Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Home For Two This Week
9/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 12, 2006
FRESNO, Calif. -
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Fresno State to Take on National Champs No. 4 Washington and UC Davis
After losing two Pacific-10 matches on the road last weekend, the Bulldogs are home this week as they search for answers from the youthful squad. Fresno State (1-8) will look to get back on the winning track as it faces the defending national champion and fourth-ranked Washington Huskies (8-1) at the Save Mart Center on Thu., Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m. That match will be the first one of the season for the Bulldogs in the 15,596 arena as the team makes a permanent move into the facility beginning this weekend. Fresno State will also host UC Davis (1-6) Sat., Sept. 16, 7:00 p.m.
Bulldogs Lead Both Series
The last time the Bulldogs faced the Huskies was Sept. 11, 1987 with Washington winning the match 3-0 (15-8,9-15,4-15). Fresno State leads the series 4-3. The last time Fresno State faced UC Davis was in 2004 at home winning the match 3-0, (30-25,30-19,30-20). The Aggies have lost four straight and the Bulldogs lead the series 6-4.
No. 4 Washington (8-1):
The Huskies have faced top quality opponents coming into this weeks match-up. In week one Washington took on No. 16 Ohio and No. 5 Texas in the AVCA College Volleyball Showcase. The Huskies spilt that series winning 3-0 against No. 15 Ohio (31-29,30-22,30-26) and losing to No. 8 Texas in five (24-30,30-23,27-30,30-28,13-15). Washington has three key returners in Jr., MB Alesha Deesing who has a total of 70 kills is averaging 3.02 points per game, Jr., OH Christall Morrison is leading the team with 122 kills averaging 5.35 points per game and Sr., S Courtney Thompson has a total of 408 assists . Head Coach Jim McLaughlin begins his sixth year with the Huskies after leading them to their first-ever NCAA National Championship and repeating as Pacific-10 Conference Champions in 2005 Washington finished last year with a 32-1 record.
UC Davis (1-6):
The Aggies have come off to a rough start and achieved their only win of the season against Montana in the Molten Classic 3-0. The Aggies are returning three key starters in Sr., OH Nicole Read who has recorded 45 kills, So., OH Chantal Paschetta is leading the team with 83 kills and Jr., Katelyn Astruc is leading the team with 17 total blocks. In his first year, UC Davis is led by head coach Steve Walker. Walker was a former University of Arizona assistant coach and has now become the eighth head coach for the Aggies. In addition to playing Fresno State, UC Davis also will face Washington on Fri., Sept. 15, 7:00 p.m.
Bulldog Action
This week you can listen to the Bulldogs on ESPN 1430 AM against the defending champs No. 4 Washington Huskies on Thurs., Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m. On Sat., Sept. 16, 7:00 p.m. fans can watch the Bulldogs on Comcast CH. 14 in a 7:00 p.m. contest against UC Davis.
OSU Salbasgeon Suites Invitational Recap
After facing the Oregon Ducks (6-0) last week the Bulldogs fell Saturday night to the Oregon State Beavers (2-6) in three games (18-30, 21-30, 26-30). Both teams started a total of nine freshman, the Beavers started four and the Bulldogs started five. The first game looked to be close as the Bulldogs and Beavers were trading points. The Beavers jumped out to a 10-7 lead and scored three more points until a missed kill by Fr. MB Lexi Rathgeber at 13-8. Fresno State looked to make a comeback but the Beavers battled and took no remorse as they ran with game one 30-18. In game two the Bulldogs fell behind 4-1 but quickly scored three points and tied it at 4-4 with a missed opportunity by Fr. OH Rachel Rourke. The Bulldogs Fr. MB Kelly Leonardo tied the game at 7-7 with a kill giving the Bulldogs momentum. The Beavers jumped out to a 12-7 lead but was cut back by the Bulldogs to three at 17-14 with a Fr. MB Lexi Watson kill. Fresno State cut the lead to two at 22-20 with a missed kill by Rachel Rourke. Oregon State then scored three consecutive points making it 25-20 and ran with the game two (30-21). The Bulldogs jumped out to 3-1 lead in game three but the Beavers answered on two consecutive kills by Fr. OH Kaitlyn Myers. The third game looked to be a battle with the scored tied at six a piece. Fresno State's biggest lead of the game was three on a Fr. OH Karlie Houston kill making it 11-8. The Bulldogs held a steady pace until Oregon State Sr. MB Abby Windell capitalized on a kill grabbing the lead at 21-20. At 27-25 Rachel Rourke pounded one more kill which put the game out of reach and the Bulldogs lost game three (30-26). Along with five others Karlie Houston earned all-tournament team recording 16 kills.
Schedule Strength
Ten NCAA Tournament teams, five top 25 teams, and two teams from the 2005 Final Four highlight what is likely the toughest schedule in the history of Fresno State Volleyball. What is even more impressive is that four of those teams will be coming to Fresno in what should be a great showcase for volleyball as the team enters the Save Mart Center as their permanent home facility with a Sept. 14 date with defending national champion Washington. In all, the Bulldogs will face six teams that are ranked in the preseason Top 25, and will also play two teams that are receiving votes in Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara in the home opener. The top-ranked team in the schedule is Washington, ranked third and receiving 16 first place votes, but the Bulldogs will also play No. 4 Santa Clara and No. 9 Hawai'i, facing three total teams in the Top 10 in the nation. "It's an exciting, challenging schedule," said head coach Ruben Nieves. "It will be exciting for both the players and for our fans. We're going to see some very good teams and athletes make their way to Fresno this year. We never want a WAC team to be the toughest team on our schedule, and that will certainly not be the case this year. When league play starts, we want to feel that we have played against competition that is as good or better, and this schedule certainly accomplishes that. "The final addition to the schedule is a midseason exhibition, providing Fresno volleyball fans a rematch of one the highlights from last year as the Bulldogs will play NAIA powerhouse Fresno Pacific on Sept. 27. "I really feel strongly that playing the Pac-10 is the best measuring stick in terms of how we will play against the very best competition, but Fresno Pacific is also a great team to play in that manner as well, even though they are not a Division I team," said Nieves. "We have the opportunity to have that consistent measuring stick year after year, and we won't always have the opportunity to play teams like Washington. I think that over time, our matches with Fresno Pacific will become a great way to see our progress."
Bulldog Stats.
R-Fr., OH, Lacey Gera................Has played in a total of 29 games this year and has made an immediate impact on the team with a total of 71 kills on a total of 238 team attacks averaging (.139).
Fr., S, Lisa Gera.............Appeared in 31 games in 2006 and is leading the team in assists on a total of 162..
Jr., S, Tiffany Hess............Has appeared in 31 games in 2006 and has served up a total of 139 assists.
Fr., MB, Kelly Leonardo......................... A young player who has played in 18 games that looks promising with 22 total kills and has added 8 total blocks in 2006.
Jr., MB, Alisha McKee...........Appeared in 24 matches in 2005, starting 20 ... set a career high with 23 kills against Louisiana Tech ... led team in kills twice in one week with 14 against Utah State and No. 10 Hawai'i ... recorded seven total blocks against Long Island, tops on the team this season ... 2005 Fresno State Scholar-Athlete, WAC Scholar-Athlete & Dean's List. In 2006 Mckee has played in 28 games leading the team in kills with 94 and total blocks with 19.
Jr., MB, Jessica Peterson.......Appeared in 23 matches in 2005 ... made six kills against North Carolina ... made 16 kills against Cal State Northridge, a season & career high ... also hit .367 in that match ... two-time Fresno State Scholar-Athlete ... 2005 WAC Scholar-Athlete ... 2005 WAC All-Academic ... 2003 WAC Freshman All-Academic.
Sr., OH/DS, Alison Pitton........... Appeared in 23 matches in 2005 ... made 13 kills against North Carolina and made 12 digs ... recorded a team high 19 kills against Louisiana Tech on 10/1 ... had another good game against Louisiana Tech on 10/15, recording 21 kills ... made a season and career high 26 kills in a five-game win over Utah State ... bested that mark with 29 kills against Nevada ... two-time Deans List ... two-time Fresno State & WAC Scholar-Athlete ... 2004 WAC All-Academic ... 2003 WAC Freshman All-Academic. Appeared in 24 games in 2006 and has recorded 45 kills.
Jr., L/DS, Cheryl Selenak........... Team Captain ... returned as the libero, after playing the position in San Francisco ... has played in every game this season, one of three Bulldogs to do so ... made a season-high 28 digs against North Carolina ... joined squad after transferring from California junior college power Golden West. In 2006 Selenak has played in 31 games and is leading the team with 138 digs avergaing double digits in every game but two (9/1/06) vs. No. 14 USC and (9/2/06) vs Loyola Marymount.
Fr., MB, Jamie Temperino........Has played in 16 games in 2006 and has tallied 12 digs and 14 total blocks.
Fr., MB, Lexi Watson............... Has played in 24 games with 28 kills on 76 total attacks and first on the team with 22 total blocks.
Jr., OH, Angela Wiggins............. Played in 26 matches, starting 13 ... led the team in kills against Pacific, with 12 ... made 21 kills against San Jose State, a career high ... averages 2.75 kills per game, third on the team. In 2006 Wiggins has played in 16 games with 42 kills and has 7 total blocks.
