Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Air Force
Bowens Lifts `Dogs Past Falcons
10/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -The Bulldog volleyball team rounded out the fourth week of conference topping Air Force 3-0 on Saturday at the Academy's Cadet East Gym. At the conclusion of this week's two-game slate, the `Dogs own an 11-10 overall record and are 3-4 with six weeks remaining in the regular season.
"Air Force is a tough place to play," head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell said. "They are always well coached and a hard team to compete against. I am really proud that we had such a great match, three and out. Zana [Bowens] played awesome defensive, passing, serving, attacking, she did it all for us today. We also got our middles involved which is one thing we've been working on. Gertu [Vider] did a good job for us and Lauren [Torres] started to make an impact, which is going to be key as we move forward into the second half of the season. I thought we played really well as a team today, they were focus on doing their jobs even if we weren't getting the kills we wanted or blocks we were looking for."
Earlier in the week, Fresno State fell 3-0 to New Mexico on Thursday at the Johnson Center in Albuquerque, N.M., while Air Force topped UNLV 3-0 at home. This is the third week the `Dogs have spilt 1-1 during the regular season, and second on the road after opening conference play with a one-game bye weekend.
The Bulldogs starting lineup consisted of Lauren Torres, Carly Scarbrough, Zana Bowens, Aleisha Coates, Gertu Vider, setter Brooke Legaux and libero Maggie Eppright on Saturday.
Fresno State gained an early 1-0 advantage in set one, outscoring the Falcons 25-23 after making a six-point comeback to take the lead. Outsider hitters, Bowens and Coates posted a team-high of four kills each, accounting for eight of Fresno State's 15 total. Defensively, Torres helped the team a pair of blocks as three additional Bulldogs logged one apiece in the opening set.
Bowens contributed five additional kills in the second set, leading the team with nine and hitting .353 over two sets. Fresno State collectively posted a .321 hitting percentage in set two, outhitting the Falcons' (.176) with 14 kills in 31 attempts. The two teams were tied five times in the first 10 points scored, and saw two more even scores before the `Dogs took the lead at 14-13 and consistently remained ahead by at least two points. Fresno State closed off set two with a seven-point difference over Air Force, winning 25-18 on set point.
For the third consecutive set, the Bulldogs opened with a one-point advantage while allowing the Falcons only 16 total points and logging the fifth game that Fresno State has swept Air Force in three sets, as the last came at home in 2012. Bowens concluded the match with 13 kills and 13 digs, accounting for her ninth double-double of the season and joining a three-way tie atop the Mountain West.
As the `Dogs consistently rotated setters, Jelena Jovanovic and Legaux both helped the team to multiple unassisted kills and combined for 33 total assists on Saturday. During Fresno State's seven regular season games, Legaux paces the team with 148 assists (6.43 p/s) as Jovanovic trails by only 14 over 25 sets.
From the service line, Coates added two aces to her 22 total as Vider set a personal season record with her first pair coming on Saturday. Bowens and Eppright additionally tallied one ace each as the team recorded a season top five of six against the Falcons. At the net, Torres paced the `Dogs with six blocks including one solo, only two shy of her career-high (8).
Over two matches this week, Bowens had a team-high of 27 kills, averaging 4.50 per set (.295) while Coates trailed with 21 (.240, 3.50 p/s). The duo, along with Eppright, defensively tallied double-digit kill figures and combined with four blocks over six sets. Of the 15-person roster, Fresno State utilized 12 players on Thursday as seven saw action in all three sets and continued the week with only two subs in addition to the starting seven against Air Force.
The Bulldogs own the all-time record against the Falcons with seven victories coming over 10 matches (7-3). Fresno State last topped Air Force at home in 2013 and have competed in Colorado Springs five times since 2002. Saturday's victory marked the Bulldogs' first road win against the Falcons since 2010.
Up next, Fresno State returns to its home court on Tuesday, Oct. 20 to face UNLV (7 p.m.), before traveling to San Jose State to open the second round of the regular season against the Spartans on Saturday, Oct. 24.
UNLV has seen three conference defeats in seven games, with a season record of 11-8. The Rebels are 1-5 in away matches with all three of their MW losses coming on the road. San Jose State sports an 11-10 overall record and is 3-5 in conference play, with only two regular season victories at Spartan Gym. Fresno State competed against the Spartans in a five-set Mountain West opener on Sept. 24, ending in a 3-2 decision in San Jose State's favor.
Tuesday night will be Adaptive Sports and Fresno Fair Night at the Save Mart Center. Fans with a previously used fair ticket will receive free admission, as the `Dogs look to highlight the exceptional adaptive sport programs offered by Valley Children's Hospital.
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