ARCATA — Sleeping in their own beds, attending classes, and playing volleyball in their own gym could help reverse the Lumberjacks' rough start to the 2010 season. They'll find out if being home is indeed helpful when they face Cal State San Bernardino on Friday and Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday in Lumberjack Arena.

Three weeks into the season, the Jacks remain winless at 0-8, and hold an 0-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association record. Being home is just one factor they'll need in their favor, however, against their first opponent, No. 3 nationally ranked Cal State San Bernardino. Cal Poly Pomona has also historically been a tough matchup for HSU.

Both matches are set for a 7 p.m. first serve.

Head-to-Head
HSU is now 3-9 against Cal State San Bernardino after challenging but falling in three at CSUSB twice last season. The Jacks also dropped both matches in three straight during the 2008 season. …Humboldt State pushed Cal Poly Pomona to four twice last year, and trails the all-time series, 13-1.

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
This week's matches feature a first in Humboldt State volleyball history. Both 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
Teams attending an 8th-grade volleyball tournament hosted locally by Pacific Union Elementary in Arcata will be allowed free entry to HSU's matches both Friday and Saturday evening. Players should arrive in a single group wearing uniform jerseys to gain access.

Lumberjack Notes
Consistency and maintaining the style of play that helped the Jacks challenge Chico State and claim a set against the Wildcats and CSU Stanislaus Warriors last week. Unfortunately, fast starts and frequent strong finishes couldn't overcome the Jacks' lapses. "We've been streaky," head coach Sue Woodstra said. "That's made it difficult to bounce back when we get behind." …Humboldt State's highest ranking in statistical categories is no surprise. Blocking is a constant for the Jacks, who list No. 5 in the CCAA with an average of 1.90 per set …Senior Toni Kroeker paces the Jacks in blocking with an average of .95 per set, listing her seventh-best among CCAA players. …As might be expected, the Jacks' lack of success has the coaching staff pondering changes. Specific personnel changes to the lineup will be determined during the week's practices. …What hasn't changed, is the Jacks' attitude towards practice and preparation. They continue to be upbeat and focused despite the victory drought. "We had another spirited practice this morning," Woodstra said. "The freshmen are especially upbeat. They're always ready to go."

Injury Report
HSU's players are peppered with bumps, knicks and bruises, the all-too-familiar badges of courage that accumulate as the season progresses. …Freshman opposite side hitter Noel Eaton is recovering from a concussion, the most serious of the Jacks' injuries this week. She'll be evaluated daily to determine her availability for the weekend.

Opponents Notes
CSU San Bernardino sits atop the CCAA standings with a 7-1 overall record and 4-0 conference mark. The Coyotes' lone loss was to Alaska Anchorage, a team the Jacks pushed to five sets at the Western Oregon tournament. …CSUSB's Samantha Middleborn leads all CCAA players with a remarkable .598 hitting percentage. Teammate Jane Chafeh leads the league in kills with 4.36 per set. …Cal Poly Pomona brings a 3-6 overall record into the week, and is 1-3 in league matches. The Broncos' lone conference win was a three-game sweep of San Francisco State. …CP Pomona's Taylr Kreutziger ranks third in league with an average of 1.03 blocks per set. Katie Colin ranks fourth in assists at 9.94 per set.

Woodstra's Words
“Being home provides us with a much-needed break from travel. It's just nice to be in our own surroundings." … "We know what we have to do, but we need to do it at the right time during a set. It comes down to following through." … "We've played Cal State San Bernardino tough in the past. It will take a combination of us elevating our game and them perhaps overlooking us." … "Cal Poly Pomona is deeper than they've been in recent seasons, but they're very young. The graduated a couple of key players, including their setter, but they still have quite a bit of talent."

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.