Fresno State Athletics
Volleyball to Host Open Scrimmage
8/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State volleyball team invites the Red Wave to an open scrimmage at the Save Mart Center on Saturday, Aug. 22. The action is set to begin at 1 p.m., with free admission and parking.
"I think we're going to surprise people," head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell said. "Not a lot of teams can come from a very dismal season to getting back to where this program has been, which is in the top third of the Mountain West. We can't wait to see the Red Wave again, our crowd and band are amazing and we're excited to be back in the Save Mart Center. This year feels like everything is coming together, these girls work hard and are on board."
Returning to the squad this season are seniors Zana Bowens and Jelena Jovanovic, juniors Maggie Eppright and Brooke Legaux and sophomores Lauren Torres, Jacqueline Hutcheson and Carly Scarbrough.
Of the 15-person roster, the team includes 10 California natives with six from the central Valley, one Florida local and three athletes from abroad.
Fresno State's top returning outside hitters include Bowens, an all-time single-match leader, and Scarbrough who reset the freshman record of sets played (115) last season. Eppright earned a No. 4 spot on the all-time career list for an average of 3.44 digs per set as one of the two seasoned defensive specialist, while Jovanovic served as the starting setter last season, leading the team in assists (670).
"We're ready to outwork everybody and play to win," Bowens said. "We're excited to play at home more this season and have our community support us. As a leader, I look to show the newcomers the Bulldog way of working hard and being open to new things. We have a much more mature team with experience under our belt which will be great for us."
The `Dogs welcome eight newcomers with seven freshmen including Sabrina Winslow, Gertu Vider, Jordyn Griggs, Madelyn Halteman, Brielle Hefner, Aleksandra Simeonova and Taylor Slover with one junior transfer, Aleisha Coates who joins the team from New Mexico State.
Poised with a competitive nature and eager to adopt the Bulldog culture, this season's incoming class boasts height, speed, ability and power. Halteman serves as the lone setter while Slover, Vider and Griggs enter as middle blockers and Winslow, Simeonova, Coates and Hefner look to utilize their strength as outside hitters.
"This is a very new team," Netherby-Sewell added. "We have eight newcomers and our returners have an entirely different attitude. A lot of our returners are young and got a lot of experience last year and our newcomers came in over summer and have been training with the team so they're ready to go. We're excited, it's a very synergistic atmosphere in our gym."
The team looks forward to its heavy home schedule entering the eighth season under Netherby-Sewell, buying into this year's mantra of outworking, outthinking and outplaying all opponents. Fresno State will gain the home court advantage against 18 teams while hosting two tournaments in September, the Bulldog Showdown (11-12) and the Fresno State Classic (18-19), courtesy of Deli Delicious.
The `Dogs will open season on the road, traveling to North Carolina to face Murray State, Georgia State and tournament host Western Carolina, Aug. 28-29. Following next weekend's action, Fresno State will host Cal Poly for the home opener on Sept. 1 before competing in Moraga, Calif., at the Saint Mary's Tournament (Sept. 4-5). The team will then host a 10-game stretch heading into conference play on Sept. 24.
"We're looking forward to opening season on the east coast, Netherby-Sewell continued. "It's a good tournament for us to be out of our comfort zone, get to know each other and bond on a different level. I think it'll be a good trip for us being so new, we'll get to work out the kinks in front of a smaller crowd. It's an important weekend and we're expecting to go in and compete for a tournament title."
The team will welcome former volleyball players for the annual Alumnae Day on Oct. 10 as Fresno State hosts San Diego State at 1 p.m., with the homecoming football game later that evening at Bulldog Stadium.
This season, all home matches will be featured on the Mountain West Network, excluding the exhibition match this Saturday. Fans can catch the action live on the Mountain West Network.
"Be Bold!" - Follow Fresno State Volleyball on Twitter (FresnoStateVB), Instagram (FresnoStatevball), Facebook (FresnoStateAthletics) and YouTube (FresnoStateAthetics).
