ALEXA BLOCK & KELSY TAKASHIMA
Pacific Pair Named To All-NWC Volleyball Team
Pacific Pair Named To All-NWC Volleyball Team
Block, Takashima Earn All-NWC Volleyball Honors
The pair are named 2009 All-Northwest Conference Team by league coaches after leading a young Pacific squad in hitting and blocking
FOREST GROVE – Northwest Conference coaches have selected Pacific University outside hitter Alexa Block (Fr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and middle blocker Kelsy Takashima (So., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) to the 2009 All-Northwest Conference Volleyball Team, which was announced on Tuesday (Nov. 10).
The selections mark just the second time in 12 years that that two Pacific players have been selected for all-conference honors. Block was named to the second team while Takashima, a first team selection in 2008, was selected to the honorable mention squad.
Block was an immediate impact player for the Boxers in her first season. Block led the NWC with 3.62 kills per set while starting all 24 matches and playing in all 94 sets. She led Pacific with 340 kills and finished second for the Boxers in digs with 285 and service aces with 15. Block finished the year with 14 double-doubles (kills and digs) and set a school record for kills in a four-set match with 24 against Whitman on Oct. 9.
Block was selected as Northwest Conference Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Week in her first week at Pacific after she led Pacific to four wins to open the season with three double-doubles and back-to-back 20-kill nights against Wartburg and Central (Iowa).
“Alexa made a statement as a freshman,” said Pacific Head Coach Lena Chan. “She had numerous double-double matches and was consistently our go-to hitter. It will be a privilege to watch Alexa grow into her volleyball potential over the next couple of years.”
Takashima followed up an outstanding freshman season with a steady and consistent effort as a sophomore. Takashima finished second for the Boxers with 221 kills and 2.35 kills per set and was ranked as high second in the conference in hitting percentage earlier in the season. Takashima led the Boxers with 29 service aces, which ranked seventh in the NWC, and 64 blocks.
Takashima opened the season with season highs of 19 kills and a .424 hitting percentage against Concordia (Ore.) on Sept. 1. She set a Pacific record for blocks in a match on Sept. 5, coming up with 11 in the Boxers’ five-set victory over Wartburg.
“Kelsy is respected by all of her teammates,” Chan said. “She works hard at every contact and intends to get better every day. Next season will be a breakthrough year for her.”
The selections cap a year that saw the Boxers struggle with a very young lineup. Pacific finished the season with a 7-17 record and ninth in the NWC at 2-14.
Click Here To View The 2009 All-Northwest Conference Volleyball Team
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on Nov 10, 2009 at 3:24 PM
