Oct. 22, 2009
The Santa Clara volleyball team travels to Los Angeles for a pair of matches this weekend. The Broncos will play a 7 pm match at Loyola Marymount Thurs., Oct. 22 before traveling to Malibu, Calif. for a 1 pm match with Pepperdine on Sat., Oct. 24.
Santa Clara returns home to host USF on Fri., Oct. 30 at 5 pm.
All told, in the past three years, the volleyball team has helped raise almost $31,000 for cancer research. Santa Clara is proud to announce it raised over $7250 during its DIG PINK match on Oct. 17, 2009. The Broncos have raised better than $21,450 the last three years for Breast Cancer research. They raised a high-water mark of $7400 in 2007, $6800 in 2008 and this year's total of $7250. The volleyball team is also involved in raising money for Pancreatic Cancer research. Last spring they assisted in hosting the first annual Bronco Pancreatic Cancer Walk where 175-plus walkers raised almost $10,000 on their 10K walk around the Mission Campus. All proceeds went directly to UCSF and its research for pancreatic cancer.
"DIG PINK is very important to our team because many of our coaches and players have been directly impacted by cancer. Making Breast Cancer Awareness month in October - it's very personal for our team," said Bronco head coach Jon Wallace. "We aid with a fundraiser in both the fall and the spring and the team takes both very seriously. I am really proud of their efforts."
Santa Clara, 11-9 and 1-4 in the WCC, posted a 1-1 record last week. The Broncos defeated a visiting Portland 3-1 on Oct. 15 before falling 3-2 to Gonzaga on Oct. 17.
"We had another good week of competitive practice headed down to Los Angeles," said Wallace. "Our girls want to win and like I said last week - it's going to take something small for us to get back on the winning track. I like our competitive drive and spirit in practice this week."
Santa Clara, which is playing 11 underclassmen this season, is led by a cast of diaper dandies with freshman-redshirt Dana Knudsen leading the team, hitting .358. Knudsen knocks down 2.38 kpg and collects .9 bpg. Freshman Katherine Douglas leads the team with 182 digs, knocking down 2.5 kpg. Freshman-redshirt Samantha Selsky took over setting duties last weekend when Emily Burke injured her ankle in the Portland match. Selsky is averaging 7.0 apg with 1.55 dpg and .6 aces per game. Burke was averaging almost 8 apg with 1.5 dpg and she is expected to play this weekend.
Sophomore Tanya Schmidt leads the team with .94 bpg and collected 1.6 kpg, hitting .323. In addition, senior Lindsy Davigeadono is second in blocks per game with .90 and is second on the team with 2.64 kpg, hitting .267. Junior Krista Kelley, who has struggled with nagging injuries all season, collected a team-leading 2.98 kpg with 2.0 dpg. Sophomore defensive specialist Libby Morrison is the digs leader, posting 2.95 dpg. Junior libero is picking up 2.89 dpg.
LMU is 9-10 and 0-5 in WCC play this season. In its last match, LMU fell at Pepperdine 3-0 Oct. 17. LMU is lead by Alaina Bergsma (4.13 kpg, .209) and Ariana Covington, (2.86 kpg, .200) Setter Alesha Young posts 7.81 apg; and Laura DeGrandmont is the team leader with 2.68 dpg.
Pepperdine is 11-7 and 4-1 in WCC play prior to playing USF on Thursday night. The Waves are led by Rachel Grochmal (3.24 kpg, .210), Lilla Frederick (3.00 kpg, .158) and Kim Hill (2.58 kpg, .382). Setter Kiah Fiers posts 10.46 apg and 2.14 dpg. Stevi Robinson is digging up 4.98 balls per game.
