| Pirates Host
Whitman and George Fox |
Oct. 4, 2004
|
The Whitworth College volleyball team returns home to the Whitworth Fieldhouse for the next two weeks, playing four matches in a row at home. It begins this week with a Wednesday night match-up with Whitman College before George Fox University visits on Saturday.
The Pirates are coming off of a weekend split in Tacoma where Whitworth defeated Puget Sound but lost to Pacific Lutheran. With an 11-3 overall record mid-way through this season, the Pirates have already surpassed 2003's victory total when they finished 10-18.
| Last Week's Results | (W/L) Score | 2004 Record |
| 10/1 at Puget Sound * | W, 3-0 | 11-2, 4-1 NWC |
| 10/2 at Pac. Lutheran * | L, 3-1 | 11-3, 4-2 NWC |
| This Week's Schedule | Time | Location |
| 10/6 vs. Whitman * | 6 pm | Whitworth |
| 10/9 vs. George Fox * | 7 pm | Whitworth |
| Next Week's Schedule | Time | Location |
| 10/15 vs. Pacific * | 7 pm | Whitworth |
| 10/16 vs. Linfield * | 7 pm | Whitworth |
| * Indicates Northwest Conference match | ||
The Pirates: Whitworth played very well in Friday night's 30-20, 30-23, 30-26 win at Puget Sound. The Pirates hit .282 as a team and recorded 8 team blocks (four unassisted and eight block assists). Julie Marsh (Jr., OH, Cheney, Wash.) totaled 13 kills and 15 digs, both of which were team highs. Rebekah Hornor (Jr., S, Spokane, Wash.) dished out 32 assists and added 11 digs of her own. Natalie Danielson (Jr., MB, Kennewick, Wash.) finished with ten kills and a match-high five blocks. Katy Schrader (Sr., MB, Spokane, Wash.) killed nine balls and finished with a .562 hitting percentage.
The Pirates did not play as well in Saturday's 30-23, 25-30, 30-24, 30-22 loss at Pacific Lutheran. Whitworth hit .189 and could only manage 4 team blocks, while PLU hit .241 and had 10 team blocks. The Pirates also had a season-high five blocking errors. Julie Marsh led again with 15 kills. Rebekah Hornor tallied 44 assists, 17 digs and seven kills. Natalie Danielson finished with 14 kills and two blocks. Whitworth has dropped three straight matches to the Lutes.
NWC Poll: Whitworth finished tied for fifth with Whitman in the 2004 preseason coaches poll. Pacific Lutheran and Willamette are picked first and second in the poll. Click here for the 2004 NWC Coaches Poll.
| NWC Standings | NWC | Overall |
|
Willamette
|
5-1
|
11-4
|
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
5-1
|
6-6
|
| Whitworth |
4-2
|
11-3
|
|
Linfield
|
4-2
|
6-6
|
|
George Fox
|
3-3
|
7-7
|
|
Whitman
|
2-4
|
4-10
|
|
Puget Sound
|
2-4
|
3-11
|
|
Lewis & Clark
|
1-5
|
2-10
|
|
Pacific (Ore.)
|
1-5
|
2-12
|
|
Through 10/2
|
||
The Opponents: The Whitman Missionaries fell to 4-10 overall and 2-4 in the NWC this season when they lost both matches in Tacoma over the weekend. Whitman fell 3-0 at PLU, but the scores of the first two games were 32-30 and 35-33. The Missionaries lost 3-1 at UPS. Lyndsay Buckingham leads the NWC in digs, averaging 5.47 per game. Freshman Leslie Compean leads the team in kills, averaging 3.17 per game. Whitworth swept both meetings from Whitworth last season when the Missionaries were in the battle for a Northwest Conference title.
George Fox University is 7-7 overall and 3-3 in the NWC this season. The Bruins fell 3-2 at home to Willamette over the weekend before winning 3-1 at Lewis & Clark. Junior Linzi Stolsig has been a tremendous addition out of the community college ranks, leading the team in kills (3.9) and digs (4.8) per game. Whitworth and George Fox have already met once this season with the Pirates winning 3-0 in the Whitworth Invitational on the season-opening weekend.
Six From 100: Head volleyball coach Steve Rupe needs only six more victories to reach 100 for his career at Whitworth. Rupe enters the week with a mark of 94-52 in his six seasons leading the Pirates. Only Joanne Atwell-Scrivner, who posted a 177-73 record from 1979-84, has coached the Pirates to more wins on the volleyball court.
The Coach: Steve Rupe is in his sixth season as the head volleyball coach of the Pirates. A 1989 graduate of Whitworth, Rupe has been named the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year twice (2001, 2002) and has become the second-winningest coach in school history with a record of 83-49 (.629) entering 2004. Under his direction, the Pirates have won a pair of NWC titles and have advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament twice (2001, 2002).