A Look at the This Week
After opening the 2001 campaign by going 1-2 at the Oregon
State Showcase last week, the Sacramento State volleyball team
embarks on its busiest week of the season as it plays five matches in
a span of four days. The Hornets take on Causeway-rival UC Davis in
their home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. Sacramento State
has won each of the last seven matches against UC Davis and owns a
43-16 all-time record against the Aggies. After the UC Davis match,
the Hornets do not play again at home until Sept. 29 when they take
on Northern Arizona in their Big Sky Conference home opener.
The Hornets then participate in their second tournament in as
many weeks as they play at the five-team Fresno State Invitational,
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 7-8. On Friday, Sacramento State faces UMKC
(Missouri-Kansas City) at 12:30 p.m. before going against host Fresno
State at 7:30 p.m. The team then plays two more matches on Saturday
against Arkansas-Little Rock (12:30 p.m.) and Morgan State (5:30
p.m.). All matches will be played in North Gym on the Fresno State
campus.
Sacramento State will be facing UMKC, Arkansas-Little Rock
and Morgan State for the first time in school history. Fresno State
owns a 10-6 record all-time against the Hornets, but Sacramento State
won the last meeting between the two teams, 3-1, in 1999. Both
Arkansas-Little Rock and Morgan State advanced to the NCAA Tournament
last year.
Head Coach Debby Colberg
For the 26th-straight season, Debby Colberg will control the
Hornet sidelines. During her tenure, Colberg has posted a 652-231
record (.738 winning percentage) and has led the team to 12 league
titles and 20 postseason berths. Her 652 wins ranks eighth on the
all-time NCAA list among coaches with at least five years of Div. I experience.
Last season, Colberg was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the
Year for the third time in the last four years. During her tenure,
she has been honored as league coach of the year six times, regional
coach of the year four times and national coach of the year once.
Colberg came to Sacramento State in 1976 and finished 9-8 in
her first season. She captured her first league title in 1978 when
the team posted a 12-2 mark in the Golden State Conference. Colberg
guided the Hornets to the Div. II national championship in 1981,
including two third-place finishes (1983-84) and a second-place
finish in 1989. She has coached just two losing squads and her teams
have averaged 26.0 wins per year.
The Hornets have posted a 232-77 record since moving to Div.
I in 1991. In addition to leading the Hornets to four-consecutive
NCAA Div. I Tournament appearances, she has also had the added
responsibility of serving as the school's athletic director since
February of 1999.
A Look at Last Week
Sacramento State began the season last week by going 1-2 at
the Oregon State Showcase. The Hornets opened the tournament on
Friday by defeating Southern Illinois, 3-0 (30-15, 34-32, 30-20)
before losing in five games to both San Jose State and host Oregon
State on Saturday.
Friday, sophomore Kazmiera Imrie recorded a team-high 12
kills and 15 digs and senior Tasman Dwyer added 11 kills and five
blocks to lead the Hornets to victory. Sacramento State held Southern
Illinois to a .054 hitting percentage as the Salukis failed to hit
over .100 in any of the three games. Meanwhile, the Hornets had five
players break the .300 plateau and hit .230 as a team for the match.
Saturday, the Hornets opened the day by falling to the
Spartans (25-30, 24-30, 30-24, 30-27, 15-9) before dropping another
heartbreaker to the Beavers later that night (30-25, 30-13, 23-30,
24-30, 15-11). Against San Jose State, Sacramento State hit just .202
for the match, including .160 in the decisive fifth game. Dwyer led
the Hornets with 18 kills while sophomore Olivia Thomas recorded a
team and career-high 22 digs.
Against Oregon State, the Hornets clawed their way back from
a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth game. However, the Beavers hit .579
(13-2-19) in the fifth game and won, 15-11, despite the Hornets
committing just one error in the frame (6-1-17). Dwyer again led the
Hornets in kills (12) while sophomore Lisa Beauchene recorded her
fourth career triple-double (11 kills, 38 assists and a team-high 22
digs).
All-Around Kaz
Sophomore middle hitter Kazmiera Imrie started the season in
impressive fashion last week. Imrie, who played in 73 of the team's
115 games last season, started all three matches while playing in
each of the 13 games. Through three matches, the Fairfield, Calif.,
native has taken on the roll of a full-rotation middle hitter,
recording 27 kills (2.08 per game), 33 digs (2.54 per game) and 19
blocks (1.46 per game).
She set or tied three career highs last week while leading
the team in kills and digs once, and blocks twice. Against Southern
Illinois, Imrie tied her career mark with 12 kills and set her career
record with 14 digs. In the match against San Jose State, Imrie
notched another career high with 10 blocks while falling two kills
short of a triple-double. She followed that match up later in the day
with eight more blocks against Oregon State.
Rogers To Redshirt This Season
The Hornets will be without the services of senior outside
hitter Esther Rogers who is redshirting this season after undergoing
offseason back surgery. Rogers, who started all but two matches last
year and was an honorable mention all-Big Sky selection, will be
sorely missed. The Portland, Ore., native tied for the team lead with
31 aces while finishing second on the squad in both digs (360) and
total blocks (83).
Dwyer Picking Up Where She Left Off
If the first week is any indication, senior middle hitter
Tasman Dwyer is showing no signs of letting up from a 2000 season in
which she was a unanimous first team all-Big Sky Conference
selection. The 6-1 native of Placerville, Calif., was named to the
Oregon State Showcase all-tournament team after leading the team with
41 kills (3.15 per game) while also recording 11 blocks (0.85 per
game) and a .240 hitting percentage.
The team captain recorded double figures in kills in all
three matches while leading the team in that category against both
San Jose State (18 kills) and Oregon State (12 kills). Including
matches last season, Dwyer has now recorded double figures in kills
in 26 of her last 30 matches.
Big Sky Preseason Poll
Sacramento State was picked to finish second in the Big Sky
Conference by the league's coaches. It marked the second-consecutive
season the team has been picked to finish second after being selected
first the previous three years (1997-99). The Hornets, who received
three first place votes and 45 points, trailed Northern Arizona which
had five first place votes and 47 points. Montana State was picked to
finish third with 35 points, followed by Eastern Washington (33),
Weber State (23), Montana (21), Idaho State (15) and Portland State
(9). Northern Arizona is the only Big Sky team currently receiving
votes in the USA Today/AVCA Div. I preseason poll.
Hornets At The Net
Through three matches, Sacramento State has had the upper
hand at the net, outblocking its opponents, 35.0-23.5. The Hornets
have four players with at least 10 blocks, led by Kazmiera Imrie's
19. Seniors Alison Gahr (12) and Tasman Dwyer (11) and sophomore Lisa
Beauchene (11) round out the foursome. Sacramento State, which
outblocked Southern Illinois, 7.0-2.0, and San Jose State, 16.0-7.0,
is averaging 11.7 team blocks per game.
Volleyball Rule Changes For The 2001 Season
A few key rule changes have been implemented by the NCAA for
the 2001 season. First and foremost, rally scoring (each play results
in a point) will now be used in all games of a match. The first four
games are won when a team reaches 30 points and leads by at least two
points; the fifth game is won when a team reaches 15 points and leads
by at least two points.
Further, the collegiate game will mimic the international
game with the let serve. A served ball will remain in play if it hits
the net and continues its path to the opponent's court. Also, the
server is no longer allowed a second toss for service.
Additional Hornet Notes
The Hornets' loss to San Jose State marked the first time
since Oct. 14, 1999 (against Montana) that the team failed to pick up
a victory after winning the first two games of a match...the loss to
the Spartans also marked the first time since 1994 that the Hornets
have been defeated by San Jose State...sophomore Ali Mathewson has
already appeared in five games this season after playing in just 11
games all of last year...Sacramento State has already competed in two
five-game matches after playing in a total of five all of last
season...sophomore defensive specialist Olivia Thomas was given the
start against Oregon State, marking the first start of her
intercollegiate career...freshman outside hitter Sandra Bandimere
recorded seven kills and a .500 hitting percentage (7-1-12) in two
games against San Jose State...despite being the team's setter,
Beauchene currently leads the team with 44 digs...the Hornets have
combined to hit .104 (40-24-154) in the second game of matches this
year.
