Volleyball Starts off Tournament with a Bang
KINGSPORT, TN – The Columbia College volleyball team got off on the right foot today as they kicked off the AAC tournament with a three set victory over #5 Milligan College (25-20, 25-22, 30-28). Before the first match, the AAC presented the conference awards which featured several Columbia College players.
The offense for both team s was on point as both teams battled back and forth. Three players finished with double digit kills, led by Tara Prater (16), Jennifer Monroe (10), and Caitlin Brickley (10). Jacqui Anderson finished with a match high 46 assists.
The Fighting Koalas received 10 conference awards for athletic and academic achievement. In the class room, the Fighting Koalas had Ashley Hasty, Erica Allman and Shelby Foster named to the AAC All-Academic team. Additionally, Hasty, a senior from Lugoff, S.C., was named an NAIA Scholar Athlete. The NAIA Scholar Athlete honor is reserved for student athletes who are a junior or senior academically and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.
The Fighting Koalas had five players receive athletic recognition from the AAC. Two freshmen, Caitlin Brickley and Johanna Chapel, were named to the six member All-Freshman team. Chapel, of Livingston, MT, was additionally name to the second team All-Conference. The first team All-Conference was joined by two of Columbia College's top players: Tara Prater and Jacqui Anderson. Prater, a junior and former SSSAC freshman of the year, led Columbia in kills per set and led the conference in aces.
Anderson, a setter from Brea, CA, led the AAC in assists per set and the Columbia's offense to a 23-10 regular season record. She currently is ranked 14th in the NAIA in assists per set with an average of 10.7 assists per set. For her play, Anderson was recognized as the AAC Setter of the Year.
Also, the AAC recognized Erica Allman as the AAC Libero of the Year. Allman averaged 5.3 digs per set to anchor the defense and has consistently led the Koalas in passing. She finished second on the team in aces and has an overall record of 64-34 as the Koalas' starting libero over the past three seasons.
Columbia moves in to the second round match tomorrow against the winner of tonight's match between Union and Bluefield College.