Sept. 10, 2008
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara volleyball team returns to the Bay Area this week to participate in the 2008 Stanford Invitational. The Broncos will begin the three-day event on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 4:30 p.m. with the Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara. SCU will then face New Mexico State on Friday, Sept. 12 at 4:30 p.m., and then finishes the Invite with No. 7 Stanford on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. All three matches will be held at Maples Pavilion.
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Last Time Out
The Broncos went 3-0 last weekend and handed two of their opponents their first losses of the season. SCU opened the Sheraton Four Points Arizona Invitational with a 3-0 sweep of Texas Tech to give the Red Raiders their first loss of the year and the followed with a 3-1 triumph over host Arizona later that night. It was the Wildcats first loss of the year as well. The Broncos completed the weekend with a 3-0 win over Texas State Saturday morning. For the weekend, Nina Sevastopoulos led the team with 34 kills, while Lindsy Davigeadono compiled a 47.6 hitting percentage. Freshman Libby Morrison dished out seven aces and freshman Tanya Schmidt posted 10 total blocks. Senior Taylor O'Brien collected 38 digs.
One Away
With their sweep of the Sheraton Four Points Arizona Invitational last weekend, the Broncos have brought head coach Jon Wallace one win away from his career 200. Under his direction, the Broncos have compiled a 199-79 overall record and a 98-28 mark in West Coast Conference play. On Sept. 12, 2006 the Broncos defeated the San Jose State Spartans 3-2 to give Wallace his 163rd career win, putting him alone atop the wins list, surpassing the 162 career victories of Mary Ellen Murchison (1978-88).
Cmaylo Reaches 1,000
Redshirt senior Anna Cmaylo became a member of the Broncos' 1,000 Kill Club last weekend. The Napa, Calif., native entered the tournament 15 kills away from the feat. With her match-high 17 kill performance on Saturday against Texas State, Cmaylo has compiled 1,015 kills thus far.
On Track To 1,000
Senior Brittany Lowe is the next member of the 2008 Bronco roster chasing after 1,000. Lowe is now 35 digs away from her career 1,000. Lowe reached her career 1,000 kills in 2007 after tallying a team-high 452.
All-Tournament Team Honors
The Broncos won their first preseason tournament of the year after going 3-0 at the Sheraton Four Points Arizona Invitational in Tucson last weekend. Three Broncos earned All-Tournament team honors. Lowe led the pack as she was named MVP, while Schmidt and Sevastopoulos were also named to the list.
Freshman Fire
The Bronco freshmen have already begun to make an impact on the court this season. San Jose native Schmidt leads the team with 16 total blocks and has a 39.1 hitting percentage. Portland, Ore., native Morrison is tied for second on the team with six service aces and is third with 40 digs. Elk Grove, Calif., native Dana Knudsen had a team-high 47.4 hitting percentage and averages 0.60 blocks per game. Both Schmidt and Morrison are ranked in the top-10 in the WCC in hitting percentage and aces, respectively.
Broncos In The Polls
SCU continues to receive votes in the 2008 AVCA/CBS College Sports Top-25 Coaches Poll. The Broncos are currently eight spots out of the top-25.
In the WCC
With two weekends of play complete, Santa Clara is ranked in the top 5 in hitting percentage, assists and kills, while leading the conference in service aces.
Individually, six different Broncos are ranked in the top-10 in five categories. Freshman Schmidt checks in at No. 4 in hitting percentage, while senior Cmaylo is ranked No. 10. Cmaylo is also 10th in kills, while senior Lowe is 5th in kills and tied for 5th in aces. Junior setter Davigeadono claims the No. 4 spot in assists this week, while remaining tied for third in aces. Freshman Morrison is tied with Lowe for fifth in aces and senior O'Brien is tied for 8th in aces and owns the No. 8 spot in digs.
Broncos And The Record Books
Broncos have already begun moving around the record books this year. Outside hitter Lowe is now ninth in kills (1,178), seventh in attempts, (3,027) and eighth in aces (117). She is six aces away from tying the 2007 WCC Player of the Year Crystal Matich.
Cmaylo holds steady to her No. 2 all-time hitting percentage. She is just five solo blocks away from entering the career top-10 and is 19 block assists away from claiming the No. 3 all-time spot. Thirty-three more blocks and she'll claim the No. 3 spot in that category as well.
Scouting UCSB
The Gauchos enter the weekend with a 3-2 overall record. UCSB's losses came against then-No. 5 California and USF. All of their wins thus far have been three set sweeps. Team leaders for the Gauchos are: Charlene DeHoog (3.38 k/s); Kasey Kipp (1.06 b/s); Dana Vargas (44.4 pct, 10.12 a/s) and Rebecca Saraceno (8 sa).
All-Time vs. Santa Barbara
Thursday's match marks the 20th meeting between the Broncos and Gauchos. UCSB leads the all-time series 16-3. The two teams last met on Sept. 15, 2007 at the Leavey Center when UCSB edged SCU, 3-2.
Scouting New Mexico State
The Aggies begin the Invite with a 4-4 record. NM State is led by Lindsey Yon on the attack as she averages 3.80 kills per game. Amber Simpson and Whitney Woods are tied for first on the squad with 41 total blocks each.
All-Time vs. New Mexico State
Friday's match marks the fifth meeting between the Broncos and Aggies. SCU leads the all-time series 3-1. The two teams last met on Sept. 8, 2000 with the Broncos posting a 3-0 sweep.
Scouting Stanford
The Cardinal enters the week with a No. 7 national ranking and a 4-2 overall record. Their losses came at the hands of then-No. 7 Nebraska in the season opener and last Saturday against unranked Saint Louis. Current Pac-10 Player of the Week Foluke Akinradewo leads the team averaging 2.90 kills per set and positing 22 total blocks. Casidy Lichtman averaged 2.0 kills per set for the Cardinal and has dished out a team-best 8 service aces.
All-Time vs. Stanford
Saturday's contest marks the 23rd meeting of the two programs. Stanford leads the all-time series 21-1. The two teams last met in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, with the Broncos losing in a hard-fought 3-0 match.
On Deck
Santa Clara returns to the Mission Campus on Sept. 16 to open the 2008 home schedule. The Broncos host the Hornets of Sacramento State at the Leavey Center. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
