Volleyball What's Bruin

09/18/2008 - article care of Blair Cash - George Fox University

WHAT'S BRUIN: Weekly News & Notes

Overall Record: 6-5 (Home 5-1, Road 0-1, Neutral 1-3)
Northwest Conference Record: 0-1 (Home 0-1, Road 0-0)

Coming Up - First NWC Road Contest at #16 PLU:
Sat., Sept. 20, 7:00 p.m. - at Pacific Lutheran University Lutes (6-3, NWC 0-0, 2nd T), Tacoma, Wash.

After dropping their Northwest Conference opener at home Wednesday to Pacific, the Bruins face a stiff challenge while seeking their first league win on the road Saturday at 16th-ranked Pacific Lutheran. The Lutes, who won the league last year with a perfect 16-0 NWC mark and a 23-4 record overall, were a close second-place choice to Puget Sound in this year's pre-season coaches poll. Two of PLU's losses this season were to nationally-ranked Cal St-East Bay and Christopher Newport. Beth Hanna, last year's NWC Player of the Year as a freshman, is back and currently ranks 3rd in the NWC in kills (3.44). Kelcy Joynt is 5th in kills (3.00) and 6th in hitting pct. (.263), while setter Sarah Beaver is the pace-setter in assists (10.08). As a team, PLU is 1st in the league in opponents' hitting pct. (.112), 2nd in hitting pct. (.208), assists (11.00), and digs (16.61), and 3rd in kills (12.03) and blocks (2.22). PLU hosts Linfield Friday before meeting the Bruins, then goes to 9th-ranked Puget Sound Wednesday at 7 p.m.

BRUIN BITS ---
Outside hitter Jennifer Panico received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Week for Sept. 8-14 with a strong performance in the Bruins' only match of the week, a 3-2 setback at home to Cascade on Sept. 9. She led the team with 10 kills and only one error in 34 attempts, hitting .263 for the match, with 9 digs, 3 blocks, and an assist. This is her second time as a Player of the Week candidate this season.

2008 Honors:
Natalie Pickett ---
* Bruin Athletic Association Women's Athlete of the Week - (Aug. 25-31)
* Northwest Conference Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Week - (HM, Aug. 25-31)

Jennifer Panico ---
* Bruin Athletic Association Women's Athlete of the Week - (Sept. 1-7)
* Northwest Conference Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Week - (HM, Sept. 1-7; HM, Sept. 8-14)
* Molten-Colorado College Invitational All-Tournament Team

Best Start in Seven Years:
The Bruins' 5-0 start to the 2008 season was their best opening in seven years. The 2001 team began with a 7-0 run before stumbling. The team's best start ever was in 1988 when the Bruins began with an 8-0 run and eventually made it to 14-1.

Bruins in NWC Stats:
In the latest Northwest Conference statistics (thru Sept. 17), George Fox ranks 2nd in blocks (2.25), 3rd in opponents' hitting percentage (.130), digs (16.21), 5th in hitting percentage (.151), 6th in assists (9.86), kills (10.60), service aces (1.60) ... Natalie Pickett is 2nd in blocks (1.19) ... Jessica Morrison is 4th in blocks (0.98) ... Lani Rasmussen is 6th in service aces 0.45) ...

Coach Steve Grant:
Steve Grant (Biola '69) has a 533-349 () record to date in his 27th season as the Bruins' head coach. Entering this fall, his 527 career wins were 14th among active NCAA Division III coaches. He was the NCCAA National Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1987 for leading the Bruins to NCAA national titles, and in 1998, he was the NWC Coach of the Year. The Bruins have posted 20 winning seasons in his 26 years as the GFU coach. Click here for the complete bio on Coach Grant.