LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 2nd-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team (24-1, 16-1 California Collegiate Athletic Association) plays three matches this week in the next to the last week of conference action. The Tritons host Cal State East Bay (8-17, 6-11 CCAA) on Wednesday night in RIMAC Arena. UCSD ends the week on the road at San Francisco State (18-8, 11-7 CCAA) on Friday, November 6 and at Cal State Monterey Bay (10-17, 5-13 CCAA) in Seaside on Saturday night. UCSD enters the week having won 15 straight matches, sweeping four of its last six opponents. The Tritons are ranked No. 2 in the NCAA West Regional Poll which was released on October 29, one spot behind Cal State San Bernardino.
The Pioneers have lost three consecutive matches, including losses last week at Chico State and a five set loss at Cal State Stanislaus. CSUEB has been playing better volleyball since the last time the Tritons and Pioneers met. Before the recent three match losing streak, CSUEB had gone 6-4 with a win over Chico State on September 26.
Cal State East Bay is led by Sukhjit Athwal with 2.57 kills per set. Brianna Bryant adds 1.88 kills per set and a team-high 0.96 blocks per set. Roxanne Neely leads the team with 560 assists, 42 aces and 1.76 kills per set. Lauren Massa has a team-high 4.64 digs per set and Krystal Robinson adds 0.69 blocks per set.
San Francisco State has not lost consecutive matches this season. That trend continued last week as the Gators lost to Cal State L.A. in four sets and defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills in straight sets.
SFSU is led by Beth Perkins with 3.73 kills per set and Lauren Walsh with 2.51 kills per set. Iris Tolenada has a team-high 25 aces and 1,078 assists this season. Halimah Oswald has a team-high 0.62 blocks per set and Vanessa Shaw leads the Gators with 3.87 digs per set.
Cal State Monterey Bay swept Cal State Dominguez Hills and nearly pulled off an upset, losing to Cal State L.A. in five sets.
The Otters are led by Rheann Fall with 3.44 kills per set and 39 aces, while Eliabeth Hanna hits at a team-high .274 clip and 0.61 blocks per set. Monique Sena and Dana Grimm have been the primary setters while Katie Bos leads the Otters with 3.42 digs per set.
In the CCAA conference leaders (conference matches only), the Tritons continue to have several individuals ranked. Julia Freidenberg is second in hitting percentage with a .397 average. Sylvia Schmidt has moved up to fourth in attack percentage with a .318 average.
Schmidt is also third in the conference in kills per set with 4.35, trailing Jane Chafeh of CSUSB at 4.55 and Makenzie Snyder of Chico State at 4.60.
Elaine Chen is second in the CCAA with 10.95 assists per set while Sara Hoffman is the leader at 11.28 assists per set.
Roxanne Brunsting is now second in the CCAA with 0.45 aces per set, trailing Fall of CSUMB at 0.49 aces per set. Brunsting is also third in digs per set with a 4.23 average.
