Takashima Nearly Perfect As Boxers Bounce Bruins

09/17/2008 - article care of Blake Timm - Pacific University

Box Score: http://www.goboxers.com/vb/stats/2008/VB09-17.HTM

Northwest Conference Volleyball Pacific def. George Fox 27-25, 25-17, 25-19

NEWBERG, Ore. ­ A nearly flawless performance by Kelsy Takashima (Fr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) led Pacific to a victory in their first Northwest Conference match under Lena Chan Wednesday, as the Boxers beat George Fox in three sets, 27-25, 25-17, 25-19, in volleyball action at the Wheeler Sports Center.

Takashima put up an impressive .455 attack percentage, registering 10 kills and no errors in 22 total attempts. She added eight block assists, tying the Pacific single match record set by Joanna Delanty (Sr., Washougal, Wash.) back on Sept. 5 and set a new three-game match record for total blocks, bettering the mark of six, set by Lexie Graham in 2002. Her only two errors on the night came in the form of service errors.

As a team, the Boxers (2-7, 1-0 NWC) used their presence on the block to snap their seven-match losing streak, finishing with a team total of 10 blocks.

Caitlin Gollehon (Sr., Bozeman, Mont.) led Pacific offensively with 15 kills as the Boxers hit .147 for the match. Gollehon and Melissa Dunn (Sr., Sonoma, Calif.) each finished with 16 digs and Brittney Johnson (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) added 13 assists.

Set one was tight throughout, featuring seven lead changes and 16 ties. Gollehon sparked a 5-0 run that lifted the Boxers from a 15-14 deficit to a 19-15 lead, the largest by either team to that point. Still ahead at 23-19, the Boxers surrendered four straight points to the Bruins, with Lyndsay Hovee recording back-to-back kills to rally the Bruins. The Boxers had set point three times thereafter, finally securing the game the last time on a service ace by Gollehon.

The first half of set two was close until midway through when Pacific took control. A kill by the Bruins¹ Natalie Pickett forged an 11-11 tie, but the Boxers scored the next four points, including two more kills by Gollehon, to move in front for good. A Johnson service ace closed out the set and gave the Boxers their largest lead of eight points.

The final set saw seven ties early on, the last at 11-11 when the Bruins¹ Ali Lefebvre served an ace. A kill by Takashima broke the deadlock, and the Boxers gradually pulled away. A kill by Dunn closed out the match, the final six-point margin equaling Pacific¹s largest lead of the set.

Jennifer Panico led the Bruins with eight kills, while Lefebvre had 11 assists. Hovee finished with 14 digs, Sarah Burkey added 13 and Lefebvre and Ashley Sheller had 10 apiece. Pickett was in on three of the Bruins¹ five blocks.

Pacific returns to conference action on the road Friday, traveling to Tacoma to face No. 9 ranked Puget Sound.