What's Bruin: George Fox Volleyball 2006

File photo courtesy: George Fox University

SALEM - - Weekly News & Notes

Record: 3-6 (Home: 0-0, Away: 0-4, Neutral: 3-2) /

NWC: 0-0 (Home: 0-0, Away: 0-1)

Highlights:

* Coming Up: Three Games in Two Days for Home-Opening Weekend

* Panico Honorable Mention for NWC Player of Opening Week

* NWC Stats: Anderson, Bruins Lead League in Blocks

Coming Up:

Fri., Sept. 15th, 7:00 PM - vs. University of Puget Sound, Newberg, Ore. (NWC)

Sat., Sept. 16th, 1:00 PM - vs. Dixie State College, Newberg, Ore.

Sat., Sept. 16th, 7:00 PM - vs. #3 University of La Verne, Newberg, Ore.

Puget Sound (5-1, NWC 0-0): Home opener for the Bruins, first Northwest Conference game for the Loggers ... UPS, which tied for second in the NWC last year, is the pre-season favorite to win the league this fall ... UPS was listed among "other receiving votes" in this week's AVCA/NCAA Division III poll with 55 points, 11 out of the top 25 ... The teams have already met once this season, with UPS winning 3-0 on Sept. 2 in the UPS Invitational ... Puget Sounds leads the league in kills (15.54) ... Monica Groves is the NWC leader in kills (4.88) and hitting pct. (.407) ... Next game for UPS is at Pacific Saturday at 7:00 PM in an NWC match ...

Dixie State (4-5): Non-conference match ... The Dixie State Rebels, located in St. George, Utah, are in their first year as members of the NCAA Division II ... The Rebels' offensive leader is Cidney Judkins (4.08 kills per game) ... The Rebels play at Concordia-Portland Friday afternoon and go to Corban Saturday night at 7:00 PM ....

La Verne (5-0): Non-conference match ... The Leopards from California have won every match this season 3-0 ... La Verne is ranked 3rd nationally with 558 points (Juniata is #1 with 599) ... La Verne eliminated Whitworth in last year's West Regional final to win its 5th regional title in six years ... La Verne has finished in the top 10 nationally each of the last six years and won the national championship in 2001 ... The Leopards play at Lewis & Clark Friday night and Whitworth in Salem at 1 p.m. Saturday before meeting the Bruins ... Next game for La Verne is Tuesday at home at 7:30 PM vs. Occidental in an SCIAC match ...

Visit the Northwest Conference web site for the latest NWC Men's Soccer Standings.

Coach Steve Grant

Steve Grant (Biola '69) is 510-320 (.614) in his 25th season as a college head coach, all at George Fox. He entered this season ranked 17th in victories among al-time active D-III coaches. He was Northwest Conference Coach of the Year in 1998, NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1990, and NCCAA National Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1987 when his teams won NCCAA national championships. Click here for the complete bio on Coach Grant.

Bruin Bits:

* Panico Honorable Mention for NWC Player of Opening Week

Jennifer Panico (Fr., OH, Phoenix, Ariz.) received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Player of the Week for Sept. 4-10 with four good games in the Pacific Coast Classic in Claremont, Calif., over the weekend. On Friday, she had 15 kills, 6 digs, and 3 blocks in a 3-1 win over Chapman, and 20 kills, a .405 hitting pct., 8 digs and 2 blocks in a 3-1 loss to Pomona-Pitzer. On Saturday, she posted 8 kills, 4 aces,, 9 digs and 2 blocks in a 3-0 win over Whittier, and 7 kills, 11 digs, and 2 blocks in 3-2 setback to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. For the week, in 16 games, she had 50 kills (3.13 kpg), a .258 pct., 1 assist, 4 aces, 34 digs (2.13 dpg), and 9 blocks.

* 2006-07 Honors

--- Elizabeth Anderson - Bruin Athletic Association Player of the Week (Sept. 1st-4th)

--- Whitney Kolb - Puget Sound Invitational All-Tournament Team (Sept. 1st-2nd)

--- Jennifer Panico - NWC Player of the Week (HM, Sept. 4th-10th)

* NWC Stats: Bruins Early Leaders in Every Offensive Category

Through games of Sept. 12, George Fox leads the NWC in blocks (3.23) while ranking 3rd in hitting pct. (.199), 6th in kills (12.07), assists (10.97), and aces (1.90), and 7th in digs (16.37) ... Elizabeth Anderson leads the league in blocks (1.47) and is 3rd in hitting pct. (.307) and 6th in aces (0.50) ... Holly Hutchinson is 2nd in blocks (1.25) .... Amy Knight is 3rd in assists (9.73) and aces (0.62) ... Karina Philliber is 10th in digs (3.66) ... Cassandra Woods is 10th in blocks (0.76) ...

Visit the Northwest Conference web site for the latest NWC Volleyball Statistics: http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/soccer_men/MSocstandings.htm

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