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Powers likes look of incoming
spikers
By Rob McCallum
Bringing in large recruiting classes is nothing new at College of the
Siskiyous. It's often a necessity because graduation can wreak havoc
upon rosters.
Longtime coach Tom Powers has seen it many times at the Weed school,
but for the first time as the Eagles' volleyball coach, he will rely
on mostly rookies and a few sophomores.
"I'm very pleased with our recruiting class," said Powers,
who took over the program last year after two decades as the women's
basketball coach. "We've got some really quality athletes in this
group."
Leading the group is a pair of all-conference players from Eagle Point,
OR, in Shannon Richardson and Nicole Lucas. Lucas looks to play at middle
hitter/outside hitter and helps dull the loss of all-Golden Valley Conference
hitter Tania Liufau, the state leader in kill percentage last season.
"We've kind of been spoiled with Tania," Powers said. "Now
we are going to be more of a scrappy team that passes well. We are smaller
now but more athletic."
Liufau was one of several Hawaiian players to come to COS in recent
years, and the pipeline continues with freshman setter Deanna Kaniaupio,
of Hapolei, on the island of Oahu.
"Deanna is very, very good," Powers said. "We are looking
forward to see what she can do for us."
At middle blocker, COS brings in Katie Pendley (5-foot-9) from Yreka
and Ashley Geer (5-10) from the Portland area to compete with returnee
Jennifer O'Rear (5-10).
The Eagles get some experience back on the outside, where Weed native
Katie Klinefelter returns along with sophomore Whitney Burch.
An early starting rotation looks like Kaniaupio, Klinefelter, Lucas,
Richardson, Pendley and Weil, according to Powers.
Other players are freshman Chelsy Degman and Megan Weil, both of Beaverton,
OR.
Last season, COS looked impressive in early season tournament play,
but a rash injuries hit the team, which faded to a
2-6 record in conference play.
"It hit us at a hard time," Powers said. "We only have
eight conference games so it took a lot out of our season. We weren't
the same."
With more depth this season, the Eagles look to go farther in the five-team
GVC.
For the first time in recent history, COS will host its own tournament
- the Siskiyou Classic on September 17th - along with Napa, Sierra and
Lassen Colleges. It will be a rare September appearance in Weed for
the team.
COS will play several non-conference road matches on Friday before tournaments
the next day in the same gym. The Eagles open GVC play on October 12th
at home against College of the Redwoods.
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