BakerWildcats.com | Volleyball

Firebird signs at Baker

Kelsey Allen, a 5’5” setter from Freestate High School in Lawrence, KS has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Baker University. Allen was a 2nd team All-League selection her junior and senior year, and was also team captain for the Firebirds. Allen has been on the honor roll every year at Freestate and plans to major in History and Education at Baker.

St Thomas Aquinas Standout signs at Baker

Kelsey Cobb, a 5’7 defensive specialist from St. Thomas Aquinas High School, has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for Baker University for the 2008 season. Cobb was the starting libero for Aquinas during both the 2006 and 2007 Class 5A state championship runs. Cobb was named 1st team all-conference her senior year and was also named Defensive Specialist of the Year. Additionally, Cobb was selected to participate in the 2008 MO-KAN All Star game.

Elizabeth Schraad 5'7''-- Outside Hitter Signs With Baker

ELIZABETH SCHRAAD, was a four year varsity starter for Hayden High School in Topeka, KS. This year was instrumental for Shraad in helping her team win the class 4A state championship. Schraad is a second team all-league and second all-team city player, and has also been on the honor roll all four years of high school.

Allen signs Middle Hitter for '08

KAYLA ANDERSON, a 5’11” middle hitter from Wabaunsee High School has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Baker University for the 2008 academic year. Anderson joins her sister, sophomore Nikki Anderson on the Wildcat squad. Anderson is a three year letter winner for class 3A Wabaunsee, and was a first team All-League selection her senior year.

Windle to assist Baker volleyball program

Baldwin City, Kan. - Matt Windle, an assistant volleyball coach at Free State High School in Lawrence since the program began in 1997, has been named a graduate assistant for Baker University.

Windle, a Littleton, Colo., native, served as head coach of the Heartland Juniors Volleyball Club before joining Free State, where he guided the Firebirds’ junior varsity program to five Sunflower League titles. The Firebirds’ varsity squad placed second and fourth at the Class 6A state tournament while Windle was an assistant.

He also was a head coach for Sport2Sport Volleyball Club in Lawrence and a director and coach for the Lawrence Select Juniors Volleyball. In 2000 and 2002, he served as the head coach for the University of Kansas Women’s Volleyball Club.

Windle, a 1999 KU graduate, plans to pursue a Master of Liberal Arts degree in literature.

Wildcats Collect Post-Season Honors

HAAC Libero of the Year and First team All-HAAC selection

Junior libero Jayde Allen captured the conferences top honor for liberos this year averaging 5.6 digs per game and a passing efficiency of 96.5% with 89 service aces.
Coach's comment: “Jayde is one of the most skilled defensive players in the NAIA and manages to make defense look easy with her quick reflexes and incredible heart.”

First team All-HAAC selection

Junior Alexis Pryor was named to the first team with an average of 3.9 kills per game and a hitting efficiency of .281.
Coach's comment: “Alexis is one of the most feared outside hitters in the conference. She is such a prolific hitter there were times she was triple blocked on the outside. She has tremendous arm speed and a high reach which makes her difficult to stop”

Second team All-HAAC selection

Senior Kelly Wilbur had a banner year, playing all six rotations as a right side hitter. She amassed 104 total block and a .202 hitting percentage while also serving 92% for the season
Coach's Comment: “Kelly is an example to all players with her work ethic, coachabiliy and dedication to the team. She is a power at the net, forcing opponents to make hitting errors with her blocking ability.”

All-HAAC Honorable Mention

Senior Katie Jaschke made her mark this year at the middle position with 126 blocks. Katie was one of the top 6 middle blockers in the conference,, and was also a skilled hitter and server.
Coach's Comment “Even though we only have Katie for one year, she came in and made a huge difference for us right away. Katie worked hard to close every block and brought positive energy to the court every day.

Sophomore Michaela Marak totaled 100 blocks for the season to accompany her .222 hitting percentage. Although Marak will be attending Baker school of Nursing her next two years in Topeka, her impact will be felt for years to come.
Coach's comment: “Michaela really came into her own this season and improved tremendously at the net. She always worked hard, and has one of the fastest arm swings on the team.”

Cats Find Themselves #3 in the Region

The #3 regionally ranked Baker Wildcat volleyball team continued its mission this weekend, taking three out of four matches against regionally ranked opponents at the Lindenwood Fall Classic and improving their record to 21-8. The ‘Cats easily defeated third-ranked McKendree in three games before dropping their only weekend match in four games to University of Illinois-Springfield on Friday night. The team’s most satisfying victory took place on Saturday against region rival Missouri Baptist, marking coach Kathy Allen’s first victory over Baptist in her 10 years at Baker. Missouri Baptist spent the entire 2006 season in the national rankings and boasted the NAIA Player of the Year last year. The final match of the day was against University of St. Francis, Illinois, a second-ranked team in Region VII. The ‘Cats won the match in five games.

“Our team was successful this weekend because the girls were able to capitalize on the weaknesses of our opponents,” coach Allen said. “Once we identified the weakness, the girls were able to execute and stick to our game plan and also make adjustments along the way to maximize our team’s ability to score points.”

Junior Alexis Pryor was named to the all-tournament team after amassing 75 kills and a 324 hitting percentage for the weekend. Freshman Brooke Pryor contributed 50 kills. Setter Whitney Segrist had her best series yet, averaging 12.5 assists per game and 17 kills. Middle hitters Katie Jaschke and Michaela Marak combined for 55 kills and 29 blocks over the course of the tournament. Libero Jayde Allen had an excellent weekend, averaging six digs per game and eight service aces while passing 95 percent. Sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Laha also posted great numbers with a 2.67 passing efficiency percentage on a 3.0 scale with only two reception errors the entire tournament. Senior Kelly Wilbur was brilliant at the net with 15 blocks and 17 kills. Wilbur also had 24 digs and 5 service aces while serving 93 percent.

The ‘Cats will look to improve their conference record to 6-1 on Wednesday when they take on Culver-Stockton at home, then travel to Salina for a nonconference match against Kansas Wesleyan on Thursday.

Cats Back to Form

The Baker Wildcats got back on track this week with a decisive victory over regionally ranked Central Methodist University. The Cats traveled to Fayette, MO Tuesday night to take on the Eagles….a team loaded with international players from Nairobi Kenya. The outsized Cats were back to form, taking the Eagles in the first two matches with scores of 30 -16 and 30 – 16. In the third game, the momentum shifted to the Eagles, and the Cats lost 25 – 30. The team stayed composed and took the fourth game and the match with a score of 30 – 22 bringing their overall record to 19 – 6 and retaining 2nd place in the HAAC conference with a 5 – 1 record.

According to Coach Allen, it was a very balanced performance, with each player making notable contributions to the match. Seniors Kelly Wilbur and Katie Jaschke combined for 8 assist blocks, with Wilbur adding two solos. Both seniors also hit well contributing 14 kills and 11 digs combined. Wilbur also had 4 service aces in the match and Jaschke had 2. Sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Laha (pictured) passed a perfect 3.0 off serve receive with no reception errors and 11 digs. Freshman outside hitter Brook Pryor had 15 kills with a .379 hitting percentage, while sister Alexis chipped in 11 kills. Setter Whitney Segrist totaled 42 assists and 1 service ace. Libero Jayde Allen had 12 digs and 1 service ace.

The Cats travel to Lindenwood this weekend for the Inter-Regional tournament where they will match up against regional opponents McKendree, University of Illinois, Springfield, and Missouri Baptist along with out of region University of St. Francis.

For the Second Straight Week Allen Named Libero of the Week

Junior Jayde Allen for the second week in a row has been named the HAAC Libero of the week.
The 5-5 JR from Topeka, KS. averaged 5.4 digs a game, recorded 13 service aces and 107 pass attempts, to help the Lady Cats' go 4-0 for the week.

Cats Log Three Players of the Week

The Lady Cats are starting to turn some heads after a 5-0 week. Three players — Alexis Pryor, Jayde Allen and Whitney Segrist —have received regional and conference player of the week honors.

Jayde Allen, a junior from Topeka, has been named the Region V and HAAC libero of the week. She averaged 5.2 digs a game, recorded 17 service aces and 77 pass attempts with only three errors.

Alexis Pryor, a junior outside hitter from Overbrook, has been named the Region V and HAAC player of the week. She compiled 79 kills in five matches last week for an average of 4.9 per game and had 20 digs.

Whitney Segrist, a junior from Lyndon, has been named the Region V and HAAC setter of the week. Segrist averaged 11.8 assists and 1.9 digs per game last week. In addition, she posted 13 kills, six aces and seven blocks in 17 games.

Cats Streak Reaches 7

On Thursday the Lady Cats traveled to conference foe Avila to take on the Eagles, and although the Cats didn't play to up to their potential, they still walked away with the win and improved their overall record to 16-6. Baker won the match in four games, with scores of 30-24, 29-31, 30-14, and 30-20. The Cats' now have a 7 match winning streak stretching all the way back to September 11 and are also still undefeated in conference play. Coach Kathy Allen had this to say about the Cat's performance Thursday night, "Coming off the intensity of the hard fought victory over Benedictine earlier in the week, our girls played as if they were tired, and they committed numerous unforced errors." One notable standout for the Cats', was Junior outside hitter Alexis Pryor. Pryor was a large part of the Cats' success tallying 24 kills with only 4 errors, to lead the team with a .456 hitting percentage. Libero Jayde Allen had another excellent defensive night digging 24 balls in four games. The team collectively totaled 12 blocks and 11 service aces for the night. The Cats' will look to the continue the winning streak on Saturday when they play host to Ottawa and Bethel as part of the Baker Double Duel. Match times are scheduled for 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM respectively.

To view picture slide show presented by the Baker Orange click here.

CATS DOWN RAVENS

On Tuesday evening in the Collins Center, in front of a wild and supportive crowd, the Wildcat volleyball team met conference rival Benedictine College in a hard fought battle. Both teams entered the match undefeated in conference play, looking to stay atop the standings. In the first two games it looked like the contest might be a clean sweep for Baker as the Cats’ dominated the Ravens 30 -19 and 30 – 20. But the Ravens, the 4th ranked team in the region, would not be put away easily and answered with a 30 – 25 victory in the third game. In the fourth, the momentum was lopsided in favor of the Ravens for almost the entire match, as they had the Cats down 26 – 18. With the score 29-24 in favor of the Ravens, Wildcats junior setter Whitney Segrist (pictured) went to the line to serve for the Cats. Segrist knew that a missed serve would result in a loss for the Cats in game four and the need for a fifth game to decide the match. Segrist stepped to the line with confidence and served 7 straight balls, which the Ravens failed to capitalize on, to tie the score 29-29. After several volleys, Alexis Pryor and Katie Jaschke would come up big, when they combined for a double block on Ravens Middle Hitter Kaytlynn Pollock ending the match with a 31 – 29 victory for the Cats’. According to Coach Kathy Allen, “the statistical odds of winning a match when a team is down 29 – 24 are almost non-existent.” She was very proud of her team and their efforts, “The team stayed very composed and disciplined, and allowed the Ravens to make the errors on game point. Our girls executed almost perfect defense and showed remarkable poise and maturity during one of the most intense matches of the year.” The Cats were led by outside hitter Alexis Pryor with 16 kills, and sister, Brooke with 13. Michaela Marak added 9 kills, while she and Katie Jaschke combined for 12 block assists on the night. Libero Jayde Allen totaled 23 digs for an average of 5. 07 per game and setter Whitney Segrist dished out 39 assists.

On Thursday night the Cats’ look to stay un-beaten in HAAC play and look to continue a 7 match winning streak when they travel to Kansas City, to face the Eagles of Avila.

logo Cats Go 2-2

The Wildcat volleyball team went 2-2 over the weekend against strong competition at the 10th annual Baker Invitational Classic Tournament at the Collins Center.

In the first match, Baker lost in three games to nationally ranked Dordt College of Sioux Center, Iowa. Dordt also defeated three other HAAC schools — Benedictine, William Jewell and Avila — to finish 4-0 at the tournament.

In Baker’s second match on Friday, the Wildcats outlasted John Brown University of Silom Springs, Ark., in a five-game thriller. Baker won the final game 19-17. Junior libero Jayde Allen (pictured) had a team-high 24 digs. Freshman Brooke Pryor and junior Alexis Pryor had 15 and 14 kills, respectively. Sophomore Michaela Marak had 11 kills, and junior setter Whitney Segrist totaled 46 assists and six kills.

On Saturday, Baker swept Asbury College, of Wilmore, Ky., in three games. Sophomore Nikki Anderson came off the bench and had eight kills and one block. Segrist had a whopping 40 assists in three games. Outside hitters Maci Harshbarger, Brooke Pryor and Alexis Pryor combined for 30 kills.

In the Cats’ final match, Baker lost in five games to undefeated and nationally ranked Oklahoma City University. Alexis Pryor had 25 kills with only four errors in the match, and Jayde Allen had 24 digs.

Allen and Alexis Pryor were named to the all-tournament team. Allen averaged five digs per game and seven service aces throughout the weekend. Alexis Pryor averaged four kills per game while hitting .353 for the tournament.

Some other notable performances from the weekend include sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Laha, who went the entire tournament without a reception error and passed at 100 percent for the weekend. Laha also had four service aces and 26 digs. Senior middle hitter Katie Jaschke and sophomore middle hitter Michaela Marak combined for 24 blocks.

After taking on MidAmerica in HAAC play on Tuesday night, the Cats' will travel to Olathe for the MidAmerica Invitational over the weekend. Baker will play four matches and return to conference play next Tuesday with a home match against Benedictine in the Collins Center. The JV match begins at 5:30 and the varsity at 7.

Fun In the Sun

Sacramento, CA - The lady Cats went 4 - 2 over the weekend at the William Jessup Invitational in Sacramento, California. Playing in 104 degree heat and no air-conditioning could not slow down the Wildcats as they defeated several west coast teams in a marathon tournament that included 6 matches. The Cats prevailed over host William Jessup in 3, Northwest Christian, Walla Walla University, and NAIA powerhouse Menlo University in 4. Their only defeats came at the hands of Oregon Institute of Technology and South Dakota Tech in 4 and 3 games respectively.

The Cats began to gel as a team, with several players posting standout performances. Junior libero Jayde Allen posed All-American numbers averaging 6.3 digs per game and a stunning 23 service aces to only 6 errors. Junior outside hitter Alexis Pryor (pictured) averaged 3.7 kills per game with a match high 20 kills against William Jessup. Transfers Katie Jaschke and Whitney Segrist also posted solid performances, with setter Segrist averaging 10.3 assists per game and Middle hitter Jaschke hitting .360 with 1.4 blocks per game.

After the tournament the Cats headed for cooler ground in beautiful Lake Tahoe, for two days of water fun, mountain biking, and sightseeing.

The Lady Wildcats return home to host the Baker Invitational Sept 7 & 8. Their first match is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon in Baldwin City.

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CATS WIN CONFERENCE OPENER

Marshall, MO - The Wildcat Volleyball team participated in their first conference match of the year Wednesday night when they traveled to take on the Vikings of Missouri Valley College. The Cats' started out slow, struggling with passing and serving and lost the first game 26-30. But from that point on the Cats' would not be stopped. The Cats' won the next three games in dominating fashion, 30-21,30-22,30-22. The team as a whole notched 14 service aces while the Vikings had none. The backcourt defense showed vast improvement from their weekend tournament, netting 15 digs per game. Leading the way in digs was Junior Libero Jayde Allen. The Cats' also had a strong performance in terms of blocks, grabbing a season high 23. Senior Middle Hitter Katie Jaschke led the way with 8 blocks, while Sophomore Michaela Marak and Senior Kelly Wilbur each had 4. These two categories turned out to be very important on a night when the Cats' offense struggled. Junior Alexis Pryor led the offense with 10 kills and only 2 errors. The other four starters combined for an unusually low 17 kills, with a large number of errors, many unforced. Freshman outside hitter Maci Harshbarger (pictured) was a spark off the bench for the Cats', hitting a stunning .667, with 9 kills in 12 attempts and only one error. Harshbarger also notched 9 digs, 4 service aces, and one block. The Cats' will travel this weekend to Sacramento, CA to participate in the William Jessup Invitational, before returning home to host the Baker Invitational on September 7th and 8th in The Collins Center.

logo Volleyball Goes 2-2 in HAAC Tourney

The women's volleyball team took part in the HAAC Preseason Tournament this past weekend in Atchison, Ks. The Cats' opened the season by defeating the Graceland Yellow Jackets 3-1in their first match up on Friday. The Cats struggled with passing in the second game of the match and gave up 10 aces, but showed composure and bounced back to win the next two games to take the victory over the Jackets. In their second contest, the Lady Cats' took on the Crusaders of Evangel. The Cats' jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but couldn't hold on as the Crusaders quick defense dug up everything the Cats' had to offer in the third game, where the momentum changed and would never tilt back. The Crusaders took the match 3-2 and evened the Cats' record to 1-1.

Saturday the Cats' opened against last season’s conference champs, the Lindenwood Lions. The Cats' took the first game with great effort, but the Lions height would prove to be too much as they would defeat the Cats' 3-1. The final match up of the weekend for the Cats' would come against the Pioneers of MidAmerica. The Cats' returned to true form and defeated MidAmerica in three straight games, behind solid performances by all the hitters and strong serving throughout. Freshman Brooke Pryor (pictured) led the way with 15 kills, with her sister, Junior Alexis Pryor finishing close behind with 13.

Throughout the weekend, Senior middle hitter Katie Jaschke led the way in blocks (12), service aces (7), and kill percentage (.396), while Junior setter Whitney Segrist had 9.5 assists per game, and Junior libero Jayde Allen averaged close to 4 digs per game. Brooke Pryor led the team in kills with 3 per game followed closely by her sister, Alexis with 2.5 per game. Overall the team averaged 1.5 blocks per game while struggling in the backcourt with a meager 10.5 digs per game produced by the defenders. The team averaged 96% passing for the weekend in their 2 -2 overall effort.
The Cats begin conference play Wednesday, when they travel to Marshall, MO to take on Missouri Valley and will then travel to Sacramento, California to participate in the William Jessup Invitational over the Labor Day weekend.


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