ARCATA — Having finally reaped the rewards of their efforts with a victory over CSU Dominguez Hills last week, Humboldt State's Lumberjacks return home, seeking a measure of momentum in two matches this weekend. The Lumberjacks, 1-14 overall and 1-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, host Cal State East Bay (12-4, 7-4) Friday and UC San Diego (7-7, 4-6) Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. in Lumberjack Arena.

Head-to-Head
After falling in three at La Jolla on Sept. 10, the Jacks now trail UC San Diego, 0-10 in the all-time series. . …Cal State East Bay defeated the Jacks in four on its home court on Sept. 11, but the Jacks still hold the all-time advantage, 37-11.

LiveStats
Live statistics for all HSU home matches can be accessed at http://livestats.internetconsult.com/humboldt/wvball/ while the event is in progress.

Live Video
Selected home events will offer live video streamed over the internet. Student-athlete parents and out-of-the area alumni and fans can watch by accessing the following URL — http://www.ustream.tv/channel/humboldt-state-athletics. This added service is being engineered by the sports information staff and filmed by student assistants in an effort to keep costs to a minimum and to avoid passing along subscription-based access fees to HSU's faithful followers.

Promotions
All middle school volleyball players wearing their uniform tops are admitted to Humboldt State matches free. This week's middle school tournament is hosted by Jacoby Creek Middle School in Arcata.

Lumberjack Notes
Humboldt State finally realized the potential it had shown in recent matches with the break-through victory over CSU Dominguez Hills last week. "We've been working toward that, and have shown indications we were making progress," head coach Sue Woodstra said. "We played smart, and were more aggressive, offensively." …One constant for the Lumberjacks this season has been the blocking of sophomore Allison Drobish. With 44 blocks, Drobish has already squeezed her way onto the HSU career blocking all-time list, where she stands at No. 9 with a total of 151. With 11 matches remaining, Drobish could move up at least two more positions. …Also earning her way into the Jacks' history books is senior Jo Arzadon, who is now ranked 10th in career digs with 698. The mark is especially impressive considering that Arzadon has been called on to fill a variety of roles throughout her four years. …Already No. 2 on the single-season blocking list with 119 accumulated during the 2008 season, senior Toni Kroeker is forging her way onto the career list as well. Her career total of 160 ranks Kroeker No. 8 in Jacks' history, with a chance to move up a couple positions a realistic goal. …The remainder of HSU's matches are against teams the Jacks have already seen once, with the second half of CCAA action beginning this week. "We've been working hard, and I think we have every reason to raise our expectations for the second half of conference," Woodstra said.

Opponents Notes
Cal State East Bay has been on the rise, and brings a 12-4 overall record and 7-4 CCAA mark into the week's action. The Pioneers have won four of their last five matches, including last week's win over league-leader CSU San Bernardino, a squad that was previously unbeaten in league matches. However, only one day earlier, the Pioneers dropped a four-set match to ninth-place Cal Poly Pomona. "Anybody in our conference can beat anyone else on a given night," Woodstra said. …CSUEB's Lauren Massa is the CCAA's leader in digs, totaling 316 for an average of 5.18 per set. …As a team, the Pioneers have been very consistent hitters, ranking No. 2 in conference with a .235 percentage. …UC San Diego heads on the road following a four-match homestand in which the Tritons posted a 3-1 record, falling only to CSU San Bernardino. Prior to that success, they had endured a five-match losing streak, all but one of those games played on the road. For the season, the Tritons are 5-2 at home and 1-4 on the road. …Setter Thalia McCann ranks fourth in the CCAA in assists with an average of 9.57 per set. …Kaitlin Potter is among the league's hitting leaders, listed sixth with a .322 percentage. …As a team, UCSD tops the CCAA in digs with an average of 18.17 per set.

Woodstra's Words
“East Bay has been hot lately, but had an up and down week last week. We just have to make them earn their points. If we operate better offensively, we can challenge them. We have to put pressure on their serving and keep them off the net." …"UCSD is playing better lately. I think it has just taken some time for them to adjust to a new philosophy and a new coach." … "We have to stay aggressive and play with intelligence." … "It's nice to be home, especially for two weekends. This is the first time this season we've had a chance to play consecutive weekends at home."

Lumberjack Links
Follow this link or paste it in your browser to access the current Lumberjack roster. For current statistics following the weekend's matches, visit the Jacks statistics page.