Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
New Mexico
'Dogs hit the road for a pair of matches at New Mexico & UNLV
10/25/2016 11:33:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Thursday, Oct. 27
Fresno State (12-9, 3-7 MW) at New Mexico (12-12, 2-8 MW) -- 5:30 p.m. PT
Location: Albuquerque, N.M. (Johnson Center)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
Saturday, Oct. 29
Fresno State (12-9, 3-7 MW) at UNLV (19-3, 8-2 MW) -- 3 p.m. PT
Location: Las Vegas, Nev. (Cox Pavilion)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
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Bulldogs close out homestand defeating Wyoming; fall to Colorado St.Â
The Bulldogs closed out a season-long four-match homestand splitting a pair of matches downing Wyoming in five sets on Thursday before falling to seven-time defending Mountain West champion Colorado State on Saturday in straight sets. The 'Dogs won the first, third and fifth sets over Wyoming as Carly Scarbrough led the team with 15 kills and the Bulldogs finished with a .241 attack percentage. On Saturday, the Bulldogs competed hard against the Rams, but dropped three hard-fought sets to CSU. Taylor Slover led the 'Dogs with eight kills and Maggie Eppright had 11 kills.
'Dogs vs. New Mexico History
Thursday's match against New Mexico will be the two teams' 24th all-time meeting as the Lobos lead 12-11. The 'Dogs picked up their first Mountain West victory this season sweeping the Lobos at home on Oct. 1. Aleisha Coates led the Bulldogs with 15 kills and the 'Dogs had a .302 hitting percentage. UNM swept both meetings in 2015, but Fresno State has won five of the eight meetings between the two programs since the 'Dogs joined the MW in 2012. The 'Dogs are 1-2 in Albuquerque since 2012 winning in five sets that year.
A look at the New Mexico Lobos
New Mexico is currently 12-12 overall on the season with a 2-8 mark in the Mountain West entering the week in 10th place and 148th in the RPI. The Lobos are right behind the 'Dogs in the MW in aces ranking second (127) and aces per set (1.40). UNM is fourth in digs (1,186), kills (1,102) and attacks (2,995). Individually, junior libero Ashley Kelsey ranks second in the MW in digs (386) and digs per set (4.29). Cassie House is fifth in points per set (4.17) and sixth in kills per set (3.53).
Bulldogs vs. UNLV History
The 'Dogs match on Saturday against UNLV will be the 16th meeting all-time between the two programs as the 'Dogs trail 9-6 overall. It will be the 10th meeting as MW foes as Fresno State is 2-7 against UNLV since joining the MW in 2012. The Bulldogs swept the Rebels in Vegas in 2013 and defeated UNLV at home in five sets last year. The Bulldogs & Rebels met on Sept. 29 with the Rebels escaping Fresno with a five-set win despite the 'Dogs winning the first two sets of the match. The 'Dogs are 1-3 in Vegas since 2012.
A look at the UNLV Rebels
UNLV enters this week as the highest-ranked MW team in the RPI (25). The Rebels are 19-3 overall and sit in a three-way tie for the MW lead at 8-2 with Colorado State and Boise State. UNLV is coming off being swept at Boise St. on Saturday, but had won its last three matches prior to their meeting with the Broncos. UNLV ranks in the top four in the MW as a team in six categories ranking second in kills (14.05 avg./s) and digs (15.28), third in assists (12.83) and blocks ( 2.56) and is fourth in hitting percentage (.236) and opponent hitting percentage (.181). The Rebels are led by senior Bree Hammel who is second in the MW in points per set (4.68) and third in kills per set (3.85). Junior setter Alexis Patterson is first in the MW in assists (913) and third in assists per set (11.53) while junior middle blocker Ashley Owens ranks sixth in blocks (1.24).
Fresno State ranks 10th in the nation in service aces per set; 15th in service aces
The 'Dogs currently lead the MW and rank 10th in the nation in service aces per set (1.80). The Bulldogs also lead the MW in aces (142 - 15th in the nation) and rank sixth in hitting percentage (.223). In conference play, the 'Dogs are tied for first in aces (56), second in aces (1.40), sixth in blocks (2.10) and are seventh in hitting percentage (.190).
Bulldog Individual leaders in the Mountain West
Individually, a number of Bulldogs find themselves in the top five in the Mountain West. Junior Jacqueline Hutcheson leads the conference in service aces with 40 to rank 9th in the nation and also leads the conference & ranks 10th in the country in aces per set (0.51). Coates is third in service aces (31), third in aces per set (0.39), fourth in points per set (4.35 avg./s) and fifth in kills per set (3.59 avg./s). Maggie Eppright is fifth in digs (293) and sixth in digs per set (3.71).
NCAA Volleyball RPI rankings
The 'Dogs are seventh in the Mountain West and 113th overall in the RPI. The MW has six teams in the top 100 as the Bulldogs downed Wyoming, 83rd in the RPI, on Thursday in five sets. UNLV tops the MW at No. 25 & the 'Dogs are 9-0 against teams below 150 and 3-9 against top 150 teams beating Wyoming, UNM & PSU.
Legaux closing in on top 10 career mark in assists
Senior setter Brooke Legaux looks to move into the top 10 in career assists in program history this weekend. Legaux currently has 1,765 assists in her four-year Bulldog career which is 14 shy of Allanah Munson (2008-09) who currently sits in 10th at 1,779.
Fighting Spirit Award
The Fighting Spirit Award was introduced to the Fresno State volleyball program by Netherby-Sewell in 2008. The award originated at Hofstra by Hall of Fame coach Fran Kalafer, and is presented to the individual or team who best defeats adversity each week and collectively at the season's end. Currently, Eppright leads the team with six weekly honors followed by Hutcheson with four and Coates with three.
Weekly Honors
Boston College Invitational/Hartford/New Hampshire -- Team
Bulldog Showdown -- Maggie Eppright
UIW Cardinal Classic -- Eppright, Aleisha Coates, Carly Scarbrough, Jacqueline Hutcheson, Gertu Vider
Fresno Pacific -- Eppright, Coates, Hutcheson
at Colorado State/Wyoming -- Eppright, Hutcheson, Haile Watson
vs. UNLV/New Mexico -- Coates, Eppright, Hutcheson, Maddy Halteman, Brooke Legaux, Taylor Slover, Brielle Hefner
at San Diego State/Nevada -- Watson
vs. Air Force/Boise State -- Lauren Torres
vs. Wyoming/Colorado State -- Hefner, Slover, Eppright
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