Game Notes | August 28-29, 2015
WATCH | Volleyball Preps for Santa Clara Tournament (EYEBRONCO)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara volleyball will play a home-opening match for the first time since 2004 (11 seasons) when it hosts Weber State Friday, Aug. 28 to begin the 2015 season. The Broncos play three matches in 24 hours as part of a joint tournament between Santa Clara and San Jose State. Santa Clara faces Rutgers Saturday, Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. and rounds out the tournament with a 7 p.m. matchup Saturday against UC Riverside. A total of five games are scheduled in the Leavey Center for opening weekend.
SANTA CLARA vs. Weber State
Friday, Aug. 28, 2015 • 7 p.m.
Game #1 • Home Game #1 • Santa Clara, Calif.
SANTA CLARA vs. Rutgers
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 • 11 a.m.
Game #2 • Home Game #2 • Santa Clara, Calif.
SANTA CLARA vs. UC Riverside
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 • 7 p.m.
Game #3 • Home Game #3• Santa Clara, Calif.
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Stats: www.santaclara.statbroadcast.com
Live Video: TheW.tv
Twitter: @SCUBroncos
2015 SCHEDULE
Santa Clara begins the season with three home matches in the Santa Clara/San Jose State Tournament. Following opening weekend, the Broncos hit the road for three consecutive tournaments: the Lobo Classic Sept. 4-5, Texas Classic Sept. 10-11 and Sacramento State Invitational Sept. 18-19. Among the highlights of their road trip is a stop in the Lone Star State to face AVCA preseason No. 3 Texas Friday, Sept. 11 at 5:30 p.m.
The Broncos play three matches in a two-day span during four consecutive weekends leading up to West Coast Conference play, which begins Sept. 24 against San Diego in the Leavey Center. Two days later, Santa Clara hosts 2014 national runner-up and 2015 WCC favorite BYU in their second conference contest of the season.
The Broncos make their way out to Provo during the homestretch of the year for a Nov. 24 contest against the Cougars and continue on to San Diego two days later to face the Toreros in their second-to-last match of the regular season. Also on the conference docket is a Halloween night matchup at Portland.
THE BRONCOS
The Broncos return four starters and a libero from last year's team, including 2014 All-WCC First Team selection Nikki Hess and 2014 WCC Freshman of the Year Kirsten Mead. Santa Clara was picked to take second place in the conference preseason poll.
Hess played in 31 of the team's 32 matches last year and led the Broncos with 405 kills for a 3.68 kpg average. She also recorded 242 digs for a 2.20 dpg average.
Mead played in 30 matches in her collegiate debut season and notched a team-high 1,255 assists. She finished second in the nation in assists per set with 11.94, just behind category leader Madi Bugg of Stanford at 12.1. Mead recorded five double-doubles (assists and digs) while posting 50+ assists nine times last season.
Three additional Broncos return to the roster after seasons in which they played 111 or more sets last year: senior Danielle Rottman alongside juniors Sabrina Clayton and Mary Shepherd.
THE OPPONENTS
Weber State went 7-24 and 3-13 in the Big Sky conference last season. Sophomore Taylor Christensen led last year's team with 1,134 assists and junior Meghan Thompson led the 2014 Wildcats with 141 total blocks. Jeremiah Larsen is in his first season as head coach of the Wildcats.
Rutgers went 7-26 and 0-20 in the Big Ten conference last season. The team returns five players that recorded at least 160 kills in 2014, led by junior Lauren Cloyd. CJ Werneke is in his eighth season as head coach of the Scarlet Knights.
UC Riverside went 2-26 and 0-16 in the Big Sky Conference last season. Sophomore Alex Gresham finished second on the Highlanders with 216 kills and 60 total blocks as a freshman in 2014. Michelle Patton is in her third season as head coach of the Highlanders.
GO BRONCOS!
