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Volleyball CCC Celebration

Volleyball Iain Dexter, EOU Sports Information Director

Back 4 More: Volleyball’s Title Quest Begins Wednesday

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon volleyball returns Wednesday as the Mountaineers begin their journey for a fourth-straight Cascade Collegiate Conference title.
 
The team begins its season at the HIU/Vanguard Summer Slam on Wednesday in Fullerton, California. The Mountaineers will play five matches over three days, opening against Trinity Christian at 8 a.m.
 
The Blue and Gold return in 2017 after a record-breaking season last year which included 32 wins, a 19-1 CCC record and a trip to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Championship.
 
Despite the departure of All-American setter Rachelle Chamberlain, the Mounties return a strong core led by All-American hitters in Amanda Miller and Madisen Garlie.
 
Miller has led the team in kills each of the past two seasons, posting 344 with 3.70 kills per set in 2016. She enters 2017 with 1,006 career kills, the third most in program history.
 
Garlie joined EOU in 2016 after transferring from Oregon Tech and immediately stepped into a huge role for the team. The Challis, Idaho, native paced Eastern Oregon with 124 blocks and a .344 hitting percentage.
 
Joining Miller in the outside hitter rotation will be sophomores Hailee Ackerman and Megan Bunn and senior Amy Arnzen who makes the transition from a defensive specialist in 2016.
 
Senior Isabelle Statkus will predominantly hold down the right side hitter position for the Mounties. The Nampa, Idaho, native recorded 108 kills and 42 blocks in 2016.
 
Garlie, Bunn and senior Emily Nay will make up the rotation of middle hitters for Eastern Oregon after the loss of all-conference selection Kasaundra Tuma. Bunn finished with 153 kills and 21 blocks last season while Nay posted 66 kills and 30 blocks.
 
The setter position will be one to watch in 2017 as the Mountaineers look to find a way to fill the big shoes left by Chamberlain, the program record holder in career assists. Head coach Kaki McLean Morehead brought in three new setters in junior Sarah Carpenter and freshmen Abby Smith and Madison Pilon.
 
Carpenter transferred from Olympic Community College where she led the team with 813 assists and 52 service aces. Smith joins EOU from Crook County High School in Prineville, Oregon while Pilon was a two-time Washington State champion from Tumwater High School.
 
Defensively, the Blue and Gold bring back two experienced players in senior Malia Mills and junior Holli Mullins. Mills led the team with 22 service aces and finished second on the team with 297 digs. Mullins played in all 35 matches in 2016, recording a team-best 453 digs.
 
Along with Mills and Mullins, Morehead brought in two freshmen defensive specialists in Kiley McMurtrey and Aspen Christiansen. McMurtrey graduated from Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, while Christiansen joins her high school teammate Smith from Crook County High School.
 
The Mountaineers face a tough schedule ahead, facing multiple ranked opponents from the 2016 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches Top-25 Postseason Poll. They take on No. 2 Dordt on Friday at 1:30 p.m. to end the HIU/Vanguard Summer Slam, No. 15 Montana Tech on Aug. 25 and No. 10 Grandview on Aug. 26.
 
The conference schedule also poses a challenge with matches against No. 16 ranked Corban along with vote recipients College of Idaho and Northwest.
 
The Mounties play two games on Wednesday against Trinity Christian at 8 a.m. and Cornerstone at 2 p.m. They face Hope International at 10 a.m. on Thursday followed by The Master's at 2 p.m., before rounding out the HIU/Vanguard Summer Slam against No. 2 Dordt.
 
Links to live video and statistics will be available at eousports.com.

2016 Statistical Leaders
Kills – Amanda Miller (344)
Assists – Rachelle Chamberlain (1,263)
Digs – Holli Mullins (453)
Service Aces – Malia Mills, Sierra Linke (22)
Blocks – Madisen Garlie (124)
Hitting percentage – Madisen Garlie (.344)
 
For more information on Eastern Oregon volleyball, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com.
 
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Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu
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Players Mentioned

Rachelle Chamberlain

#15 Rachelle Chamberlain

S
5' 8"
Senior
Sierra Linke

#9 Sierra Linke

OH
5' 10"
Senior
Kasaundra Tuma

#4 Kasaundra Tuma

MH/RH
6' 0"
Senior
Hailee Ackerman

#3 Hailee Ackerman

OH
6' 1"
Sophomore
Amy Arnzen

#15 Amy Arnzen

OH/DS
5' 8"
Senior
Megan Bunn

#5 Megan Bunn

MH/OH
6' 0"
Sophomore
Madisen Garlie

#6 Madisen Garlie

MH
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Amanda Miller

#14 Amanda Miller

OH
5' 11"
Senior
Malia Mills

#7 Malia Mills

DS/L
5' 9"
Senior
Holli Mullins

#8 Holli Mullins

DS/L
5' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Rachelle Chamberlain

#15 Rachelle Chamberlain

5' 8"
Senior
S
Sierra Linke

#9 Sierra Linke

5' 10"
Senior
OH
Kasaundra Tuma

#4 Kasaundra Tuma

6' 0"
Senior
MH/RH
Hailee Ackerman

#3 Hailee Ackerman

6' 1"
Sophomore
OH
Amy Arnzen

#15 Amy Arnzen

5' 8"
Senior
OH/DS
Megan Bunn

#5 Megan Bunn

6' 0"
Sophomore
MH/OH
Madisen Garlie

#6 Madisen Garlie

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
MH
Amanda Miller

#14 Amanda Miller

5' 11"
Senior
OH
Malia Mills

#7 Malia Mills

5' 9"
Senior
DS/L
Holli Mullins

#8 Holli Mullins

5' 8"
Junior
DS/L