Oct. 12, 2004
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This Week
Santa Clara will continue West Coast Conference action on the road, visiting nearby rivals San Francisco and Saint Mary's. Both matches have 7 p.m. scheduled start times at their respected venues. The Dons are 9-11 overall, 2-2 in league play. The Gaels are ranked 14th nationally and boast a 15-1, 4-0 record. Bronco win streaks are on the line, as Santa Clara has won 28 consecutive matches over the Dons--the longest current win streak in the league-- and 14 straight over the Gaels.
Building a Wall
Santa Clara is currently ranked third in the nation in blocks per game, boasting a 3.47 average. Freshman Annalisa Muratore leads the team with a 1.60 mark, which ranks 18th in the nation. Fellow newcomer Anna Cmaylo is right behind her with a 1.35 average. Junior Cassie Perret is third on the team, averaging 1.15 blocks per game.
In Other National Stats
Santa Clara is currently ranked fourth in the nation in blocks per game (3.47) and 27th in assists per game (14.94). Individually, freshman Annalisa Muratore is ranked eighth nationally in hitting percentage, boasting a .427 clip.
Fab Freshman Class
Santa Clara has recruited the ninth-best class in the country, according to PrepVolleyball.com in its annual rankings released in May. Nebraska received the website's top nod, followed by Florida, USC, Ohio State and Washington in the top five. Michigan, Wisconsin and Hawaii were listed ahead of the Broncos, while Kansas rounded out the top 10. West Coast Conference opponents Pepperdine and San Diego were ranked Nos. 24 and 25, respectively.
Four newcomers have made an immediate impact on the program. Middle blocker Annalisa Muratore and Anna Cmaylo, and Libero Caroline Walters are starters, while Crystal Matich splits time at setter.
CSTV to Televise Pepperdine Match
College Sports Television, the first 24-hour college sports television network, will televise the Broncos' Sunday, October 24 match against Pepperdine at the Leavey Center. First serve for the live broadcast is set for 3 p.m. The CSTV Sunday Night Spikes telecasts, featuring teams from 12 different conferences, will showcase some of the top players in pursuit of a national title. Carter Blackburn will handle play-by-play, while Heather Cox and Krista Blunk will rotate analyst duties. A feature story on the Muratore sisters will air during intermission.
College Sports TV, the fastest-growing independent cable network, is available to more than 20 million homes nationally on cable and satellite. The network is available on Comcast, Time Warner and Adelphia cable systems, among others, and is also available on DirecTV (channel 610). For information on CSTV availability in particular markets, consumers can log on to www.collegesports.com/getcstv or call their cable or satellite operator.
In the WCC Statistics
Santa Clara leads the West Coast Conference in two categories: blocks (3.47 pg) and opponent hitting percentage (.160). The Broncos are second in hitting percentage (.248), kills (16.19 pg) and assists (14.94 pg), while ranking fifth in digs (16.23 pg) and service aces (1.38 pg). Individually, Annalisa Muratore leads the league in hitting percentage (.427) and is second in blocks (1.60 pg). Additionally, Caroline Walters is fourth in digs (4.49 pg).
Super Sisters
Middle blocker Annalisa Muratore is the first freshman to be named WCC Player of the Week since her sister, junior outside hitter Toni Muratore, earned the honor on October 15, 2001. As a tandem on the court, the Muratores have combined for 345 kills, 41 percent of Bronco totals. Defensively, the pair have tallied 121 blocks, or 40 percent of SCU's production.
A Look Ahead: Broncos Remain in Conference Action
Santa Clara returns home to close the first half of conference play. Santa Clara will face Loyola Marymount on Friday at 7 p.m. and Pepperdine on Sunday at 3 p.m. in a nationally-televised contest.
Season/Match Tickets on Sale
Season and individual match tickets for Santa Clara University's nationally-recognized volleyball team are on sale through the Department of Athletics' official website SantaClaraBroncos.com, and the athletic ticket office at 408-554-4660, between the hours of 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In conjunction with its exclusive Internet partner, College Sports Online, the athletic department has developed an online ticket application that provides fans with the ability to purchase season tickets, family plans, individual matches or an all-sports pass via the official athletic website. A volleyball season ticket package that includes the remaining eight home matches is available for the adult price of $65 each in the reserved section, $45 for general admission, while a family plan provides a family of five admission to each match for the low price of $100. Youth (12 and under) and senior (over 65-years-old) season tickets are also available for $25. Single matches are priced at $7 for adult reserved, $5 for adult general admission, $3 for youths and seniors and $2 for SCU students as well Bronco Kidz members. Single match team passes are also available for $30.
