Nov. 23, 1999
Bulldogs Sweep University of Portland To Finish WCC Action, Head To Idaho For Tournament
BULLDOGS SINK PILOTS: Gonzaga University finished the 1999 West Coast Conference season in memorable fashion by sweeping the University of Portland 15-9, 16-14, 15-9 in last Saturday?s home finale. Three Bulldog players finished the match with double-figure kills. Heather Osberg led all players with a game-high 18 kills while teammates Shannon O?Connor and Britt Whiting added 13 and 10 kills respectively. As a team the Bulldogs finished the night with a .199 attack percentage while the Pilots hit .149. During the match Gonzaga recorded 53 total assists and 58 total kills ? both season highs for 3-game matches. Setter Emilie Heggli racked-up a double-double with 47 assists and 12 digs. Seniors Megan Hosek and Aimee Wilson, playing their last match in the Martin Centre, both had important contributions in the victory. Hosek finished with eight kills and three service aces while Wilson added seven digs and a pair of assists. Christy Novitsky paced the Pilots with 12 kills and 11 digs while setter Julie Allen finished the evening with 34 assists, 16 digs and seven kills. With the season sweep of Portland the Zags finish WCC play with a 2-12 record.
PLAYERS HIT SEASON HIGHS: Last Saturday?s sweep of the University of Portland helped two Gonzaga University players record season-high marks. Freshman Emilie Heggli?s 47 assists are the highest total of assists this season in 3-game matches. Heggli surpasses teammate Jessie Holly?s 43 assists against the University of Nevada on Sept. 18. Outside hitter Heather Osberg also records a new mark for 3-game matches this season after pounding 18 kills against the Pilots. Osberg previously held the highest total of kills in 3-game matches with 15, which she had totaled in several different matches. ON THE ATTACK: Gonzaga University?s overall attack percentage raised four points to .121 after last Saturday?s sweep of the University of Portland while its opponents hit .220. In West Coast Conference matches the Zags finish the season with a .119 attack percentage while their opponents hit .219.
VANDAL HANDLE: The University of Idaho enters this Friday?s match with Gonzaga University looking to break a five-match losing streak. The Vandals, 16-14 overall and 7-9 in the Big West Conference, have dropped 11 of 16 matches since sweeping the Zags on Sept. 21. Second team All-Big West performer Shalyne Lynch leads the Vandals with 3.53 kills/game. Lynch, a senior, is second on the squad in hitting percentage (.251) and fourth in blocks (.55) per game. The balanced Idaho attack boasts three other players that average over 2.6 kills/game ? Regan Butler (2.68), Heather Kniss (2.66) and Anna Reznicek (2.65). The Zags have just one win (1997) in the last 14 meetings with the Vandals. Idaho holds a 16-9 edge in the overall series since Gonzaga joined the NCAA Division I ranks in 1986.
BRONCO BLAB: Boise State University opens action in the Idaho Thanksgiving Classic with a Friday night clash against Eastern Washington University before meeting Gonzaga University on Saturday. The Broncos, 8-19 overall and 5-11 in the Big West Conference, are coming off a 3-0 sweep of North Texas on Nov. 13. Junior Tara Brinkerhoff leads the Broncos with 3.51 kills/game while teammate Becky Meek contributes 3.30 kills/game. The Broncos swept the Zags 15-6, 15-9, 15-11 back on Sept. 4 during the Washington State Cougar Challenge. Gonzaga has dropped its last four matches with the Broncos.
HOME SWEEP HOME: Gonzaga University finished the 1999 season with a home record of 4-9. Gonzaga was swept in 10 of the 13 matches played in the Martin Centre. During those 10 matches the Zags swept their opponents three times. Gonzaga opened the season with a 3-0 sweep of cross-town rival Whitworth College on Sept. 1 and swept the University of Portland in last Saturday?s home finale.
FAST FACT: In order to finish the season with the same record as last year, Gonzaga University must win both matches this weekend at the Idaho Thanksgiving Classic when they face the University of Idaho on Friday night and Boise State University on Saturday. With two victories the Zags would finish 8-22. Gonzaga is trying to avoid the most losses since a 6-25 mark in 1995.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Gonzaga University teamed for a total of 26 double-doubles throughout the 1999 season. Senior Britten Kimbell led all Zags with seven double-double?s before suffering her season ending knee injury on Oct. 30 against Santa Clara University. Outside hitter Heather Osberg is the lone Bulldog to record the elusive triple-double this season. Osberg totaled 29 kills, 23 digs and 10 blocks in the Zags 3-2 loss to the University of Montana on Sept. 14.
CONFERENCE LEADERS: Gonzaga University has placed a season-high five players in the West Coast Conference?s leader board entering this week. Junior Heather Osberg drops one spot to tenth for kills with an average of 3.35/game. Osberg also is in the top 10 this week in two other categories ? ninth for service aces with .31/game and ninth for blocks with a .77/game average. Freshman Britt Whiting jumps up five spots from last week to fifth with .32 service aces/game. Freshman setter Jessie Holly remains fifth averaging 10.63 assists/game. Freshman Seraina Bitzi moved up one spot to third in digs with a 3.43/game average, while senior Britten Kimbell despite not playing, remains on the board in the tenth spot with 2.84 digs/game.
WINDLIN-JANSEN ERA: Eva Windlin-Jansen is currently in her fourth season as head coach with a 28-68 overall record. She assumed the head coaching job on an interim basis with eight matches remaining in the 1996 season, the Bulldogs going 5-3 down the stretch. The interim title was removed following the season.
