Volleyball Lands Six Players on All-Conference Teams

SAN LUIS OBISPO (December 2, 2009)— The Cuesta Women’s Volleyball team finished third in the Western State Conference title and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The Cougars were 8-13 last season, a total that included four five-game losses, which would have turned the Cougars’ season around. The Cougars season was just a few points away from putting them into contention, a fact that was noted by the other coaches in the conference when the awards were handed out. The Cougars landed six players on the 2009 All Western State Conference teams; including two players named to the first team.
Outside Hitter Mackenzie Sullivan (Waco, NE) and Middle Blocker Kayla Cribbs (Sutter Creek) were both named to the 2009 All-Western State Conference First Team. Sullivan, a freshman, was a key factor in the Cougars’ post-season hopes and made them a threat to win every match. She became only the third Cuesta player to reach 300 kills in a season and her average of 4.00 kills per game ranks second all time. She also finished second on the team with 214 digs and 18 service aces and third on the team with 34 total blocks. Sullivan led the Cougars in kills in 17 of the teams 21 games. Cribbs is quite simply the most dominant middle blocker in Cuesta history and was named to the all-WSC 1st Team for the second straight year. Cribbs holds Cuesta’s career blocks record (198) and also set the single season mark as a freshman (107). In that first year, she set the single season block assist mark (66) and became a one-person wall to destroy the solo block mark (54) this season. Cribbs was also second on the team with 164 kills this season and ranks eighth all time at Cuesta with 335 career kills. Her career hitting percentage of .296 also ranks third all time at Cuesta.
The Cougars had two players named to the 2009 All-WSC Second Team. Freshmen Middle Blocker Kaitlyn Henry (Arroyo Grande: Coastal Christian) and Setter Ashlan Cate (Cayucos: Coast Union) both grew into crucial roles during the season. Henry’s .307 hitting percentage was the highest on the team, although she was only fifth on the team with 192 attacks, and her 32 solo blocks, while second on the team, were the ninth highest total in history. She ended the year with 54 total blocks and was also third on the team with 14 service aces. Cate began the season splitting the setter duties with third-year sophomore Brenna Lucchesi, but took over the duties halfway through the season. The Cougars snapped a six-match losing streak after installing Cate as their only setter and under her leadership they were over .500 (6-5) the rest of the season. She led the team with 19 service aces and her 509 assists rank eighth on the all time single season list.
Libero Joanna Hogue (Los Gatos HS) and Outside Hitter Julie English (Templeton HS) were both accorded 2009 All-WSC Honorable Mention. Hogue was an all-WSC 2nd Team choice in 2008 and led the Cougars in digs for the second straight seasons with 259. Her career total of 539 digs ranks third all time at Cuesta. English spent the 2008 season as a reserve, but became a big part of Cuesta’s line-up this season. She added 52 kills, 13 aces and 89 digs for the Cougars.

Kayla Cribbs- All WSC First Team
Mackenzie Sullivan- All WSC First Team
Ashlan Cate- All WSC Second Team
Kaitlyn Henry- All WSC Second Team
Joanna Hogue- All WSC Honorable Mention
Julie English- All WSC Honorable Mention