Complete Notes Packet
ARCATA, Calif. - With the opening weekend in the books, Humbold State volleyball will dive into California Collegiate Athletic Association action and its second trip to the Bay Area in as many weekends.
The Lumberjacks posted three victories in four matches of the Route 92 Tournament. HSU will open league play with the first pair of matches starting on Friday night at Cal State Monterey Bay, before playing Saturday evening at Cal State East Bay in 7 p.m. starts.
FOLLOW THE LIVE ACTION:
At Cal St. Monterey Bay - Friday:
Live Stats / Live Video
At Cal State East Bay - Saturday:
Live Stats / Live Video
OPEN SEASON STRONG FOR SECOND YEAR
After only three wins all season two years ago, HSU opened its second campaign in a row with three victories in its first four matches.
The Jacks trailed by a set, 2-1, against the Urban Knights of Academy of Art. HSU stormed back with a 32-30 marathon fourth set win, before taking a 15-12 fifth set to prevail, 3-2, in the Route 92 Tournament opening match. Ashley Owen pounded 22 of the Jacks' 70 kills to lead the way.
After a quick turnaround, HSU bounced back and defeated California Baptist, 3-1, which had received votes in the AVCA Divison II Preseason Top 25 Poll. Kaitlyn Dunaway and Symone Hayden combined for 29 kills and hit .450.
In Saturday's first match, the Jacks dropped their lone match of the weekend after leading by a set to the Eagles of Carson-Newman, 3-2. Kat Rifilato handed out 20 assists, downed five kills and dug seven balls.
HSU put an exclamation point on the four-match, two-day event with a straight sets sweep, 3-0, over host Notre Dame de Namur. Owen added 14 kills with a .571 hit percentage.
OWEN STARTS WITH SAME PUNCH
Senior outside hitter Ashley Owen started 2014 with the same punch as she played the 2013 campaign.
Owen recorded a team-high 61 kills, 3.59 kills per set and a .276 hitting percentage over the Jacks' first four games last weekend.
Ashley pounded 22 kills with a .391 hitting percentage top open the four matches against Academy of Art in her highest total. She went on to add 11, 14 and 14 in the other three contests.
Owen posted the fourth-most kills in a season of 416 in the program's record book.
RIFILATO & BEWLEY PRESENCE FELT
With not having a huge amount of depth last season, HSU showed some of its new depth in the first weekend of matches. Sophomore Kat Rifilato and junior Nicole Bewley made their presence felt for the first time in the lineup. Rifilato led HSU with 107 set assists to go with 28 kills, 33 digs and three blocks. Bewley led the team with 12 total blocks, 11 solo, and hit 27 kills.
RENSHAW SERVES IT UP
After leading the team in aces last season, Kelci Renshaw had an impressive start to 2014 with 13 aces in four matches last weekend. She set her career single-game best with six aces against Cal Baptist and finished with at least two in each of the other three matches.
SCOUTING THIS WEEK'S CCAA OPPONENTS:
Cal State Monterey Bay (0-4 / 0-0 CCAA)
• 2013 Record: 18-12 / 12-10 CCAA - 5th
• CSUMB leads series 9-7
• CSUMB won last two in series by sweeping matches 3-1 in Seaside and 3-2 at Arcata
• Opened season with four losses at the Point Loma Seaside Invitational
* Claimed only four sets of 16 in four matches
• Return two All-CCAA players in Julia Ashen (1st team) & Jessica Malcolm (2nd team)
Cal State East Bay (3-2 / 0-0 CCAA)
• 2013 Record: 11-19 / 7-15 T9th
• HSU leads series 38-17
• Split season series last fall with road team winning each time
• Split four matches last weekend at the Route 92 Tournament
• Lost All-CCAA 1st team opposite Suzy Ni Xu
• Libero Veronica Sanchez earned All-CCAA 2nd team last year
• Frontline players Amber Hall and Samantha Bruno pace the Pioneers with 59 kills apiece.
