Fresno State Athletics
Bulldog Volleyball Hosts Rice & Tulsa in WAC Action
10/11/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 11, 1999
Fresno, Calif. - Bulldogs Host Rice & Tulsa-- Fresno State continues Western Athletic Conference play at home this weekend with meetings against Rice and Tulsa. The last time Fresno State met these two teams was in 1997 in WAC Pacific Division play. In fact, Fresno State met both opponents for the first time in school history two years ago. The Bulldogs are off to a 0-2 league start while Rice is 0-3 and Tulsa is 2-2. Fresno State will have its match against Rice broadcasted live on MediaOne (channel 14) and on KFIG 1430 AM.
Brief Appearance-- Having played only five matches at home in 1999, Fresno State has played 10 of its first 15 matches on the road. The Bulldogs are hoping to even its WAC record this weekend and climb within a match of the .500 plateau in the friendly confines of the North Gym. Fresno State is 73-33 (.689) at home under ninth-year head coach Lindy Vivas. October: Month Long of WAC Action-- Fresno State's second half of the season is already underway. The Bulldogs opened league play with a three-game loss to Hawai'i and will continue their conference schedule this weekend at home. The month of October boasts a 14 match conference slate. The 'Dogs close out league action at home against SMU on Nov. 18 and TCU on Nov. 19.
On & Off Again-- After opening the season with a 1-4 record, Fresno State broke out of its early slump by winning five of its next seven. Fresno State picked up an invitational title at the 1999 USF/Golden Gate Classic with a trio of wins and then went on the road for a non-conference victory over San Diego State. The 'Dogs then strung together their longest win streak on the year with four straight. However, the Bulldogs are looking to get back up on the upswing of things after dropping their last four via sweeps. The four-match skid is the longest drought on the year. Fresno State is 4-4 in its last eight and 5-5 in the last ten.
Head Coach Lindy Vivas-- Head coach Lindy Vivas (UCLA '80) is in her ninth season at the helm of Bulldog volleyball. Guiding the program to its third NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998, Vivas has been a two-time WAC Coach of the Year honoree. With five postseason appearances in the last eight years, the Bulldogs have made two NCAA Tournament showings (1991-98) and three NIVC appearances (1995-94-92) under Vivas. Averaging 20 wins a year with a 73-33 (.689) home court record, Vivas has coached three all-region and 12 All-WAC picks. Vivas, who led the Bulldogs to three straight WAC Volleyball Tournaments (1996-98), owns a 13-year career record of 239-170 (.584) and a nine-year Fresno State record of 167-110 (.603).
WAC Play In Review: Week 2 vs. San Jose State-- The Bulldogs continued Western Athletic Conference play on the road last weekend in San Jose ... The San Jose State Spartans snagged a 3-0 win (15-5, 15-9, 15-12) and have won the last three meetings ... Fresno State was led offensively by senior outside hitter Anamie Buckelew (Gresham, Ore.), who posted her sixth double-double on the season with 16 kills and match-high 14 digs ... As the team's top kill leader in 12 of 15 matches this season, Buckelew continues to rank among the WAC's top two in kill per game (4.46) for the last five straight weeks and in five of the last six ... Senior setter Diann Aufdermaur (Manteca) dished out 33 assists and is stepping closer to the 4,000 plateau ... Aufdermaur has 3,738 career assists and ranks No. 2 in the school's annals ... In the WAC recordbooks, she ranks ninth ... Senior middle blocker Adrienne Sankey (Richmond, BC, Canada) made hersecond start of the season against San Jose State ... Sankey posted a season-best four total blocks while adding five kills and five digs ... Sophomore outside hitter Kristin Pierpont (Fresno) collected her fourth double-figure dig match on the year with 10 against the Spartans ... Sophomore middle blocker Shauna McQuaid (San Diego) added 10 kills against SJSU for her fifth double-figure kill match.
Ugly But Notable-- Fresno State is off to its second worst start under Vivas with a 6-9 mark. The worst start under Vivas was a 5-10 mark through the first 15 matches in 1993. In the program's history, the worst start through 15 matches was 4-11 in 1985, 1986 and 1987. The absolute worst beginning overall was 4-14 in 1986. The last time a Bulldog team has dropped four straight under Vivas at any point in a season was in 1991 (ended year with five straight losses), 1992 (four), 1993 (four, twice), 1995 (four) and 1998 (four).
Closs Example-- Closs has had seven matches with 10 -plus kills and has had at least one total block in 12 of the 13 matches played. Closs leads the Bulldogs in aces (18, 0.39) and is third in kills (125, 2.72 kpg). She also leads the team in block assists (35) and shares team lead in total blocks (49, 1.07 bpg) while second in block solos (14).
Double-Dipper-- Starting the year off with eight straight matches in double-digit kills, Buckelew has already notched three 20-plus kill performances and is averaging 4.46 kills per game. She also has one 20-plus dig match and five double-doubles this season. Leading the 'Dogs in kills (232) and digs (146, 2.81 dpg), she has collected seven double-figure dig matches. Buckelew also is third on the team in total blocks (29, 0.56 bpg). Posting 10-plus kills in five of her last six matches and 13 overall, Buckelew is ranked in the school's annals in total blocks (No. 8, 225) and block assists (No. 5, 194).
Western Athletic Conference Action-- Rice (8-12, 0-3 WAC): Having opened the season with a 5-2 start through seven matches, the Rice Owls have succumbed to injuries to four starters and are 3-10 since Sept. 11. The Owls are without the services of junior setter Nil Kalagoglu (dislocated ankle) for the rest of the season. Kalagoglu was the Owls starting setter who led the WAC in aces and ranked in the top six in assists and digs in 1998. Rice also lost its top kill leader Karolina Zelinka (cartilage tear in shoulder) for the next month. A first team All-WAC pick last season, Zelinka was selected to the USA Volleyball A-2 National Training Team and trained with the USA Women's National last summer. Zelinka still leads the Owls in aces (21, 0.34 sapg) while second in kills (190, 3.06 kpg) and digs (197, 3.19 dpg) and third in total blocks (51, 0.82 bpg). Starting defensive specialist Michelle Craven is also out after having knee surgery while outside hitter Leigh Leman (third on the team in kills with 110, 1.93 kpg) is day-to-day after suffering a severely sprained ankle on Sept. 25. Losing their last four matches overall, including three WAC matches, the Owls have dropped their last three via sweeps. Rice fell at home with league losses UTEP (15-13, 15-9, 16-14) and No. 2 Hawai'i (15-8, 15-1, 15-7). The offensive load has landed on the shoulders of senior outside hitter Kelly Smith. Smith leads the team in kills (273, 4.40 kpg) and digs (198, 3.19 dpg).
Tulsa (8-7, 2-2 WAC): In fourth place in the WAC standings, Tulsa opened the year with a 5-1 mark. Since then, the Golden Hurricane has gone 3-6 and is 3-3 in their last six matches. Tulsa is coming off a WAC split at home after losing in three to second-ranked Hawai'i (51-4, 15-5, 15-2) and sweeping UTEP (15-7, 15-10, 15-11). Tulsa is on the road for its first WAC contests. The Golden Hurricane will play San Jose State on Friday, Oct. 15, before coming to Fresno State the next evening. Tulsa is led offensively by junior outside hitter Kristien Van Lierop, a 1997 second team All-WAC selection. Van Lierop, who entered the 1999 season ranked fourth in career hitting percentage (.227), is averaging 3.92 kills a game (204) and leads the team in digs (165, 3.17). She is second on the team in service aces (18, 0.35) and fifth in total blocks (18, 0.35). As the only senior on the '99 Hurricane squad, middle blocker Julie Klemm provides the other half of the offensive power. Having set a single-season record in block assists (115) last year, Klemm is averaging 3.13 kills per game (150) and is tops in total blocks (58, 1.21 bpg) and service aces (20, 0.42 sapg).
Career Moves-- Some Bulldogs already began the 1999 season ranked among the program's best. To date, two keep moving steadily up the career charts in assists, blocks and kills. Aufdermaur is looking to reach the 4,000 assist plateau this season. She needs 262 assists to get there and would be the second Bulldog ever to dish out at least 4,000 assists in a career. Ranked ninth in total attempts, Buckelew is looking to crack the Top 10 in career kills. She has 872 career kills and needs 34 to tie Barbie Snyder for 10th place with 906. Having played in 342 career games, Buckelew needs to play in 26 more to tie Suzie Regul for games played (368) at the No. 10 spot.
1999 Bulldog Volleyball Capsules-- Sr., S, Diann Aufdermaur: Third player in FS history with at least 3,000 career assists ... moved into second place all-time at FS with 3,738 career assists ... averaging 10.29 assists per game ... led the WAC in digs per game (3.10) twice ... career-best eight kills & .412 hitting percentage (8-1-17) vs. Nevada ... has career-best 22 digs vs. Nevada ... has six 10+ dig matches, including two 20+ dig matches ... team's top dig leader in five matches ... sixth on the team in block assists (14) & fifth in total blocks (16) ... has three 20-plus dig matches in career (Oral Roberts, Nevada & Sacramento State) ... in career, has 33 matches with 10+ digs ... No. 2 all-time at Fresno State in career assists (3,738) & career assists per game (11.40). Sr., OH, Anamie Buckelew: Team's top kill leader in 12 of the 15 matches ... has posted six double-doubles ... leads team in kills (232) & digs (146) while second in aces (16) ... third in total blocks (29) ... opened year with eight straight matches in double-figure kills, including two 20+ kill matches, & has 13 overall on the year ... 10+ digs in seven matches, including one 20+ dig match ... posted season-high 24 kills vs. Nevada & San Diego State & season-best 22 digs vs. San Francisco... averaging 4.46 kills per game and 2.81 digs per game ... has three 20+ kill matches & one 20+ dig match ... two-time all-tournament pick (Silver Legacy & career-best 5 aces vs. Saint Mary's ... in career, has 10+ kills in 42 matches, 10+ digs in 27 & 21 double-doubles ... No. 8 in career total blocks (225) and No. 5 in block assists (194).
Fr., MB, Lindsay Closs: Posted first career triple-double vs. Nevada (13k-11d-10tb) ... hit .379 (13-2-29) against Nevada ... has seven matches in double-figure kills and two in double-figure digs ... leads team in aces (18), block assists (35) and shares team lead in total blocks (49) ... second in block solos (14) ... averaging 1.07 blocks per game & 2.72 kills per game ... third on the team in kills (125) & sixth in digs (81) ... season-best three block solos vs. San Diego State ... has at least one block in 12 of 13 matches played ... all-tournament at USF/Golden Gate Classic.
Jr., OH, Malia Malu: Tied career-high 13 kills vs. Saint Mary's ... set career-high 25 digs against San Francisco ... has two matches in double-figure kills and five in double-figure digs ... second on team in digs (145) and fourth in kills (90) ... in career, has 10+ digs in 21 matches and 10+ kills in three.
So., MB, Shauna McQuaid: Posted first career double-figure kill match vs. Saint Mary's (12 kills) ... recorded career-high 22 kills and hit career-best .425 (22-5-40) vs. San Francisco ... has career-best 5 block assists against Penn & San Diego State ... has career-best seven total blocks against SDSU ... leads team in block solos (15) and shares team lead in total blocks (49) ... is second in kills (142) ... is averaging 2.84 kills per game and 0.98 blocks per game ... has posted at least one total block in 14 of 15 matches ... is hitting team-best .301 ... MVP at USF/Golden Gate Classic ... in career, has 10+ kills in five matches, including one 20+ kill match.
So., OH, Kristin Pierpont: Fifth on the team in block assists (16), total blocks (16), kills (65) and sixth in digs (88) ... has season-best five total blocks vs. Nevada ... has career-best 17 digs against San Diego State ... collected season-high 10 kills versus Wisconsin-Green Bay ... has two matches in double-figure kills ... in career, has 10+ kills in two matches and 10+ digs in four.
Sr., MB, Adrienne Sankey: Sat out the first nine matches of the season (broken ankle suffered in June) ... has played in five of last six matches ... has season-best 5 total blocks and digs vs. San Jose State ... has season-high six kills vs. Hawaii ... in career, has 10+ kills in 23 matches, 10+ digs in nine & six double-doubles ... ranks #3 in bpg (1.06), #6 in BA (186), #6 in TB (242), & #8 in block solos (56) & hit pct. (.262) at Fresno State.
Jr., DS, Leilua Satele: Has posted 10+ digs in four matches, including season-best 16 versus Nevada ... has season-high three aces against Saint Mary's & San Francisco ... fourth on the team in digs (105) and aces (11) ... Fresno State Invitational All-Tournament team.
