Westmont Volleyball traveled to Prescott Arizona, and walked away as champions of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagle Volleyball Kickoff. Westmont and Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) both won three of four games in the tournament, but the Warriors defeated the Tigers in head-to-head play.

On Friday evening, Westmont (3-2) defeated host Embry Riddle (Ariz.) 3-1. The Warriors took the first two games 30-16 and 30-24 but lost the third 27-30. Undeterred, Westmont came back in game four to win 30-28.

Senior Allegra Willis led the Warrior’s hit parade with a .292 hitting percentage and 11 kills. Sophomore Kristen De Groot added nine kills while junior Abby Pierik and freshman Kacie Spencer-Smith contributed eight each. Willis also had four solo blocks and two block assists. Libero Malinda Reese recorded 26 digs and 25 serve receptions in the Warriors opening match of the tournament. Spencer-Smith recorded 22 serve receptions and nine digs.

The Warrior’s only loss came to Concordia (Ore.) in a nine o’clock game Saturday morning. After Concordia took the first game 30-24, the Warriors came storming back to win games two and three 30-24 and 30-18. But Westmont could not close out the match and the Cavaliers won game four 30-28 before taking the fifth and deciding game 15-10.

Senior setter Amber Donovan recorded 69 assists in the match, just two off the Warrior record of 71 held by Corrie Wilhelm. Junior Kelsey Voetmann took control at the net, posting 21 kills and a hitting percentage of .283. She also recorded four solo blocks. De Groot added 16 kills while recording a match high hitting percentage of .353. Willis duplicated her kill total from the night before, taking 11 attacks to the floor in a .320 hitting percentage performance. Defensively, Reese notched 25 serve receptions and 28 digs and sophomore Katie Pace had 24 serve receptions and 15 digs.

Westmont took out any frustration they may have felt by pounding the Lady Trojans of Taylor (Ind.) 30-17, 30-18 and 30-13. Voetmann led the attack with 11 kills and a .286 hitting percentage. De Groot hit .353 and added nine kills to the team total of 42. Willis and Pierik made the most of their opportunities posting a .667 and .438 hitting percentage respectively while tallying seven kills apiece.

That brought the Warriors to a show down with undefeated Olivet Nazarene Tigers. After winning the first game 30-28, the Warriors lost momentum and fell 24-30 in game two. Games three and four belonged to Westmont, however, as they posted 30-27 and 30-22 wins to claim the tournament title.

Leading the team defensively was Pierik who made only one error in receiving 32 serves. She also contributed 15 digs. Reese had 21 digs and 19 serve receptions. Offensively, Voetmann drilled 14 kills with Willis and Pierik adding ten each. De Groot punched out another eight and freshman Katie Sharp landed seven while attaining a hitting percentage of .429. Willis’ three solo blocks and two block assists gave her a total of 15 blocks in the tournament (9 solo, 6 assisted).

Westmont will host Westminster (Utah) in a 5:00 p.m. game on Wednesday at Murchison Gym before heading to Irvine to participate in the Crowne Plaza/Concordia University 2005 Labor Day Volleyball Festival at Concordia University. The Warriors open the GSAC season on September 6 with a 7:00 p.m. home game against Hope International.

[stats - vs. Embry Riddle, vs. Concordia, vs. Taylor, vs. Olivet Nazarene]