Statesmen Begin Season with Three Wins at KCAC Fall Fling
by Wade Steinlage
Hutchinson, Kan.—The Statesmen women’s volleyball team began its 2019 season on the road as they played a quartet of games at the KCAC Fall Fling.
The ladies started the season in quality fashion, taking three of the four games they played.
William Penn (3-1) played a pair of games on Friday beginning with a sweep of Sterling (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) then gaining a thrilling five set win over Tabor (16-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 15-10. The navy and gold returned on Saturday for two games and was tested in game one against Friends University but coming out victorious in five sets (25-12, 19-25, 25-15, 24-26, 15-8). Unfortunately, a weekend sweep wasn’t in the cards as the Statesmen dropped the last game of the weekend to McPherson in four sets (22-25, 22-25. 26-24, 20-25).
WPU 3, SC 0
The Statesmen hit the ground running in their first game of the season defeating the Warriors in straight sets. WPU outhit its opponent by a large margin, hitting at a .200 clip while holding the Sterling to -.047 hit percentage.
Danielle Pendzinski (Jr., Winnebago, Ill.) led the way offensively with 11 kills at a .368 percentage.
A pair of newcomers held it down defensively with Jada Perkins (Jr., Omaha, Neb.) and Cameryn Campbell (Jr., Jefferson City, Mo.) both reaching double-digit dig totals with 15 and 12 respectively.
Annalise Whitcomb (Jr., Humboldt, Kan.) also had a solid Statesmen debut, producing 25 assists.
WPU 3, TC 2
Game two didn’t come as easy for William Penn but they still managed to tough it out and win in five sets over Tabor.
The Statesmen and the Blue Jays both hit at the same percentage with .079. Perkins was the only Statesmen to reach double-digits in kills with 14.
William Penn excelled on the defensive side however with four players breaking double-digits in digs. Campbell finished with 21 digs, Perkins amassed 16, Rebekah Eaves (Jr., Farmington, N.M.) recorded 13 while Sydney Roush (Jr., Osceola, Wis.) rounded out the bunch with 11.
Roush also contributed 11 assists in the contest. Macy Bailey (Fr., Bondurant, Iowa) led the team with 18 assists in her William Penn debut.
WPU 3, FC 2
The Statesmen continued their winning ways on Saturday, gritting out a five set victory over Friends University.
The offense was firing on all cylinders right out of the gate as the navy and gold had four players with 10+ kills. Corrin Lepper (So., Jefferson City, Mo., Exercise Science) had an outstanding game leading the way with 19 kills on 40 attempts. Perkins and Pendzinski each had 14 kills while Libby Zorn, finished with 12 in the battle of the Quakers.
Once again, Campbell ked the way defensively with a whopping 28 digs.
WPU 1, MC 3
Unfortunately, the ladies winning ways came to a end on Sunday as they dropped their first match of 2019, 3-1 to McPherson.
The Statesmen were outhit by the Bulldogs .202-.163 but once again it was Zorn and Lepper who led the attack for William Penn with 14 and 16 kills respectively.
Whitcomb proved she can handle the pressure of running the offense and setting up her teammates by accumulating 33 assists. Campbell capped off her successful first weekend with 15 digs defensively
Next Up: The Statesmen will host the first annual Wendy’s Classic next weekend starting on Saturday and running through Sunday in Oskaloosa. WPU will play four games, opening up against Dakota Wesleyan at 12pm on Saturday.
