ARCATA, Calif. – Playing three consecutive matches against the conference's top two teams is never easy. Humboldt State volleyball (6-8, 4-6) learned this first hand after facing the toughest stretch of its schedule last week. With that part of the schedule over with, the Lumberjacks have an opportunity this weekend to get back on track.

"It's been a rough little patch, because we are playing some very good teams," said Head Coach Kelly Wood. "In the end, we are hoping that that is what is going to make us better."
 
The Jacks will play on Friday and Saturday this week, traveling to San Francisco State, then Cal State East Bay. Both matches will begin at 7 p.m. Last season, Humboldt swept San Francisco State and split with East Bay with each team winning at home.
 
This is the first time this season that the Green and Gold will match up against either of the California Collegiate Athletic Association schools. Through 10 conference games, San Francisco State is tied for fifth at 6-4 and Cal State East Bay is 12^th at 1-9.
 
Individually, several Jacks have put up strong numbers through the first part of the season. Haley Biles is fourth in the conference with 4.82 digs per set, after recording 37 last week. Kaitlyn Dunaway is fourth in the conference with 0.36 service aces per set, with her three aces last week. Wood believes that now is the time to have all six players on the court exceling at once.
 
"The first thing that needs to get better is our setting," said Wood. "We are just a little bit inconsistent in our setting right now. We know that we can serve teams out of system and we play very good defense, and we just need to finish points."
 
HSU returns to campus following the weekend trip to play two at Lumberjack Arena. Humboldt State will host Cal State Dominguez Hills on Oct. 22 and Cal State L.A. on the following night. Six of the final eight games will be played at home.