Sunday, September 2, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Led by two players each from pods featuring the top teams in the West Region, a total of seven GNAC players were selected to the All-Tournament Team for the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, which concluded Saturday at sites in California.

Western Washington senior outside hitter Abby Phelps and junior middle blocker Kayleigh Harper were selected from the Azusa pod, which featured last year’s top-two finishing teams from the GNAC, CCAA and PacWest Conferences. Central Washington senior middle blocker Shelby Mauritson and sophomore outside hitter Makala Swart were selected from the tournament’s Irvine pod.

Simon Fraser senior middle blocker Tessa May was the conference’s lone selection from the Fresno pod while Montana State Billings freshman middle blocker Eavan Taylor was named from the San Francisco pod. Western Oregon senior opposite Mariella Vandenkooy was selected from the Oakland pod.

The seven players led an effort that saw the GNAC go 22-22 in the annual showcase, which features every West Region volleyball program.

Phelps and Harper led Western Washington to a four-match sweep of its matches as the Showcase as the Vikings enter conference play on a five-match win streak. Phelps finished with 65 kills and 73 digs in the four matches, averaging 4.33 kills and 4.87 digs per set. Her week was paced by 21 kills and 25 digs that helped the No. 15 ranked Vikings beat No. 9 Cal State San Bernardino in five sets.

Harper, coming back after a season away from the program, amassed a .355 hitting percentage while averaging 3.40 kills and a GNAC-leading 1.67 blocks per set. She too had her best performance against Cal State San Bernardino, finishing with 18 kills and 12 blocks.

Mauritson and Swart led the Wildcats to a 4-0 mark in the Showcase as Central Washington improved to 6-1 on the season. Mauritson finished with 65 kills, averaging a GNAC-best 4.64 kills per set, and 3.79 digs per set while compiling a .283 hitting percentage. Her top effort came in Friday’s four-set win over Cal State San Marcos, finishing with 22 kills, 12 digs and three aces.

Swart finished the four matches with 59 kills and a ..293 hitting percentage in the four matches. She led the Wildcats with 18 kills to go with six digs and two blocks in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Concordia-Irvine.

May led Simon Fraser to a 2-2 record at the Showcase with 53 kills, averaging 3.12 kills per set, to go along with a .345 hitting percentage. Her weekend was topped by a 12-kill performance in Friday’s opener at Fresno Pacific.

Taylor, last week’s GNAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, led a 2-2 weekend for Montana State Billings as she finished with 22 kills and 19 blocks, averaging 1.27 blocks per set. She came up big in the Yellowjackets’ five-set win at San Francisco State, finishing with six kills and eight blocks.

Vandenkooy paced Western Oregon’s 3-1 weekend by finishing with 43 kills and 51 digs, averaging 3.07 kills and 3.64 digs per set. She best effort came in Friday’s opener against Holy Names, finishing with 14 kills and 15 digs.

As a conference, the GNAC went 22-22 in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. A total of 24 players were named to the All-Tournament Team, which was selected by sports information directors and media at each pod.

2018 D2 WEST REGION VOLLEYBALL SHOWCASE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
AZUSA POD
Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino
Jayann DeHoog, Cal State San Bernardino
Kayleigh Harper, Western Washington
Abby Phelps, Western Washington

IRVINE POD
Deja Thompson, Cal State East Bay
Lindsey Ray, Cal State East Bay
Makala Swart, Central Washington
Shelby Mauritson, Central Washington

SAN RAFAEL POD
Daisy Portillo, Cal State LA
Jeshmarie Suarez, Cal State LA
Erica Chapa, Cal State Monterey Bay
Rachael Schlect, Point Loma

FRESNO POD
Alana Handy, Chaminade
Rachel Reedy, Chaminade
Kim Wright, Chico State
Tessa May, Simon Fraser

SAN FRANCISCO POD
Leafatiaituliagi "Tati" Yandall, Cal State Dominguez Hills
Payton Jensen, San Francisco State
Eavan Taylor, Montana State Billings
Mina Grant, Hawai`i Hilo

OAKLAND POD
Mariella Vandenkooy, Western Oregon
Kristen Hamlin, Cal Poly Pomona
Ramey Gardner, Stanislaus State
Jenna Goldsberry, Cal Poly Pomona