SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster College women's volleyball team will begin the 2012 season this weekend at the Paul Elliott Invitational hosted by Southern Oregon University. Every match of the tournament will be played at McNeal Pavilion on the SOU campus in Ashland, Ore.
The Griffins will begin the year against Oregon Tech on Friday at 11 a.m. That is followed with a 5 p.m. match against UC-Merced to complete day one. The action begins with a 1 p.m. match against the host SOU on Saturday and concludes at 5 p.m. against Viterbo. Live video streaming and live stats will be available for all four Griffin matches with links available at WestminsterGriffins.com.
Griffins Notebook
Westminster is coming off a 2011 season that saw the Griffins go 11-15 and finish fourth in the Frontier Conference. The Griffins return eight players from that squad, including all six starters and the libero. Among that group is first team all-Frontier performer,
Ashley Marchant, and the Frontier Libero of the Year,
Kyndall Kordakis.
Westminster also welcomes seven newcomers to the 2012 squad. Among the group is JC transfer
Jovana Sisovic who was an all-conference performer for Feather River College last season. Freshmen
Rachel Enloe,
Alyse Horton and
Rachel Wyss are all Utah products that join the Griffins this season.
What's Coming Back
With every starter and eight total players returning in 2012, Westminster brings almost 90% of its total statistical output from a season ago. The Griffins will have over 90% returning in kills, assists, blocks and points with over 80% in service aces and 79.5% in digs.
Picked Fourth by the Coaches
Westminster was picked to finish fourth in the Frontier Conference this season according to a poll of the nine conference coaches. They received 40 points in the poll and finished tied with Great Falls for the fourth position. Defending regular season champion Lewis-Clark State College received six first place votes and is the preseason favorite of the league's volleyball coaches to win the conference title for the 2012 season. Conference tournament champion Rocky Mountain College received one first place to finish second, edging third place Carroll College by one vote. The Saints also received one first place vote.
Scouting the Paul Elliott Invitational
The Griffins four opponents at this week's tournament went a combined 76-39 last season. Southern Oregon lost in the first round of the NAIA National Championships after advancing through pool play. Viterbo won their regular season conference championship and missed the national tournament after losing in the championship game of their conference tournament.
Westminster has only faced Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon in the program's history. They are 0-1 all-time against OIT with a 1-2 mark against SOU.
