Senior Andrea Potloff was honored prior to the start of Friday's match, as she prepared to step onto Warrior Court for the final time during her career as a Warrior.
Corban Sweep Sends Senior Off With Victory
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – On Senior Recognition Night, Corban's women's volleyball team closed out the 2009 season with a three-set sweep over conference rival Northwest Christian, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-16), Friday night inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
With the season-ending win, Corban concludes its '09 campaign at 10-17 overall and 8-10 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Northwest Christian ends its year at 6-21 overall and 1-17 in conference matches.
The Warriors' lone senior co-captain Andrea Potloff (Aumsville, Ore.) made her final appearance ever on Warrior Court and registered five digs, which was third best on the team tonight.
"The team made everything so personal tonight," said Potloff. "It feels really good to end on a winning note. The last game, we really played our best volleyball and ended strong. Hopefully the team can use this as a catapult into next season."
For first-year head coach Nels Norquist, this is the most wins that he has recorded in his young two-year collegiate coaching career. Norquist led Corban to double-digits wins for the third season in a row after the Warriors posted back-to-back 12-win seasons each of the past two years.
"It feels really good to make improvements each game, as we played our best volleyball in the third and final game to finish off the season," said Norquist. "I was pleased to get everyone in the match tonight and to see them finish strong."
Freshman Jenny Harman (Salem, Ore.) came off the bench tonight to lead all players with a match-high eight kills and four service aces for the victorious Warriors. Harman was aided by a pair of fellow freshmen, as Chandra Baskoro (Gresham, Ore.) and Morgan Hirzel (Fullerton, Calif.) added seven and six kills respectively. Sophomore Tiffany Land (Independence, Ore.) registered six kills of her own to go along with her match-high five blocks (1 solo, 4 assist), while the Warriors' setting duo of sophomore Megan Dees (Tehachapi, Calif.) and freshman Karisa Calderon (Murrieta, Calif.) handed out a combined 28 assists with each player recording 14. Junior libero Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) anchored Corban's defense with a team-leading 10 digs, while Baskoro and junior Heather Anderson (Corbett, Ore.) provided six digs each for the Warriors.
Set #1 was a back and forth battle over the opening 30 combined points, as Corban knotted things at 15-15 following a Northwest Christian attack error. The host Warriors would then use a 6-2 run to grab an insurmountable four-point lead (21-17) after a service ace by Harman. Corban would close out the opening set thanks to a combo block by Land and Calderon for the five-point win (25-20).
The second set was identical to the opening frame, as both teams battled over the opening 28 combined points before the score was knotted at 14-all via a service ace by NCU's Tessa Greatwood. Corban would not quit, as the host Warriors would use a 10-3 run to grab their largest lead at 24-17 after a Baskoro kill. Corban would allow one set point to get away before closing out Set #2 on a Harman kill for the seven-point victory (25-18).
Set #3 would be a runaway victory for Corban, as the Warriors quickly built a seven-point lead (11-4) after a NCU attack error. Northwest Christian would get within four points (12-8) after a Kayla Hansen kill before Corban would build its lead to as much as nine points (23-14) following a Harman kill. The host Warriors would close out the third and final set thanks to Northwest Christian's 18th and final hitting error of the match for the nine-point victory (25-16) en route to the season-ending sweep.
Potloff, who was part of six straight wins over conference rival Northwest Christian during her career, enlightened on what her time at Corban was like and how tonight's win felt.
"This is a bitter sweet ending to my career," said the senior co-captain. "I hope that the team stays focused during the off-season and united next season so that they can grow and get stronger. The bond that was formed this year is not something that should be a seasonal thing, but should flourish off the court as well."
Norquist talked about how tonight's win can help during the off-season and next year by saying, "Everyone is excited for the off-season, including me, as each girl will be able to work on different areas and help round out our team. We were hungry over the final portion of this year and hopefully we can keep that feeling until next season."
Northwest Christian was led by Greatwood and Cassie Bishop, who had five kills each in tonight's season-closing match. Taylor Hatleberg came off the Beacons' bench to provide a team-leading eight assists, while Bishop anchored NCU's defense with a match-high 12 digs.
With one night of conference matches remaining, Corban will finish in fifth place in the final league standings. This is the highest conference finish for the Warriors since the 2004 season when then-Western Baptist concluded the season in a three-way tie for fourth in the final league standings.