Fresno State Athletics
Thursday, September 22
Fort Collins, Colo.
6:00 PM
Fresno State
at
Colorado State
'Dogs begin quest for Mountain West title at Colorado State & Wyoming
9/20/2016 1:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
FRESNO, Calif. -Â After closing out non-conference play with a 9-2 mark, the Fresno State volleyball team hits the road this week to open Mountain West play traveling to defending MW champion Colorado State on Thursday and Wyoming on Saturday.
Thursday, Sept. 22
Fresno State (8-2) at Colorado State (6-5) -- 6 p.m. PT
Location: Fort Collins, Colo. (Moby Arena)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
Saturday, Sept. 24
Fresno State (8-2) at Wyoming (7-6) -- 12 p.m. PT
Location: Laramie, Wyo. (UniWyo Sports Complex)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
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Finishing out non-conference play at home last week, the 'Dogs hosted an exhibition against crosstown rival Fresno Pacific on Monday defeating the Sunbirds in straight sets 25-19, 25-21, 25-17. Senior outside hitter Aleisha Coates registered 14 kills and sophomore outside hitter Brielle Hefner added 10 as the 'Dogs collected 48 compared to 33 for FPU. Maddie Halteman had 39 assists and Maggie Eppright pitched in 10 digs.
Three days later, the 'Dogs defeated UC Irvine in a hard-fought four-set battle winning 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 as Coates notched a career-best 22 kills and added four digs, three service aces, two assists and had a solo block and three block assists. Carly Scarbrough added a season-high 15 kills for her third double-digit kill performance of the season and Hefner pitched in 11 kills and two digs.
Bulldogs vs. Colorado State Series History
Thursday's match between the 'Dogs and Rams will be the two teams 20th meeting all-time as Colorado State leads 11-8. It will be the 'Dogs eighth meeting as Mountain West foes as Fresno State is 1-6 against CSU since joining the MW in 2012. The Bulldogs' lone victory came at the Save Mart Center in a five-set battle on Oc. 11, 2012. The two teams met only once in 2015 as CSU swept Fresno State 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-14).
A look at the Colorado State Rams
The seven-time defending Mountain West champion Rams, CSU is off to a 6-5 record in 2016 after going 26-4 in 2015. CSU has dropped a pair of matches to ranked foes in #3 Texas and #18 Colorado and are currently leading the MW in hitting percentage as a team at .275 and blocks (3.21 avg./s) and are third in kills (13.53 avg./s). Junior MB Alexandra Poletto leads the MW in blocks at 1.50 per set.
Bulldogs vs. Wyoming Series History
The other MW opponent the Bulldogs only saw once in 2015, a four-set loss at home, this will be the 'Dogs and Cowgirls 26th meeting. Wyoming leads the series 15-10 having won five of the seven meeting since Fresno State joined the MW in 2012. The 'Dogs won at home in 2012 and swept on the road in 2013.
A look at the Wyoming Cowgirls
Wyoming, who finished third in the MW in 2015, are off to a 7-6 start to this season having won five of its last six after getting off to a 1-5 start which included four ranked four teams. The Cowgirls rank fourth in the MW in opponent hitting percentage (.174)Â and blocks (2.37 avg./set) and are eighth in digs (13.29 avg./set). Senior middle blocker Laura Beach ranks second in the MW in hitting percentage at .394 and Reed Copeland ranks seventh in blocks (1.14).
Netherby-Sewell in Mountain West/WAC openers
Now entering its fifth year in the Mountain West, Fresno State is 2-2 in MW season openers defeating Boise State and Utah State in 2012 & 2013 and dropped matches to UNLV and San Jose State in 2014 & 2015. Netherby-Sewell is 4-4 in conference openers defeating Louisiana Tech in 2008 and Nevada in 2011 and fell to Nevada and Idaho in 2009 and 2010 when the 'Dogs were members of the WAC.
Where the 'Dogs rank as a team in the Mountain West
After three weeks of play, the Bulldogs find themselves among the MW leaders in a number of statistics. They lead the MW and rank 14th in the nation in service aces with 86. The 'Dogs rank second in the MW and rank 46th nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.167) and are third in hitting percentage (.257).
Bulldogs among the leaders in the Mountain West
Individually, a number of Bulldogs find themselves in the top five in the MW as Jacqueline Hutcheson leads the conference in service aces with 21. Coates is second in service aces (20) and third in points (4.77 avg./s). Haile Watson is fourth in hitting percentage (.371) and Halteman is seventh in assists (9.81 avg./s).
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 -- Aleisha Coates, Eppright, Carly Scarbrough, Jacqueline Hutcheson, Gertu Vider
Fresno Pacific -- Coates, Eppright, Hutcheson
UC Irvine -- Coates, Scarbrough, Hefner, Hutcheson, EpprightÂ
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – Season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets for the 2016 Fresno State football season are now on sale at GoBulldogs.com or by calling 559-278-3647. 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes is the official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateVB
Instagram:Â FresnoStatevball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Thursday, Sept. 22
Fresno State (8-2) at Colorado State (6-5) -- 6 p.m. PT
Location: Fort Collins, Colo. (Moby Arena)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
Saturday, Sept. 24
Fresno State (8-2) at Wyoming (7-6) -- 12 p.m. PT
Location: Laramie, Wyo. (UniWyo Sports Complex)
Live Stats
Live Video (Mountain West Network)
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Bulldogs finish non-conference play with a 9-2 mark
For only the sixth time in its 53-year program history, the Bulldogs are 9-2 or better after 11 games as the ''Dogs are off to their best 11-game start to a season since 2002. The last season the 'Dogs qualified for the NCAA Tournament, the 2002 Bulldogs finished the season 23-7 and finished second in the WAC West Division. In addition to this season and 2002, the 'Dogs also got off to 9-2 or better starts in 1976, 1995, 1996 and 1998.
Finishing out non-conference play at home last week, the 'Dogs hosted an exhibition against crosstown rival Fresno Pacific on Monday defeating the Sunbirds in straight sets 25-19, 25-21, 25-17. Senior outside hitter Aleisha Coates registered 14 kills and sophomore outside hitter Brielle Hefner added 10 as the 'Dogs collected 48 compared to 33 for FPU. Maddie Halteman had 39 assists and Maggie Eppright pitched in 10 digs.
Three days later, the 'Dogs defeated UC Irvine in a hard-fought four-set battle winning 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 as Coates notched a career-best 22 kills and added four digs, three service aces, two assists and had a solo block and three block assists. Carly Scarbrough added a season-high 15 kills for her third double-digit kill performance of the season and Hefner pitched in 11 kills and two digs.
Bulldogs vs. Colorado State Series History
Thursday's match between the 'Dogs and Rams will be the two teams 20th meeting all-time as Colorado State leads 11-8. It will be the 'Dogs eighth meeting as Mountain West foes as Fresno State is 1-6 against CSU since joining the MW in 2012. The Bulldogs' lone victory came at the Save Mart Center in a five-set battle on Oc. 11, 2012. The two teams met only once in 2015 as CSU swept Fresno State 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-14).
A look at the Colorado State Rams
The seven-time defending Mountain West champion Rams, CSU is off to a 6-5 record in 2016 after going 26-4 in 2015. CSU has dropped a pair of matches to ranked foes in #3 Texas and #18 Colorado and are currently leading the MW in hitting percentage as a team at .275 and blocks (3.21 avg./s) and are third in kills (13.53 avg./s). Junior MB Alexandra Poletto leads the MW in blocks at 1.50 per set.
Bulldogs vs. Wyoming Series History
The other MW opponent the Bulldogs only saw once in 2015, a four-set loss at home, this will be the 'Dogs and Cowgirls 26th meeting. Wyoming leads the series 15-10 having won five of the seven meeting since Fresno State joined the MW in 2012. The 'Dogs won at home in 2012 and swept on the road in 2013.
A look at the Wyoming Cowgirls
Wyoming, who finished third in the MW in 2015, are off to a 7-6 start to this season having won five of its last six after getting off to a 1-5 start which included four ranked four teams. The Cowgirls rank fourth in the MW in opponent hitting percentage (.174)Â and blocks (2.37 avg./set) and are eighth in digs (13.29 avg./set). Senior middle blocker Laura Beach ranks second in the MW in hitting percentage at .394 and Reed Copeland ranks seventh in blocks (1.14).
Netherby-Sewell in Mountain West/WAC openers
Now entering its fifth year in the Mountain West, Fresno State is 2-2 in MW season openers defeating Boise State and Utah State in 2012 & 2013 and dropped matches to UNLV and San Jose State in 2014 & 2015. Netherby-Sewell is 4-4 in conference openers defeating Louisiana Tech in 2008 and Nevada in 2011 and fell to Nevada and Idaho in 2009 and 2010 when the 'Dogs were members of the WAC.
Where the 'Dogs rank as a team in the Mountain West
After three weeks of play, the Bulldogs find themselves among the MW leaders in a number of statistics. They lead the MW and rank 14th in the nation in service aces with 86. The 'Dogs rank second in the MW and rank 46th nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.167) and are third in hitting percentage (.257).
Bulldogs among the leaders in the Mountain West
Individually, a number of Bulldogs find themselves in the top five in the MW as Jacqueline Hutcheson leads the conference in service aces with 21. Coates is second in service aces (20) and third in points (4.77 avg./s). Haile Watson is fourth in hitting percentage (.371) and Halteman is seventh in assists (9.81 avg./s).
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 -- Aleisha Coates, Eppright, Carly Scarbrough, Jacqueline Hutcheson, Gertu Vider
Fresno Pacific -- Coates, Eppright, Hutcheson
UC Irvine -- Coates, Scarbrough, Hefner, Hutcheson, EpprightÂ
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – Season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets for the 2016 Fresno State football season are now on sale at GoBulldogs.com or by calling 559-278-3647. 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes is the official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateVB
Instagram:Â FresnoStatevball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Players Mentioned
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