Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Host No. 7 Hawai'i in WAC Tilt
10/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 25, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - The magic number is down to three for Fresno State to qualify for the 2011 Western Athletic Conference Tournament. After missing the postseason championship affair last season, the Bulldogs remain focused on taking it one match at a time.
This week, the 'Dogs host No. 7 Hawai'i on Thursday and San Jose State on Saturday. Both matches start at 7 p.m. PT.
Fresno State All-Time Record vs. Upcoming Opponents (Last Meeting)
• No. 7 Hawai'i: No. 7 Hawai'i leads 50-0 (Oct. 1, 2011: L, 3-0)
• San Jose State: San Jose State leads 47-26 (Sept. 29, 2011: W, 3-2)
About the No. 7 Rainbow Wahine
Hawai'i (22-1, 10-0 WAC) is ranked seventh in the most recent AVCA national coaches poll and has won 49 straight WAC matches entering the week. The Rainbow Wahine are 4-1 against ranked teams, with their lone loss versus then-No. 12 UCLA (3-1). UH is led by preseason WAC Player of the Year Kanani Danielson. The Fresno State volleyball team has never beaten Hawai'i, but owns 10 set wins in the series history.
About the Spartans
San Jose State (9-14, 4-6 WAC) is fresh off home wins over Idaho and Utah State, and own 3-1 wins at Arizona State and Pacific on its non-conference resume. The Spartans are led by freshman and reigning WAC Player of the Week Savanah Leaf. Fresno State is 5-2 against SJSU under Netherby-Sewell, including wins in each of the past five matches.
LAST WEEK: Bulldogs Complete First WAC Sweep of Pack Since `03
Whenever Fresno State and Nevada take the volleyball court, you can always expect a dogfight and Saturday night was no different as the Bulldogs scored a key 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-13 and 25-16) Western Athletic Conference victory. The win propelled the `Dogs to its first season sweep of Nevada since 2003. Fresno State also beat Nevada in thrilling fashion on Sept. 24 for a 3-2 road victory that started WAC action this year for both teams. The 'Dogs also swept CSU Bakersfield and Fresno City College earlier in the week.
'Dogs Pound Tech WAC Home Opener
In its first home WAC match of the season, Fresno State pummeled Louisiana Tech in a 3-0 sweep. The Bulldogs outhit the Lady Techsters .374 to .146 in hitting percentage in a dominating performance.
Bulldogs Thrill on the Road for Best WAC Road Start in 16 Years
Focused on the mission at hand, Fresno State opened WAC play with a pair of thrillers. The Bulldogs knocked off Nevada and San Jose State for the program's first 2-0 WAC-opening road record since winning at CSU Northridge and UTEP in 1995. It also marked the first time since 2003 that Fresno State won its first two conference matches.
Wild Thriving on the Outside
Since the `Dogs lost All-WAC outside hitter Marissa Brand to injury, sophomore Korrin Wild has stepped up on the outside to help fill the major void. Wild started the year at libero and returned to outside hitter in a revamped rotation. Against WAC opponents, Wild, a team captain and Valley product, sports 3.5 kills, 2.4 digs and 0.5 aces per set.
FROM THE START: Fresno State Focused on Opening Stronger
A point of emphasis for the Bulldogs as they finish WAC play is to start strong right from the first serve. With a combination of aggressive serving, passing and attacking, head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell hopes to build on this mentality for the rest of the year. This season, Fresno State is:
• 6-1 in matches when they win the opening set
• 4-10 in matches when they lose the opening set
Four Bulldogs Own Combined 17 Double-Doubles
Fresno State's Barbara Alcantara (7), Marissa Brand (4), Korrin Wild (4) & Christina Lee (2) have led the 'Dogs to 17 double-doubles this season.
"We Are Your Team!" - Stay connected with Fresno State Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@FSAthletics). Fresno State will welcome No. 7 Hawai'i on Thursday and San Jose State on Saturday in two more conference contests to close the month of October. Tickets are available at the Save Mart Center Box Office.
