Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs to face UC Santa Barbara in Las Vegas on Thursday to open NIVC
11/25/2018 8:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Complete NIVC Bracket
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Fresno State volleyball team will play its first postseason match in 16 years when the 'Dogs take on UC Santa Barbara at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Las Vegas in the opening round of the 2018 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
Fellow MW school UNLV is hosting the four-team regional and will face UC Irvine on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The winner of that match will face the winner of the Fresno State-UC Santa Barbara matchup on Friday at 7:00 p.m. to advance to round three.
The Bulldogs will be making their first postseason appearance since the 2002 team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, Fresno State's last postseason match was also against UC Santa Barbara as the Gauchos earned a 3-1 win in that matchup on Dec. 6, 2002.
Fresno State earned an automatic bid to the NIVC by finishing in second place in the MW during the regular season, the team's best finish since joining the conference in 2012. At 21-10 overall the 'Dogs have recorded their most wins since the 2002 team finished 23-7
Fresno State will be competing in the NIVC for the fourth time. The tournament was originally played from 1989 to 1995 and the Bulldogs participated in 1992, 1994, and 1995. The original tournament consisted of pool play rather than single-elimination matches, and the 'Dogs totaled a 7-5 record in their three appearances.
Fresno State had a 3-1 record in the 1994 NIVC and was 2-2 in its two other appearances. The 'Dogs lost their last two NIVC matches, falling to Saint Louis and Wisconsin to end their postseason run in 1995.
UC Santa Barbara finished fourth in the Big West at 17-11 overall and 9-7 in league play this season to earn an at-large berth in the NIVC tournament. UCSB ended the regular season on a three-match winning streak and had a 3-0 road sweep of NCAA Tournament team Hawaii to highlight a strong regular season. Fresno State is just 5-25-3 all-time against UC Santa Barbara but the teams have not met since 2014.
Fresno State played both UC Irvine and UNLV during the regular season. The 'Dogs lost to UC Irvine, 3-0, in Long Beach on Sept. 14 and the Anteaters finished third in the Big West at 16-12 overall and 10-6 in conference play. The Bulldogs swept two MW matches against UNLV during the regular season, defeating the Rebels 3-1 both at home in October and in Las Vegas just two weeks ago in what was Fresno State's final road match of the regular season. UNLV finished fifth with a 10-8 league record and are 19-11 overall.
The winner of the four-team Las Vegas regional will face the winner of the Wyoming regional in the third round of the tournament. Those four teams include host Wyoming, Portland, Utah Valley, and Northern Colorado.
NIVC Regional (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Nov. 29
Fresno State (21-10) vs. UC Santa Barbara, (17-11), 4:30 p.m. PT
UNLV (19-11) vs. UC Irvine (16-12), 7 p.m. PT
Nov. 30
Winners, 7 p.m. PT
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateVB
Instagram: FresnoStatevball
Facebook: FresnoStateVB
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Fresno State volleyball team will play its first postseason match in 16 years when the 'Dogs take on UC Santa Barbara at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Las Vegas in the opening round of the 2018 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
Fellow MW school UNLV is hosting the four-team regional and will face UC Irvine on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The winner of that match will face the winner of the Fresno State-UC Santa Barbara matchup on Friday at 7:00 p.m. to advance to round three.
The Bulldogs will be making their first postseason appearance since the 2002 team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, Fresno State's last postseason match was also against UC Santa Barbara as the Gauchos earned a 3-1 win in that matchup on Dec. 6, 2002.
Fresno State earned an automatic bid to the NIVC by finishing in second place in the MW during the regular season, the team's best finish since joining the conference in 2012. At 21-10 overall the 'Dogs have recorded their most wins since the 2002 team finished 23-7
Fresno State will be competing in the NIVC for the fourth time. The tournament was originally played from 1989 to 1995 and the Bulldogs participated in 1992, 1994, and 1995. The original tournament consisted of pool play rather than single-elimination matches, and the 'Dogs totaled a 7-5 record in their three appearances.
Fresno State had a 3-1 record in the 1994 NIVC and was 2-2 in its two other appearances. The 'Dogs lost their last two NIVC matches, falling to Saint Louis and Wisconsin to end their postseason run in 1995.
UC Santa Barbara finished fourth in the Big West at 17-11 overall and 9-7 in league play this season to earn an at-large berth in the NIVC tournament. UCSB ended the regular season on a three-match winning streak and had a 3-0 road sweep of NCAA Tournament team Hawaii to highlight a strong regular season. Fresno State is just 5-25-3 all-time against UC Santa Barbara but the teams have not met since 2014.
Fresno State played both UC Irvine and UNLV during the regular season. The 'Dogs lost to UC Irvine, 3-0, in Long Beach on Sept. 14 and the Anteaters finished third in the Big West at 16-12 overall and 10-6 in conference play. The Bulldogs swept two MW matches against UNLV during the regular season, defeating the Rebels 3-1 both at home in October and in Las Vegas just two weeks ago in what was Fresno State's final road match of the regular season. UNLV finished fifth with a 10-8 league record and are 19-11 overall.
The winner of the four-team Las Vegas regional will face the winner of the Wyoming regional in the third round of the tournament. Those four teams include host Wyoming, Portland, Utah Valley, and Northern Colorado.
NIVC Regional (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Nov. 29
Fresno State (21-10) vs. UC Santa Barbara, (17-11), 4:30 p.m. PT
UNLV (19-11) vs. UC Irvine (16-12), 7 p.m. PT
Nov. 30
Winners, 7 p.m. PT
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateVB
Instagram: FresnoStatevball
Facebook: FresnoStateVB
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