VOLLEYBALL HOSTS THREE MATCHES THIS WEEK, INCLUDING BIG SKY OPENER
9/21/2009
Preview Of The Week Ahead
After beginning the season 2-5, the Sacramento State volleyball squad has won five of six heading into one of its most important weeks of the season. The Hornets (7-6) host three matches in four days this week, including their Big Sky Conference opener on Thursday. The team begins the week by welcoming non-conference rival Nevada to the Nest on Tuesday, Sept. 22, before hosting Big Sky foes Northern Arizona (Thursday, Sept. 24) and Northern Colorado (Friday, Sept. 25). All three matches will begin at 7 p.m.
Tuesday renews a rivalry with Nevada (4-8) that has seen the two teams play each other 41 times. Sacramento State owns a 31-10 record in those meetings, including an 18-1 mark at home. However, that one loss in Sacramento came during the 2007 season when Nevada defeated the Hornets in five sets, including 16-14 in the fifth. Nevada has won the last two meetings overall (including a 3-0 sweep last year in Reno), and three of the last five.
Northern Arizona (4-7, 1-1) enters the week having just defeated Weber State at home on Saturday. Sacramento State has won each of its last nine Big Sky home openers, and four of those victories came against the Lumberjacks (2000, 2003, 2006-07). The Hornets are 26-7 all-time against NAU, and have never lost to the Lumberjacks in Sacramento (15-0).
Northern Colorado (8-5, 2-0) opened its Big Sky season last week with home victories over both Weber State (3-0) and Idaho State (3-1). The Bears were picked to finish third in the Big Sky preseason poll and are one of three teams in the conference with 2-0 league records (Portland State and Eastern Washington). After winning the first seven meetings between the two teams, Sacramento State had dropped four straight to Northern Colorado. That included three losses last year to the Bears, the last of which came in the Big Sky Tournament quarterfinals.
Last Week
Sacramento State went 3-1 last week, including a five-set victory over Causeway rival UC Davis on Tuesday. The Hornets then traveled to Chicago, where the team went 2-1 and had a second-place showing at the DePaul Invitational. Sacramento State opened the tournament by falling to eventual champion Western Kentucky, before coming back on Saturday to defeat both Eastern Michigan (3-1) and host DePaul (3-0). The Hornets were playing their fourth and final regular-season tournament of the season.
Free Video Stream, Stats and Audio
Like every home match this season, free video stream and live stats will be offered for all three matches this week. In addition, live audio of each matchup will be offered live.
Going To Five
Seven of Sacramento State’s 13 matches thus far have resulted in five-set marathons. The Hornets have posted a 3-4 record in those contests, including its five-set win over UC Davis last week. Sacramento State had played seven of its first 10 matches to five sets before finishing all three contests at last weekend’s DePaul Invitational in four sets or less. Two of the team’s four fifth-set losses came in agonizing fashion, as the team squandered three match points in the loss to Cal State Bakersfield and four match points against Santa Clara. After dropping four straight five setters, the Hornets have won their last two opportunities.
For Starters
Outside hitters Desiree Hoyum and Janelle Currey, setter Melissa Melcher and middle hitter Maddison Thivierge have started all 13 matches this season. Middle hitter Kelsey Elston would have started all 13, but missed Saturday’s Eastern Michigan match with the flu. The only position that hasn’t seen a consistent starter is on the right side, where Eryn Kirby has started two straight and three of the last five. Anna Schoener, who missed the last two seasons because of injury, has started 10 matches at the position, and filled in at middle hitter for Elston on Saturday.
Carrying The Load
It could be argued that the Hornets’ outside hitter combination of senior Desiree Hoyum and freshman Janelle Currey have been the best duo in the Big Sky Conference. Especially when you consider that Currey (9) and Hoyum (8) rank first and second in the conference in double-doubles. Both rank among the top eight in the conference in kills, points and digs, the only outside hitter tandem in the league to rank that high in all three categories. Hoyum’s averages of 3.42 kills, 3.75 digs and 3.92 points per set rank second, sixth and third, respectively, while Currey’s averages of 3.05 kills, 3.56 digs and 3.54 points per set rank eighth, seventh and seventh, respectively. The two have combined for 356 of the team’s 664 kills, or 53.6 percent of the team’s offensive output. Either Hoyum (7 times) or Currey (4 times) has led the team in kills in 11 of 13 matches thus far.
Over her last eight matches, junior middle hitter Maddison Thivierge is hitting .392 with 86 kills and just 13 errors in 186 attacks. During that span, she is averaging 2.69 kills per set, has at least 11 kills on five occasions and has hit at least .444 on four occasions. That includes a career-high 18 kills against Alabama. In addition, she has been named all-tournament in back-to-back weeks at the Hornet Invitational and DePaul Invitational.
Digging The Hornets
Sacramento State’s average of 16.93 digs per set is not only the best mark in the Big Sky, but is also the 23rd best mark in the nation. In fact, the Hornets’ average is 1.75 more digs per set than the next closest Big Sky squad (Montana 15.18). The team has three players ranked in the top seven in the conference in digs per set, comprised of Breanne Menees (2nd, 4.37), Desiree Hoyum (6th, 3.75) and Janelle Currey (7th, 3.56).
Preview Of The Week Ahead
