SEGUIN, Texas – It was a nice homecoming for several members of the Gallaudet University women's volleyball team as the Bison traveled to Texas to participate in the Bulldog Classic hosted by Texas Lutheran University. Gallaudet went 1-3 in the two-day tournament that finished on Saturday. GU had two players named to the all-tournament team in junior outside hitter Ann Whited (Fishers, Ind.) and freshman setter Sarah Tubert (Burbank, Calif.).

The Bulldog Classic was held in Seguin, Texas, which is near Austin, Texas, where several members of this year's Bison team attended high school at Texas School for the Deaf. The Texas natives include Paige and Krystal Johnson (North Richland Hills, Texas) and freshman Gabriella Beyer (Austin, Texas) along with head coach Lynn Ray Boren.

Gallaudet (5-3) began the Bulldog Classic with a straight set win over Linfield College from McMinnville, Ore., as the Bison won 25-15, 25-23, 25-20, on Friday. The win was career win No. 150 for Coach Boren in seven seasons with the Bison. The victory also extended Gallaudet's streak of sets won to 15-0. Tubert passed out 18 assists and had five kills, five digs and four blocks in the win. Whited knocked down seven kills and made six digs and two blocks.

The set streak ended in the following match on Friday as the Bison went up against Pacific Lutheran University from Tacoma, Wash., who is one of the top 30 teams in Division III volleyball. The Bison hung tough against PLU but ended up losing 20-25, 12-25, 18-25. Freshman Kali Frowick (Norfolk, Neb.) and junior Jessica Israel (Frederick, Md.) had five kills each to lead the Bison. Frowick added a team-high 11 digs and two blocks. Samantha North from PLU, the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, made 33 assists in the win over the Bison.

On Saturday, the Bison began the day against the host Bulldogs from Texas Lutheran. GU dropped the first set 19-25 before the Bison stormed to a 25-12 second set win to knot the match at one. TLU regained the lead with an 18-25 third set win before a spirited and back-and-forth fourth set which the Bison won 25-22 forced the fifth and deciding set. GU jumped out early in the fifth but it was all Bulldogs after the teams changed sides of the court midway through the set as TLU won 10-15.

Frowick had a big game for the Bison as she made a match-high 18 kills to go with nine digs while Israel knocked down 13 kills, three blocks and Whited tallied 10 kills, match-high 26 digs and three blocks. Tubert passed out a career-high 45 assists, 11 digs while Paige Johnson recorded 11 digs and five kills. Krystal Johnson led the team with three service aces. Junior Mari Klassen (White Rock, British Columbia) made 17 digs and two service aces in the five-set loss.

Gallaudet had limited time to turn around and face Concordia (Texas) University after a draining match. The Bison fell 3-1 as Concordia won the first set 19-25 before the Bison tied it with a 25-17 second set win. The Tornados rolled from there and won 19-25, 17-25 to finish the match.

Frowick led the way with 15 kills and 11 digs while Whited made eight kills to go with six digs and three blocks. Klassen made 18 digs and junior libero Lauren Benedict (Germantown, Md.) made 11 digs. Sophomore Michelle Mansfield-Hom (Frederick, Md.) had a nice game with seven total blocks and three kills.

GU will next travel to Towson, Md., on Wednesday, September 14, to face Goucher College at 7 p.m. in a non-conference match.

Bulldog Classic All-Tournament Team
Samantha North, PLU, Most Valuable Player
Erin Bremond, PLU
Sarah Tubert, Gallaudet
Ann Whited, Gallaudet
Kalynn White, Concordia
Samantha Lau, Linfield
Marcia Sagebiel, TLU
Vanecia Spencer, TLU