars in Three

September 7, 2007—The University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers defeated the Cougars 3-0 (8-30, 25-30, 20-30) Friday night in Kearney, Nebraska.

Mandy Walker led the Cougars with a season-best seven kills on 17 attacks (.353), while Sasha Kissman posted 16 assists in the loss.

Nikki Scott exploded for UNK, notching 16 kills on 25 attempts with an incredible .600 attack percentage to lead the Lopers to their first conference win of the year.

CCU is back in action tomorrow evening when they square off against the Eagles of Chadron State. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Witkop Earns All-Tourney Honors

September 4, 2007—CCU senior Trisha Witkop (Arvada, CO) has been voted to the Rollins College All-Tournament Team for her strong play this past weekend.

Witkop notched seven kills against both Rollins College and Michigan Tech over the weekend, while posting a .301 hitting percentage and amassing 7 blocks in three games.

The Cougars hit the road once again this weekend, as they travel to Nebraska-Kearney and Chadron State. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. each day.

Cougars Swept on Season’s First Road Trip

September 2, 2007—The CCU Volleyball team came up empty this weekend at the Rollins College Tournament in Orlando Florida. The Cougars fell 0-3 to Alabama-Huntsville and host Rollins College, before dropping a 1-3 decision to Michigan Tech.

Lynda Hughes highlighted the stat sheet for CCU in the weekend opener. Hughes pounded home a team-high six kills on .333 hitting in the 0-3 defeat (20-30, 28-30, 24-30) to Alabama-Huntsville.

It was much of the same for the Cougars in Friday’s second contest, as the ladies failed to get anything going against host Rollins College. CCU fell 0-3 (13-30, 26-30, 21-30) despite a team-high high seven kills on 19 attacks (.316) by senior middle Trisha Witkop.

Elisa Imhof led the charge for CCU in the final contest, racking up 12 kills on 24 attempts and falling one dig shy of a double-double with nine, in the 1-3 (22-30, 30-28, 20-30, 28-30) disappointment to Michigan Tech.

The schedule does not get much easier for the Cougars, as they now gear up for a trip to Nebraska-Kearney this upcoming Friday, and Chadron State on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. each day.

U of Mary Upends Cougars 3-0

August 29, 2007—The University of Mary Marauders improved their season record to 2-2, downing CCU volleyball in three straight games, 30-19, 30-25, 30-28, (box score) Wednesday afternoon at the Cougar Event Center.

Tatiani Santos put on an offensive display for the Marauders, racking up a game-high 14 kills while hitting .560 on the afternoon. Ashley Maas notched the contests only double-double, excavating 12 digs, while chipping in 10 kills in the victory.

Once again Cassie Schott led CCU with nine kills on the afternoon, while Trisha Witkop followed closely behind with eight kills on 15 attempts. Mandy Walker added a game-high two solo blocks in the loss.

The Cougars hope to rebound this weekend as they travel to Orlando, Florida for a showdown at the Rollins College Tournament. The weekend’s first contest is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Friday, when the ladies face Alabama-Huntsville. 

Schott Nabs All-Tournament Honors

August 28, 2007—CCU junior Cassie Schott (Indianapolis, IN) joined the Mile High Classic elite this past weekend, as she was voted by opposing coaches to the MHC All-Tournament Team.

A transfer from the University of Indianapolis, Schott racked up three double-doubles in four matches for the Cougars, averaging a team-high three kills and almost four digs per game. 

Despite her heroics, the ladies dropped all four matches to some tough competition over the weekend, including two heartbreaking five game setbacks to the University of Charleston and Western State.

Come cheer on Cassie and the rest of your Cougars as they look to capture the season’s first win versus the University of Mary. The action tips off this Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. right here in the Cougar Event Center.

Cougars Edged Out on Day Two of Classic

August 25, 2007—Cougar Volleyball suffered two heartbreaking decisions Saturday evening, falling in five games to both Western State (20-30, 30-28, 30-20, 28-30, 13-15) and the University of Charleston (30-26, 29-31, 28-30, 30-27, 11-15) on the final day of the Mile High Classic.

Senior Trisha Witkop tallied 14 kills on 32 attempts to lead the Cougars in the afternoon’s opening match versus Western. Cassie Schott continued her impressive play, tallying 13 kills and 15 digs in the loss.

In the final contest of the weekend, freshman Amy Whitlow notched her first collegiate double-double, exploding for 14 kills and 19 digs in the 2-3 defeat to the University of Charleston. Fellow frosh Kelly Clausen chipped in nine kills, while Schott led all players with 16 kills on an impressive .300 attack percentage.

Still searching for their first win of the young season, the ladies have another crack at it this Wednesday August 29th, when they host the University of Mary. Game time is slated for 3:00 p.m.

Cougars Stumble on Day One of Classic

August 24, 2007—The 2007 season got off to a slow start for Cougar Volleyball Friday night, as the ladies dropped a disappointing 1-3 decision to Chadron State, before falling 0-3 to the Coyotes of South Dakota.

At first glance things looked promising for the revamped Cougars, as they stormed out of the gates quickly, taking a decisive 30-21 victory over Chadron in game one of the opening match.

Unfortunately, that would be all of the highlights the ladies could muster in the afternoon opener, as Chadron rattled off 3 unanswered victories (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) thanks to a game-high 21 kills by Eagle standout Lauren Emory.

Senior middle blocker Savanna Beaver led CCU with 15 kills on a whopping .714 attack percentage, while Cassie Schott kicked off her career as a Cougar in style, posting 14 kills and 15 digs in the loss.

The Cougar’s luck failed to take a turn for the better in the evening’s final match, as South Dakota out dueled the ladies 30-25, 30-22, and 30-19.

Once again, newcomer Cassie Schott stood out for CCU, racking up eight kills and 14 digs, while Elisa Imhoff chipped in eight kills and 15 assists. Laura Slagter and Kathleen Jruska each posted eight kills for the Coyotes, while Gina Baldwin tacked on 36 assists in the victory.

The Cougars are right back at it Saturday afternoon, as they host Western State College at 3:00 p.m. and the University of Charleston at 7:00 p.m.

Volleyball Earns AVCA All-Academic Honors

July 20, 2007—For the second consecutive season, the CCU Volleyball team has earned the GamePlanä/AVCA Team Academic Award for their efforts in the classroom during the 2006-2007 academic year.

The award, initiated in 1992, honors collegiate and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale during the school year.

Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.  Each school will receive a plaque, and each player a certificate commemorating the designation.
 
The Cougars were one of only two RMAC schools to receive the award, finishing the year with a team GPA of 3.44. In addition to the AVCA honors, Cougar Volleyball also ranked first in team GPA for the entire CCU athletic department.
 
“The AVCA is again privileged to present the GamePlan / AVCA Team Academic Award to these outstanding intuitions,” said Kathy DeBoer, AVCA Executive Director.  “We congratulate the student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom and thank our coaches for instilling this dedication in the young women and men of our sport.”
 
For complete release, including list of award recipients, click here.

Coed Outdoor Volleyball Tournament

On Saturday, July 21, adult outdoor volleyball players are invited to participate in a day of fun competition at a coed rotating pairs tournament at Colorado Christian University.

The tournament will take place at the soccer field on CCU’s main campus and is just $40 per two-person team. All proceeds go to support the CCU women’s volleyball team. Everyone who participates will receive a free t-shirt and can compete to win other great prizes.

Register your team online today! Be sure to include your partner’s name in the “Other Attendees” section on the registration form.

Volleyball Leads Athletics in Team GPA Two Semesters and Counting…

May 24, 2007—The Cougar women’s volleyball team recently completed the spring semester with a team grade point average of 3.44, a number which ranks them first place for the entire CCU athletic department for the second consecutive semester.

“Coach Carey and I are so proud of our girls and the hard work they continue to put forth in the classroom. We would not expect anything less from this talented group,” stated head coach Aimee Davison.