Fincher Named Second Team All-Northwest Conference

SALEM, ORE. -- Outside hitter Sarah Fincher (Jr., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) of Willamette University has been chosen Second Team All-Northwest Conference for the 2014 season in voting by the league's head coaches.

It is the second time that Fincher has received All-NWC honors. She was named First Team All-NWC in 2013.

A total of 21 athletes were selected for the 2014 All-NWC Volleyball Team. Six players were selected for the First Team, with six players on the Second Team and nine players receiving Honorable Mention.

Setter Maddye Dinsmore of Whitworth University was named NWC Player of the Year. Amber Aguiar from Pacific Lutheran University was chosen NWC Libero of the Year, and Kati Bodecker from Whitworth was named NWC Coach of the Year.

Second Team All-Northwest Conference

She played in all 25 matches with 22 starts. She saw action in 86 of 90 sets for the Bearcats. Fincher achieved a .171 hitting percentage and also contributed 178 digs (2.08 avg.) and 48 total blocks (0.56 avg.).

"Sarah was the 'go to' player on our offense this year," Willamette Head Coach Tom Shoji said. "Everyone knew it in the conference and it added extra pressure and responsibility on her shoulders. Sarah did a fine job even under these circumstances. It will be nice to have her another year."

Fincher produced a season-high 21 kills against Concordia University (Texas) in a 3-2 win on Aug. 30. She registered a career-high 24 digs against Whitworth on Oct. 3.

This year, she achieved double-digit kills 15 times. She attained double figures in digs a total of eight times.

In two seasons at Willamette since transferring from Southwest Baptist University (Mo.), she has earned 619 kills, averaged 3.38 kills per set and recorded a .194 hitting percentage. She has amassed 406 digs (2.22 avg.) and 77 blocks (0.42 avg.). She earned a career-high 25 kills versus Pacific University on Oct. 4, 2013.

Willamette finished the 2014 season with a 12-13 overall record. The Bearcats were 7-9 (5th place tie) in the Northwest Conference.