Volleyball Travels up North to Portland to Open Season at Concordia Tournament

PORTLAND, Ore. – A trio of games in Portland this weekend will signal the start of the 2019 season for the Western Oregon University volleyball team. First serve of the season will take place on Friday at 11:30 a.m. against MSU Denver, before finishing Friday with a 4:30 p.m. matchup with Cal Poly Pomona. To close the tournament, the Wolves will face Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday at 9 a.m.

A new-look roster, along with a new coaching staff has Western Oregon recharged for the new season. The roster features just one senior in transfer Allyson Crisp who recently played at Eastern Oregon. Three juniors will be on the roster in returner Sianna DeCarli along with newcomers Allie Spear and Kazja Fa'agata-Averbuck. Spear stays in the state after playing at GNAC foe Concordia (Ore.), while Fa'agata-Averbuck arrives from Santa Rosa JC. A handful of sophomores are on the team this year in returners Aubrey Stanton, Juliana Cameron and Descinda Slaughter. Joining them will be Delaney Smith from Chemeketa CC and Mikayla Seiler from Palomar CC. Krista Omlid returns as a redshirt freshman, while the rest of the roster is made up of nine freshmen. Kendal Henry arrives from Portland, Kalisi Latu made the trek from Honolulu, Hawaii, Makenzie York remains in the state coming from Florence, Ore., Melissa Blockey arrives from Gilbert, Ariz., Emily West is a local product from nearby Salem, Lauren Smith arrives from Highland, Utah, Kimmie Bain is also a local product from Salem, along with Shay Coons, while Sarah Crowell comes to WOU from Puyallup, Wash.

DeCarli played in all 27 matches and 97 sets last year compiling 164 kills, 42 digs and 65 blocks. Stanton saw action in 15 matches and 44 sets posting 13 kills, 176 assists, six service aces and 81 digs. Cameron played in eight matches and 14 sets with an assist, three service aces and 11 digs. Slaughter played in 25 matches and 86 sets tallying 101 kills, six assists, 30 service aces, 182 digs and 14 total blocks.

Crisp was part of a 25-win campaign for Eastern Oregon last year tallying 88 kills, four assists, 20 digs and 104 total blocks while playing in 29 matches and 83 sets. Fa'agata-Averbuck played in 19 matches and 50 sets for Santa Rosa JC collecting 65 kills, six service aces, 19 digs and 18 total blocks. During the 2017 season with Concordia, Spear played in all 27 matches and 101 sets, coming away with 37 kills, 45 assists, 16 service aces, 343 digs and four total blocks. Seiler played one season at Palomar as last year she saw action in 21 matches and 76 sets posting 14 kills, 427 assists, 17 service aces, 130 digs and four total blocks. Smith was part of Chemeketa's team this past year and is another local product from Salem.

As for the incoming freshmen, Henry was part of a 13-win campaign for Southridge this past season. Latu competed as Kamehameha High School in Hawaii before arriving at WOU. York was a first team All-League selection in each of her four seasons at Siuslaw High School in Florence. She was also a two-time captain. Blockey collected 204 assists during her senior year at Perry High School. She helped lead the Pumas to a 17-win campaign and advanced to the Arizona state tournament placing third overall. Bain didn't have to travel far after competing at West Salem High School where she was a two-time captain and was named to the first team All-Conference in back-to-back seasons. Bain averaged more than 17 kills and 11 digs her senior season. Smith was part of a 26-win season playing for Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah. She saw action in 84 sets and had 122 kills and 54 digs. Lone Peak went on to win the state championship last year. Crowell helped lead Rogers to a 15-win season last year. Coons arrives from nearby McKay High School in Salem where she tallied 409 kills, 34 total blocks, 228 digs and 104 assists last season.

First up, WOU will go against MSU Denver out of the RMAC as the teams have faced each other four times since 2009 with the Roadrunners winning all four meetings. The closest was a five-set match in 2013 that was played in Monmouth. This will be the second time the teams have faced each other in Portland with the last meeting coming in 2016. MSU Denver went 21-10 last year advancing to the NCAA Tournament first round. Alyssa Kelling is the top offensive returner with 189 kills a season ago. The top-three offensive players in terms of kills all graduated last year. Setter Jesse Megenhardt is back after leading the team with 552 assists and is also the top returner on defense in terms of digs with 185 as the other three top marks have graduated. Kayla White is the top returner in blocks having sent back 50 last year, with the top-three also gone from last year's team in that category as well.

Cal Poly Pomona went 24-6 last year advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to GNAC opponent Western Washington. Since 2000, the teams have faced each other nine times with Cal Poly Pomona holding a 7-2 advantage. The Broncos have won the last five meetings, with the last meeting taking place in 2014 with Cal Poly Pomona surviving with the 3-2 win. The last WOU win occurred in 2003 in Monmouth with the Wolves taking the 3-1 victory. The top-four offensive threats are gone from last season leaving Ally Wilder as the top returner with 162 kills last year. Setter Kira Zimmerman is back after dishing out 1,140 assists a season ago. She is also the top returner in digs with 217, with the top-four players in that category not back this season. Wilder is the top returner in blocks tallying 36, with the top-three in blocks not back this season.

The final meeting of the tournament will be against Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday. Last year, the Otters went 16-10 falling in the first round of the CCAA Conference Tournament. WOU and Cal State Monterey Bay have faced each other only once since 2008 with the Wolves taking the 3-1 win in California. Top offensive threat Jenna Tobin returns after leading the team with 272 kills a year ago. The team will be looking for a new setter as Erica Chapa dished out 881 of the 1,093 assists a year ago and isn't on the roster for 2019. Tobin is also the top returner in terms of digs at 265, behind Ashlynne Armstrong's 395 who isn't on the team for 2019. With top blocker Chandler McKean gone after leading the team with 79, Samantha Brennan returns after sending back 56 blocks a season ago.

Live video and stats will be available for all three matches and can be found here.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Juliana Cameron: DS; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#18 Sianna DeCarli: OH; 6' 0"; Junior

#13 Krista Omlid: MB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#20 Descinda Slaughter: OH; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#2 Aubrey Stanton: S; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#5 Kimmie Bain: OP; 6' 0"; Freshman

#11 Melissa Blockey: S; 5' 8"; Freshman

#15 Allyson Crisp: MB/OPP; 6' 2"; Senior

#4 Sarah Crowell: DS; 5' 9"; Freshman

#7 Kazja Fa'agata-Averbuck: MB/OPP; 5' 7"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#14 Juliana Cameron
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: DS

#18 Sianna DeCarli
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH

#13 Krista Omlid
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman
: MB

#20 Descinda Slaughter
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: OH

#2 Aubrey Stanton
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: S

#5 Kimmie Bain
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OP

#11 Melissa Blockey
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: S

#15 Allyson Crisp
: 6' 2"; Senior
: MB/OPP

#4 Sarah Crowell
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: DS

#7 Kazja Fa'agata-Averbuck
: 5' 7"; Junior
: MB/OPP