Tess Dokus

Tess Dokus (Salem, Conn.) was a big reason for the Bates volleyball team’s improved fortunes in the 2008 season. The junior outside hitter jumped from an average of 1.90 kills per set with a .119 hitting percentage in 2007 to a team-best 2.25 kills and a .236 percentage in 2008.

The Bobcats’, and Dokus’s, improvement this year was underscored as the team qualified for the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2004 this year. Bates traveled to top-seeded Tufts for the conference quarterfinals on Friday evening, and Dokus again impressed, notching a match-high 12 kills against just one attack error for a sparkling .550 hitting percentage. She also came up with three blocks as the Bobcats gave the Jumbos (who raised their record to 28-2 with their win) a competitive match, losing in four sets by scores of 25-12, 12-25, 25-16, 25-22. Bates finished the year with a 15-18 record, their best mark since 2004.