Volleyball | 9/2/2013 4:01:00 PM

2013 WOU VOLLEYBALL INVITATIONAL
Thursday, Sept. 5 – New PE Building
Match 1: Holy Names at Western Oregon – 10:00 a.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 2: Western Washington vs. Cal State East Bay – 12:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 3: Cal State East Bay at Western Oregon – 5:00 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 4: Western Washington vs. Holy Names – 7:30 p.m.- LIVE VIDEO

Friday, Sept. 6 – New PE Building
Match 5: Cal State East Bay vs. Metro State – 10:00 a.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 6: Western Washington vs. Minnesota State – 12:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 7: Cal State East Bay vs. Minnesota State – 5:00 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 8: Metro State at Western Oregon – 7:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO

Saturday, Sept. 7 – New PE Building
Match 9: Holy Names vs. Minnesota State – 10:00 a.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 10: Western Washington vs. Metro State – 12:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 11: Holy Names vs. Metro State – 5:00 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO
Match 12: Minnesota State at Western Oregon – 7:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon volleyball team opens the 2013 season this week as the Wolves welcome five teams to the New PE Building for the WOU Invitational as play at the three-day volleyball showcase opens on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 10:00 a.m. WOU opens the invitational against Holy Names on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. before a meeting with Cal State East Bay at 5:00 p.m.

"We have had a strong start to fall practice and I know the entire team is eager to start the season," head coach Brad Saindon said. "This is an exceptional invitational field and I know we are excited to host five quality programs. It should be a great, three-day event and we will need to play at a high level in order to start the season strong."

WOU enters the season returning eight letter winners from last year's squad that finished the year with a 21-6 record and placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a 14-4 mark. The Wolves are picked fourth in the preseason GNAC poll as WOU received one first-place vote.

Among the eight returning letter winners for the Wolves are four starters – middle blockers Krissi Kemper and Becky Blees, outside hitter Hannah Deede and libero Megan Triggs.

Kemper was a third-team All-American selection last year, the first for the program since the move to NCAA Division II, as she set a GNAC single-season record for kill percentage (.425) and ranked fifth in blocks averaging 0.95 per set.

Blees led the conference in blocks, averaging 1.33 per set in earning honorable mention honors. Deede averaged 1.26 kills and 1.65 digs and also had 80 blocks and 20 aces, while Triggs ranked seventh in the conference in digs averaging 4.53 per set.

Four other returnees include setter Jordin Ramos, middle blocker Cherene O'Hara, outside hitter Kelsie Christensen and defensive specialist Maddie Kuther.

Ramos played in all 90 sets for the Wolves and averaged 4.60 assists and 1.88 digs, while O'Hara netted 1.48 digs per set and had 16 blocks.

Joining the Wolves in the three-day invitational are Holy Names, Cal State East Bay, Western Washington, Metro State and Minnesota State.

On day one, WOU squares off against Holy Names (Thursday, 10 a.m.) and Cal State East Bay (5:00 p.m.). Holy Names, led by head coach Ali Oliver, are tabbed ninth in the preseason Pac-West volleyball poll after finishing last year with an 11-16 overall mark.

Meanwhile, Cal State East Bay enters the season picked seventh in the California Collegiate Athletic Association preseason poll after the Pioneers concluded the 2012 season with a 12-17 overall mark.

Following day one, WOU concludes the invitational with contests against Metro State (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) and Minnesota State (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.) as the Roadrunners and Mavericks enter the season receiving votes in the AVCA top 25 poll.

Western Washington, which will not face WOU during the invitational, enter the season ranked No. 17 in the nation after capturing the GNAC regular season title in 2012.

Admission to the invitational is $6 per session for adults and $4 per session for non-WOU students and seniors. All day passes are available for $10 for adults and $6 for non-WOU students and seniors while all-session passes are available for $25 and $15.

Following this weekend's action, WOU will return to the court on Wednesday, Sept. 11, when the Wolves host Willamette at 7:00 p.m.