Posted: Nov 09, 2011
QUICK LINK: 2011 All-Northwest Conference Volleyball Team
FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The significant improvement of the Pacific volleyball team over the year was rewarded by league coaches Tuesday as three Boxers were selected to the 2011 All-Northwest Conference Volleyball Team.
Middle blocker Kelsy Takashima (Sr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) led the Boxers with selection to the All-NWC First Team. It is the fourth time she has earn all-league accolades and the second time she has been a first team honoree. Libero Jade Thompson (Jr., Marysville, Wash.) was elected to the second team, while outside hitter Alexa Block (Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) was named an honorable mention.
The three selections are the most for Pacific since the 1994 season and caps off a great season of improvement for the Boxers. Pacific finished with a 13-12 overall mark and a fifth place NWC record of 7-9, their best finish since 2007.
Takashima was a force to be reckoned with for the Boxers in 2011, finishing with one of the best single-season hitting efforts in school history. She finished ranked second in the NWC with a .323 hitting percentage, which set a Boxers' single season record. She led Pacific and ranked second in the league with 326 kills and was fourth in the league with an average of 3.26 kills per set. In addition, Takashima led the league with 0.54 service aces per set and her total of 54 aces fell one short of the school single season record.
Over the course of the season, Takashima finished with double-digit kills in all but six matches. She slammed a season-high 24 kills against Whitman on Oct. 14 and put up a Pacific season-high .556 hitting percentage, with 22 kills and just two errors, against No. 22 Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 5. She also had nine service aces in a match against Mt. St. Mary's (N.Y.) on Sept. 2, which tied the Boxers single match record.
"Kelsy is unquestionably one of the league's most valuable players," said Pacific Head Volleyball Coach Lena Chan. "I say that because she has incredible stats, but more so because she never concerns herself with the stats. Kelsy's No. 1 concern is the team. She provides a sense of comfort and consistency both on and off the court."
Thompson moves up on the selection list after earning honorable mention as a sophomore. The Boxers' top defensive player, Thompson finished third in the NWC and set a Pacific single season record with an average of 5.17 digs per set. Her total of 517 digs also smashed the single season mark of 443 set by Jill Hertel in 1996. Thompson had double-digit digs in all but three matches, topped by an impressive 45 digs in a five-set match against Willamette on Oct. 7.
"Not only did Jade make a lot of defensive plays, but more importantly she directed our team defense from the libero position to be the best defensive team in the conference," Chan said. "Jade has become a leader and an inspiration to our team. Her drive to lead a team that competes at the national level is evident in everything that she does."
A Second Team All-NWC selection in 2009, Block spent the season as the Boxers' top outside hitter before missing the final six matches of the year with a shoulder injury. She led the Boxers and finished ranked second in the NWC with 3.37 kills per set, slamming home 246 balls. She also finished third for the Boxers with 197 digs and fourth with 20 service aces. Block finished the season with 10 double-doubles (kills & digs), topped by a 22-kill, 11-dig performance against Millikin on Sept. 3. She also put together a 21-kill, 15-dig performance against Whitman on Nov. 14 and she had a season-high 26 digs against Pacific Lutheran on Oct. 8.
"This season Alexa developed into a true threat at outside hitter because she was not only able to do all of the skills needed to be a great outside hitter, but she also brought a sense of confidence to our teammates," Chan said. "Alexa makes it clear that she believes in each and everyone's abilities on the team. Her season ending early is live a move sequel; we are really looking forward to see what she can do next season."
FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The significant improvement of the Pacific volleyball team over the year was rewarded by league coaches Tuesday as three Boxers were selected to the 2011 All-Northwest Conference Volleyball Team.
Middle blocker Kelsy Takashima (Sr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) led the Boxers with selection to the All-NWC First Team. It is the fourth time she has earn all-league accolades and the second time she has been a first team honoree. Libero Jade Thompson (Jr., Marysville, Wash.) was elected to the second team, while outside hitter Alexa Block (Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) was named an honorable mention.
The three selections are the most for Pacific since the 1994 season and caps off a great season of improvement for the Boxers. Pacific finished with a 13-12 overall mark and a fifth place NWC record of 7-9, their best finish since 2007.
Takashima was a force to be reckoned with for the Boxers in 2011, finishing with one of the best single-season hitting efforts in school history. She finished ranked second in the NWC with a .323 hitting percentage, which set a Boxers' single season record. She led Pacific and ranked second in the league with 326 kills and was fourth in the league with an average of 3.26 kills per set. In addition, Takashima led the league with 0.54 service aces per set and her total of 54 aces fell one short of the school single season record.
Over the course of the season, Takashima finished with double-digit kills in all but six matches. She slammed a season-high 24 kills against Whitman on Oct. 14 and put up a Pacific season-high .556 hitting percentage, with 22 kills and just two errors, against No. 22 Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 5. She also had nine service aces in a match against Mt. St. Mary's (N.Y.) on Sept. 2, which tied the Boxers single match record.
"Kelsy is unquestionably one of the league's most valuable players," said Pacific Head Volleyball Coach Lena Chan. "I say that because she has incredible stats, but more so because she never concerns herself with the stats. Kelsy's No. 1 concern is the team. She provides a sense of comfort and consistency both on and off the court."
Jade Thompson
"Not only did Jade make a lot of defensive plays, but more importantly she directed our team defense from the libero position to be the best defensive team in the conference," Chan said. "Jade has become a leader and an inspiration to our team. Her drive to lead a team that competes at the national level is evident in everything that she does."
Alexa Block
"This season Alexa developed into a true threat at outside hitter because she was not only able to do all of the skills needed to be a great outside hitter, but she also brought a sense of confidence to our teammates," Chan said. "Alexa makes it clear that she believes in each and everyone's abilities on the team. Her season ending early is live a move sequel; we are really looking forward to see what she can do next season."