The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

Kangaroos hope to bounce back from losing season

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories leading up to this weekend's Auto Service Co. Nanook Classic volleyball tournament hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

By BOB ELEY Sports Editor

With six players returning and a talented crop of six freshmen on the roster, the University of Missouri-Kansas City has high hopes heading into the 2004 collegiate volleyball season.

And the Kangaroos will be looking to get off to a fast start when they open their season in Fairbanks this weekend, competing in the Nanook Classic at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Patty Center.

Coach Steve Dallman's squad is coming off an 8-25 season, but has big goals for a young squad that features no seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and six incoming freshmen. Missouri-Kansas City features four players who are 6-foot-1 or taller.

The Kangaroos will join the Colgate Raiders, Sacramento State Hornets and host University of Alaska in the two-day, NCAA Division I round-robin volleyball tournament that is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

Missouri-Kansas City opens the tournament at 6 p.m. on Friday, facing Sacramento State. The Hornets earned a berth in the NCAA tournament last season. The second game of Friday's doubleheader features Colgate against the host and Division II UAF Nanooks.

The tournament features two more sessions on Saturday.

In the first game of the day, Missouri-Kansas City will face UAF at 11 a.m., followed by the Sacramento State-Colgate showdown. The evening session features Colgate taking on Missouri-Kansas City at 6 p.m. and Sacramento State facing UAF at 8 p.m.

The Kangaroos were picked to finish sixth in this year's Mid-Continent Conference coach's poll, but the range from third through sixth was a mere 11 points. Oral Roberts and Valparaiso are expected to dominate the league.

Leading the way for Missouri-Kansas City are 5-10 junior outside hitter Angela Melka, 6-1 sophomore outside hitter Vanessa Portela and 5-8 junior setter Kristy Waltemeyer, who may be the team's best all-around athlete.

Melka is the team's leading returning attacker and is expected to see considerable time on the outside again this year. She had 244 kills as a sophomore and has 406 for her career. She had the sixth-best single season defensively for the Kangaroos, with 385 digs and will move into the UMKC top 10 sometime during the tournament.

As a freshman, Portela was sixth on the team with 183 kills, while playing in 29 matches. A native of Brazil, Portela is expected to be a key wheel in the Kangaroos' attack this season.

Waltemeyer, who has not missed a match in her first two seasons at UMKC, is approaching UMKC career records. She recorded 1,214 assists last season, which was the fourth-best season in school history. She ranks second in career assists and figures to run the Kangaroos' offensive attack again this season. She also displayed her versatility with a .241 kills percentage and 114 kills, 49 blocks and 14 service aces.

Other returning players include 5-9 sophomore setter/outside hitter Kim Freeman, 6-1 sophomore middle hitter Erin Carroll and 6-1 junior middle hitter Heather Towles.

The talented freshman class includes: 5-11 middle hitter/rightside Sarah Johnson; 5-11 middle blocker/rightside Hillary Zobeck of Soldotna; 6-1 middle hitter Liz Pollock; 5-11 outside hitter Lauren Starks; 5-7 libero Kylee Stephenson; and 5-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist Mandy Tipton.

Classic tickets: The tournament is divided into three, two-match sessions with admission prices set at $9 per session for adults, $8 for faculty, staff and alumni, and $3 for students and youth. Tournament passes for all three sessions are $20. Call 474-5977 for ticket information.

Classic banquet: A pre-tournament brunch is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at the Princess Hotel's Jade Room. Tickets are $25 and reservations should be made in advance by calling 474-5977. There are still plenty of seats available for the banquet.

Contact sports editor Bob Eley at beley@newsminer.com , sports@newsminer.com , or 459-7581.