| The Cougars won Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championships in volleyball and women's soccer last weekend, one week after they won the conference title in women's cross country.
The top-ranked volleyball team went 5-0 in the three-day NWAACC tournament at Mt. Hood Community College, beating No. 5 Walla Walla in the semifinals and finals to claim its first championship since 1996. Samantha Hennessy, a freshman from Oregon City, had 26 kills to lead Clackamas past Walla Walla 22-30, 32-30, 28-30, 30-17, 15-7 in the semifinals Saturday. Later that day, the Cougars (36-5) defeated Walla Walla 30-32, 27-30, 30-23, 30-28, 15-9 in the final behind 17 kills from Brianna McLeod. Clackamas, the runner-up last year, also beat No. 2 Columbia Basin and No. 3 Spokane in the tournament. "This team played tremendous defense," Cougars coach Kathie Woods said. "Our motto all year was, 'Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.' Walla Walla was a very offensive team, but we just seemed to dig everything." McLeod, a sophomore outside hitter from South Eugene, was named the tournament's most valuable player. Sophomore defensive specialist Lindsey Girod-Burgess (McNary) and sophomore setter Kristen Diehl (Mountain View of Bend) also made the first team. Woods was selected the conference's coach of the year. Story Source: The Oregonian, Thursday, November 25, 2004, by Jerry Ulmer |
