Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada
Bulldogs return home to host Wolf Pack & Aztecs
11/2/2016 10:23:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Thursday, Nov. 3
Nevada (15-8, 6-5 MW) at Fresno State (12-11, 3-9 MW) -- 7 p.m. PT
Location: Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
Saturday, Nov. 5
San Diego State (14-11, 6-5 MW) at Fresno State (12-11, 3-9 MW) -- 1 p.m. PT
Location: Fresno, Calif. (Save Mart Center)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
Promotions
Thursday - Stand Up to Domestic Violence Night
  - Help us take a stand against domestic violence and show your support by wearing purple & receive FREE admission!
Saturday - Ability DayÂ
  - Join us as we spotlight everyone's unique abilities & we will spotlight great local organizations throughout the match!
Bulldogs drop two hard-fought matches at New Mexico & UNLV
Fresno State returns home this week after falling in five sets at New Mexico on Thursday and were swept at Mountain West-leading UNLV on Saturday. After dropping the first set against the Lobos, the 'Dogs won the second and third sets before UNM took the fourth. With the 'Dogs leading 10-9 in the fifth set, the Lobos finished on a 6-0 run to escape with the win. Aleisha Coates, Lauren Torres and Brielle Hefner each had double-digit kills and Maggie Eppright had a team-high 18 digs. On Saturday, the 'Dogs pushed the Rebels to the brink in the first two sets falling 25-23 in each set before dropping the third 25-11. Coates had a team-high 10 kills.
'Dogs vs. Nevada History
The 'Dogs will see a very familiar foe on Thursday in the Wolf Pack as it will be the 50th meeting all-time as Nevada holds a narrow 25-24 lead. The 'Dogs dropped a hard-fought five-set battle in Reno on Oct. 8. Coates had a team-high 16 kills and Aubrey Folk added a season-best 15 kills. Maddy Halteman had a double-double with 33 assists and 11 digs. The 'Dogs are 5-4 against Nevada since joining the MW in 2012 and are 3-1 in Fresno.
A look at the Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada is 15-8 overall on the season with a 6-5 mark in the Mountain West entering the week tied with SDSU for fifth in the conference. The Wolf Pack, ranked 103rd in the RPI, have dropped three of their last four matches. Nevada ranks second in the MW in hitting percentage (.249), are fifth in kills (12.98 avg./s) and service aces (1.33), sixth in assists (11.97) and seventh in blocks (2.11). Senior RS Madison Morell is second in the MW in kills per set (4.16 avg./s) and third in points (4.61 avg./s). Junior OH Madison Foley is third in service aces (0.38) and setter Lyndsey Anderson is fifth in assists (9.99).
Bulldogs vs. San Diego State History
Saturday's match against San Diego State will be the 45th meeting all-time between the two programs. The 'Dogs, who are 12-30-2 against the Aztecs, have dropped eight of the nine contests vs. SDSU since joining the MW in 2012 with its lone win coming in a sweep at home in 2013. Fresno State fell in four sets at SDSU on Oct. 6 after winning the first set. Coates had a team-high 13 kills and Jacqueline Hutcheson had a team-leading 13 digs.
A look at the San Diego State Aztecs
SDSU enters this week 14-11 overall with a 6-5 mark in the Mountain West as the Aztecs are tied with Nevada for fifth place. SDSU, who checks in 80th in the RPI, is 2-4 in its last six matches picking up wins over Nevada and Air Force and has dropped matches against at Wyoming, CSU & Utah State and at home vs. Boise State. SDSU ranks fourth in the MW in assists (12.23 avg./s) and kills (13.14 avg./s) and checks in seventh in hitting percentage (.213) and opponent hitting percentage (.217).
The Aztecs are led offensively by sophomore middle blocker Deja Harris who ranks third in the MW and 44th nationally in hitting percentage (.368). Junior DS Dani Bolden is sixth in service aces (0.34) and sophomore setter Indigo Thompson is seventh in assists (9.32). Junior DS/L Devyn Pritchard checks in eighth in digs (3.13).
Fresno State ranks 17th in the nation in service aces per set; 24th in service aces
The 'Dogs currently lead the MW and rank 17th in the nation in service aces per set (1.69). The Bulldogs also lead the MW in aces (147 - 24th in the nation) and rank sixth in hitting percentage (.216).
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 44 to rank 7th in the nation and also leads the conference & ranks 9th in the country in aces per set (0.51). Coates is fourth in the MW in service aces (31), points per set (4.28 avg./s) and kills per set (3.59 avg./s) and fifth in aces per set (0.36).
NCAA Volleyball RPI rankings
The 'Dogs are seventh in the Mountain West and 122nd overall in the RPI. The MW has five teams in the top 100 as the Bulldogs downed Wyoming, 71st in the RPI, on Oct. 20 in five sets. UNLV tops the MW at #22 & the 'Dogs are 9-0 against teams below 150 and 3-11 against top 150 teams beating Wyoming, UNM & PSU.
Hutcheson moves into single-season top 10 in service aces
Junior L/DS Jacqueline Hutcheson, who started only her second match of the season at UNLV, moved into the top 10 in program history in service aces in a single season with 44. Andrea Radmilovich holds the record with 68 set in 1992.
Halteman ranks fourth among freshman in assists
Redshirt freshman setter Madelyn Halteman ranks fourth among freshman all-time in assists with 685 and looks to pass Diann Aufdermaur for third this weekend as she finished with 715 in 1996.  She is also nearing the top five in service aces as she has 22 and needs only three more to crack the top five.
Watson on the brink of joining the 100-kill club
Redshirt sophomore MB Haile Watson is two kills shy of 100 for the season as she enters this weekend with 98 on the season and a .303 hitting percentage. With two more kills, she will be the sixth 'Dog with 100 or more kills this season; a first for the Bulldogs since 2011.
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.Â
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, Cotaes, 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
at New Mexico/UNLV -- Coates, Torres, Watson
Head Coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell on this week's Fighting Spirit award winners: "We had some up and down play this weekend. We had some great moments and moments that let us down. But these three kept rising to the occasion. Their efforts were consistent and their attitudes were positive. Aleisha made some changes in the best interest of her team this weekend and really showed some fight, especially against UNLV."
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