Full Game Notes

ARCATA, Calif. - After five-straight road contests, Humboldt State volleyball aims for a successful 'Senior Week' and a possible NCAA Division II playoff invitation.

     The Lumberjacks complete their home schedule with two 7 p.m. matches. HSU faces Cal State Dominguez Hills Thursday, before it hosts Cal State Los Angeles for 'Senior Night' Saturday to battle for third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

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SIGHTS ON CAPTURING PROGRAM'S FIRST NCAA BID

     For the first time in program history, HSU has a chance to earn a NCAA Division II national playoff invitation. 

     The Jacks have been rated No. 9 the past two weeks in the West Region's top 10. 

West Region Top 10 (as of Nov. 5)

1. Northwest Nazarene 23-2
2. Alaska Anchorage 20-4
3. Western Washington 19-6
4. Central Washington 19-6
5. BYU-Hawaii 19-5
6. Sonoma State 19-6
7. Cal State San Bernardino 18-6
8. Dixie State 19-8
9. Humboldt State 16-8
10. Cal State Los Angeles 16-7

Others in the mix: Point Loma Nazarene 18-9; Cal Poly Pomona 14-9; Simon Fraser 16-8

Breakdown of the West Region

*Top six region teams hold strong positions for one of the eight playoff spots

*Cal State San Bernardino should hold on for one of the final two spots with at least one win of its two matches next week.

*Dixie State has one match remaining against Fresno Pacific (20-7), which is ineligible for the regional playoffs, next Saturday. Dixie State could make a case with a win of that match for the final spot

*HSU hosts CSU Dominguez Hills and Cal State Los Angeles to end the regular season next week. Jacks will need wins in both matches to stay in the running for the 8th region playoff spot and clinch 3rd place in the CCAA.

*Cal State Los Angeles will have a tough week when it plays at both Cal State San Bernardino Thursday and HSU Saturday night.

*Point Loma Nazarene finishes its season at Azusa Pacific (13-14) next Saturday. It can also make a case for the final spot with a win.
 

VICTORY LEVELS REACHED

     With the end of the regular season this week, HSU has reached victory levels the program has not seen in a long time.

     The Jacks have:

• 1st winning season since 1999

• Most wins since going 17-13 in 1997

• Most wins in a season since joining the CCAA in the 2006 season

• 13-7 CCAA record ties the combined conference wins of the last three seasons

• Guaranteed of its highest CCAA regular season finish of a season

• 1st appearance in the NCAA DII West Region rankings since Oct. of 1990

• Won 1st match at Cal Poly Pomona and 1st match since joining CCAA at Cal State Los Angeles

THREE SENIORS PLAY FINAL HOME MATCH

     With the end of the season, there comes the final home match for the senior team members. HSU will have three seniors – Ashley Owen, Erin Mitchell and Colleen Noonan – play their final time in Lumberjack Arena.

     Owen has led the Jacks in kills the last two years. She hit 416 kills last year. This season, her 285 kills ranks ninth in the CCAA. The outside hitter has 701 kills for her HSU career. Owen also has 102 total blocks and 182 digs in 207 sets.

     Mitchell moved into the CCAA's top 10 in set assists this week with 498. She posted 197 assists last year for a 695 two-year total. The setter also has 145 digs and 14 aces this year. Mitchell has 228 digs and 39 aces.

     Noonan is a two-year defensive and service specialist. She has a kill, six aces and 12 digs this year. In two years, Noonan has 241 digs, 22 aces and nine assists.

JACKS LEAD CCAA IN TWO CATEGORIES

     HSU leads the CCAA in two stat categories. The Jacks have the top spot for kills (1,279) and assists (1,215). The squad is also second in kills per set (13.61), assists per set (12.93), aces (140) and aces per set (1.49). 

HSU PLAYERS IN THE CCAA STAT RANKINGS:

     • Haley Biles: 1st - Digs/set (4.96) & Digs (461); 10th - Aces (27)

     • Kelci Renshaw: 3rd - Aces (32); 4th - Aces/set (0.35)

     • Kat Rifilato: 8th - Assists (589); 10th - Assists/Set (6.27)

     • Nicole Bewley: 10th - Hitting percentage (.300); 10th - Total Blocks (73)

SCOUTING THIS WEEK'S CCAA OPPONENTS:

Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-21 / 2-18 CCAA)

     • HSU leads series 20-5

     • HSU won the last meeting in Carson 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17) on Oct. 11

     • HSU won last three meetings

     • HSU took the last meeting in Arcata 3-1 on 9-21-13

     • CSUDH is 4-13 vs. HSU since 2006 and 1-7 in Arcata

     • Alijah Gunsaulus leads the Toros with 244 kills and a .250 hit pct.    

     • Dana Brown tops CSUDH with 658 assists and 26 aces

Cal State Los Angeles (16-7/14-6 CCAA)

     • LA leads series 19-4

     • HSU won this season's meeting in LA 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 16-25, 25-18, 15-7) in LA on 10-10-14 -- Jacks first win in LA since 1990 and first since both are members of the CCAA

     • HSU win in LA snapped a LA 11-match win streak

     • LA won last year's meeting in Arcata by a 3-2 score on 9-19-13

     • LA holds a 15-2 series record and 7-1 mark since HSU joined CCAA in 2006

     • HSU last defeated LA in Arcata, 3-1, on 9-20-08

     • Team ranks 3rd in CCAA hitting percentage (.244)

     • Iona Lofrano is 2nd in kills (370) and 3rd in kills/set (4.16) in CCAA

     • Setter Kelsey Molnar is 3rd in assists per set (10.14)

     • Jamie Ann Bero rates 5th in hitting percentage (.328)

-GoJacks-