NEW ORLEANS, La. (September 2, 2018) – The Webber International University women's volleyball team finished off day two of the Big Easy Blastoff with a 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21) win over William Carey University and a 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-14) defeat against the host school, Xavier University of Louisiana, on Saturday, September 1.

By the end of the tournament, junior transfer Nayrelis Pantoja Santos and senior and all-conference returner Virginia Salanoa-Sagapolu were recognized as honorees on the all-tournament team.

Pantoja Santos finished second in the tournament with 4.8 digs per set, Brittany Taksas was tied for third in blocks per set, and Taksas and Cameron Neely tied for fourth in hitting percentage at .235 percent. As a team, Webber was tied for first in digs per set with 16.9, second in assists per set with 11, and was third in kills per set with 12.4.

In the win over William Carey, Emily Bowen led the way with 15 kills while Taksas added eight kills and three blocks. Against Xavier, Taksas was very strong at the net, finishing with five blocks and adding seven kills (.333 attack percentage) while Salanoa-Sagapolu led with 10 kills against the Gold Nuggets.

Three other Warriors, Neely, Salanoa-Sagapolu and Svenja Koenig, each finished with seven kills against WCU while Koenig also had a strong .375 attack percentage.

Pantoja Santos finished with 19 digs against WCU and 13 against Xavier, giving her double-digit digs in all seven of her matches so far in her Warrior career.

The 5-3 start to the season for Webber is the exact same record the Warriors held after their two opening tournaments in 2017 before going on to win their first seven conference matches.

Next up, Webber will travel to Florida College to battle the Falcons at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4, in Temple Terrace, Florida. The Warriors will then take to their home court inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center for the first time in 2018 on Saturday, September 8, opening Sun Conference action against Johnson & Wales University at 2 p.m.
 
2018 Big Easy Blastoff all-tournament team
(10 selected . . . no MVP was chosen)
Mirella Gatterdam, Mobile
Avery Wasdin, Mobile
Julia Felix, Point
Kaitlyn Lund, Martin Methodist
Hayley Brisendine, Martin Methodist
Virginia Salanoa-Sagapolu, Webber International
Nayrelis Pantoja Santos, Webber International
Gillian Tripp, William Carey
Monet Fontaine, XULA
Vivica Price-Spraggins, XULA
 
2018 Big Easy Blastoff final standings
(no champion was declared)
3-1 XULA
2-1 Mobile
2-2 Martin Methodist
2-2 Point
2-2 Webber International
0-1 SUNO
0-2 William Carey