Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2004)
*|£* thqjL A ckama Print December 1, 2004 Sporte NWl Two teams, two NWAACC tith “/ knew this was a team of fighters. ” N.P. Deb Lady Cougars take a break during a recent season away game in order to regroup and work on a game plan. The Lad tough road, but earned the championship title that they worked for. The team won three straight victories at the NW, ment, securing their first-place victory. I N.P. Dolzell II Sports Editor The NWAACC volleyball cham pions are in the house. ‘‘Yes, it was my goal at the beginning of the season,” Head Coach Kathie Woods said. “Truthfully, I always look at the region championship first, then the NWAACC title. I love to coach, and when I coach I am always out to be the best ... and that means to win.” The Cougar volleyball team once again took home the NWAACC title on Nov. 20. This is the second NWAACC title for the Cougars. “We first won the title in 1996,” Woods said. “It compares in a way because that team didn’t really have any superstars; it was more of a team win. This team was like that too, except this team is a better team.” Woods is very excited about bringing home first place NWAACC hardware and ranks this very high on her most memorable volleyball moments. “Anytime you win a, champi onship,” Woods said, “you are going to remember that big time.” Improving on last year’s second place finish, the Cougars reached the final game and were matched up against Walla Walla CC. The tour nament was played in true double elimination format. Clackamas was undefeated going into champi onship game. Walla Walla was forced to go back and beat Whatcom CC, while the Cougars awaited their opponent. Either team would have had to defeat the Cougars in two matches to win the tournament. The first two games went to Walla Walla by scores of 32-30, 27- 30. They regrouped and then were able to run off three straight victo ries 30-23, 30-28, 15-9, securing the NWAACC title. “I didn’t know we were going to win because we were tailing the title until the last point,” Woods said. “To come back from two games down in the championship game is awesome. It reminded me of our first match of the year when we played Bellevue. We did the was voted to set same thing. I think it is neat that 30-18,30-21. Keeping it real Chuck Taylor, Woods was votedl we finished the same way, too. I knew this was a team of fighters; I the Cougars sent four to the tourna year. McLeod war ment all-star All- American stall was really “I have had two) team. MVP proud of all the McLeod, Girod- Americans in the! girls.” Burgess, and Woods said. “Thai1 Tournament Deihl all made have really been MVP and “ Anytime you win first team. Orr coach, to have sud| powerballer a championship, B r i a n n a McLeod led the you are going to way for the remember that big Cougars with 17 kills and 28 time.” digs. Samantha Hennessy crunked up the Walla Walla front line with Kathie Woods 16 kills and Head Volleyball Couch Lindsey Girod- Burgess had 33 digs. “Clackamas volleyball has really improved, Woods said. “In the last 10 years we have gotten two first places, two second places, one third, one fourth and two fifth place finishes. I am proud of that. That also means we have been in the champi onship game four of those last nine years.” Clackamas also defeated Walla Walla in a semi-final game 22-30, 32-30, 28-30, 30-17, 15-7. Hennessy had 26 kills in the win and McLeod added 17 kills and 29 digs, giving the Cougars a balanced attack. The Cougars played their way into the semi-final game by defeat ing Spokane CC on Nov. 19 30-19, 39-41, 30-22, 30-21. Kristen Diehl had four kills and 12 digs, Jessica Heidenreich added eight kills, Hennessy came up big again with 22 kills and McLeod nailed 16 kills and had 23 digs. The road to the final game was long as the Cougars also defeated Columbia Basin CC on Nov. J 9 by scores of 30-18, 30-23, 30-24. The Cougars’ statistical leaders were Hennessy with 12 kills and McLeod with eight kills and 18 digs. On Nov. 18, the Cougars opened the tournament with a stellar three- game win against Edmonds CC. The Cougars came in and made a Karrin Orr, number 10, approaches the net to pi statement, routing Edmonds 30-16, while Becky Horn, number 8, sets herself up f°ra
