No rest for the weary. They finished the season in strong fashion but the Seattle Pacific University women's volleyball team cannot afford to rest on those laurels as the Falcons enter the offseason knowing they must replace their top two attackers. Following a miserable start, a young SPU squad played .500 for the final 16 matches to finish 9-16 overall and 8-10 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. It snapped a run of four consecutive 20-win seasons, including back-to-back trips to the NCAA playoffs under Coach Kellie Ryan.

Two down, 8 remain. Ryan loses only two players but each made the all-GNAC second team. Monica Herrera (Jr., Lima, Peru/Mercy College, the GNAC Newcomer of the Year and record-setting attacker, has opted to conclude her playing career and concentrate on her studies. Four-year letterwinner Carri Colvin (Sr., Vancouver, Wa./Prairie) was the team's sole senior. She led the Falcons in digs (3.78 per game) and was second to Herrera in kills (2.00). The eight other members of the program are eligible to return in 2003.

Fight to the finish. It would have been easy for Ryan's team to throw in the towel after a 1-8 start and, again, in early November following four straight losses. But Ryan insisted that her players continue to plug away and that is precisely what they did. Seattle Pacific went 8-8 over the last two months of the campaign, including a season-best, three-match win streak near the end. During that final run it attacked at a .192 clip and averaged 14.8 kills per game, dramatic improvements over their season averages of .129 and 12.7. Six of the Falcons' losses were to playoff-bound teams in the Pacific Region. Among those foes was BYU Hawaii, which went on to claim the NCAA Division II Championship-the region's fourth national champion in the past five years.

Large Class of '04. Ryan may have to replace a significant part of her offensive arsenal, but she won't have to restock her roster as she did this season, when she added five six new players and called up one redshirt. Four starters are due back, including setter Katy Higgins (Jr., Kirkland, Wa./Redmond), outside hitter Chelsey Myers (Fr., Minden, Nv./Douglas), middle Kathleen Monda (So., Woodinville, Wa./Woodinville-WSU) and libero Andrea Pennington (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Bellingham-Whatcom CC). Higgins, Pennington, Katy Kravitz (Jr., Olympia, Wa./Olympia-N. Colorado), Andra Taylor (Jr., Camas, Wa./Camas-Mt. Hood CC) and defensive/serving specialist Andrea Dettorre (Jr., Vancouver, Wa./Prairie) will comprise next year's rather large senior class. Higgins needs just 745 assists in 2003 to become the all-time career leader. Monda led the team in blocking (0.91) and Pennington was No. 2 in digs (3.65). Dettorre, the veteran of the program with four years' service, will be looking to have a breakout season after struggling with a knee injury this fall.

Signed and ready. Ryan got a headstart on recruiting with two signings this fall and she expects to secure a couple more after the spring national letter of intent period begins April 16. First, Ryan signed setter Jenna Von Moos from Stanwood High School. Von Moos is a four-time all-Wesco selection and helped lead the Spartans to the state 4A tournament this fall. Moos was also named the Washington Volleyball Academy MVP and team captain last season. Next to sign was middle hitter Whitney Dibble from Reno's Galena High School. The 6-foot-2 Dibble is a two-time all-league selection and led her team to a second-place finish in the region. She is a former club teammate of Chelsey Myers.

For the record. Herrera's time with the Falcons was brief but very productive. She leaves with the SPU and GNAC records for attempts (72) and kills (30) in a single match, as well as the school record for season kills average (4.12). Her kill total for the year (383) tied for No. 4 all-time. Colvin, who briefly held the single match attempts mark in midseason, leaves with the No. 4 season digs average and Pennington is No. 5 (3.64). Colvin just missed making the top five in career digs. Higgins begins her final season with the top career assists average (10.03) and No. 3 in total assists.

Tough breaks. The Falcons seemingly battled long odds throughout the season. It was not only a young but largely unproven (two returning starters) team and, with five nationally-ranked opponents in the first nine matches, they were tested by fire. Ryan rarely had a full squad, with Dettorre missing the first half of the season, Elizabeth Bishop leaving in midseason for personal reasons and Myers going down with an ankle injury for the final four matches. Among the highlights were the road win over Seattle University and back-to-back, come-from-behind, five-game road wins at Western Oregon and Humboldt State. The latter came after trailing 2-0. The Falcons were 3-1 in five-game matches.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.