Volleyball To Host UCSB, Cal Poly This Weekend
Both Cal Poly and Long Beach State enter the week tied for first in the Big West.
Oct. 18, 2007 Click Here For Full Release
THIS WEEK:
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (7-12, 2-5 Big West) at
Long Beach State 49ers (12-5, 6-1 Big West)
Date: Friday, Oct. 19
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Walter Pyramid
No. 24 Cal Poly Mustangs (12-7, 6-1 Big West) at
Long Beach State 49ers (12-5, 4-1 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 20
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Walter Pyramid
Television: CSTV (Monday Oct. 22, 6 p.m.) [TD] NEXT WEEK
Fri., Oct. 26 at UC Irvine 7 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 27 at UC Riverside 7 p.m. Bright Lights, Big Stage
The 49ers begin one of their biggest weeks of the year,
hosting one of their traditional rivals as well as a more
recent one in two battles in the Walter Pyramid this
weekend. First up is UC Santa Barbara, who will face the
49ers at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Then on Saturday, the top
two teams in the conference will face off in a match that
could potentially determine first place in the conference,
as both Long Beach State and Cal Poly enter the week with
identical 6-1 records. That match also begins at 7 p.m.,
and will be televised by CSTV. Anne Marie Anderson and
Holly McPeak will call the action for a tape delayed
broadcast that will be aired at 6 p.m. Pacific on Monday,
October 22. Long Weekend
The Beach improved its record to 3-0 in five game matches
this weekend, rebounding from the loss of Alexis Crimes
and Naomi Washington to beat Pacific 28-30, 26-30, 32-30,
30-22, 15-13 on Friday and UC Davis 28-30, 30-22, 30-23,
23-30, 18-16 on Saturday. Junior Quincy Verdin stepped up
to lead the 49ers in kills in both matches, and freshman
Ashley Lee's outstanding all-around play continued, as she
finished the weekend one assist shy of having a
triple-double in both matches. Setter Nicole Vargas nearly
joined Lee in a triple double against UC Davis. Lee
finished with 12 kills, 18 digs and 10 assists, and Vargas
led the team with 20 digs and 52 assists, and also added
nine kills on 20 attacks. Big West Outlook
Long Beach State enters the week in a first place tie with
Cal Poly in the Big West standings, as each team holds a
6-1 record in conference play. Long Beach has the better
overall record, as both teams have 12 wins but the 49ers
only have five losses to the Mustangs' seven. However, Cal
Poly took the earlier meeting between the two teams on
September 21 in San Luis Obispo. Scouting UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara has struggled this season. The 7-12
Gauchos are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for
the first time in program history, and are 2-5 in
conference, having beaten UC Davis and UC Riverside.
Lauren McLaughlin leads the Gaucho attack with 351 kills
this season, averaging 4.62 per game, a mark that is a new
high in the conference this week. Rebecca Saraceno is next
on the team with 254 kills per game, though she's only
hitting .136 on the season and has 146 attack errors. Long Beach State vs. the Gauchos
The most common opponent in Long Beach State history, UC
Santa Barbara trails the 49ers in the All-time series
53-33 now after the 49ers 3-0 win in September. In that
match, Alexis Crimes had 15 kills and Talaya Whitfield had
21 digs as the Beach extended their winning streak to
four. However, before this latest streak, UCSB had the
49ers number, winning seven straight until Long Beach
State prevailed in three at home in 2005. Scouting Cal Poly
Cal Poly is led by the non-Long Beach State half of the
Co-Player of the Year, Kylie Atherstone. Atherstone
currently has 301 kills for an average of 4.36 per game,
but is only hitting .237. That honor goes to Jaclyn
Houston, who despte only getting 2.25 kills per game leads
the conference in hitting at .395. Cal Poly's losses have
mostly been unsurprising this season, coming to the likes
of Nebraska, Penn State and Stanford, with the exception
of their lone conference loss, coming at Pacific two weeks
ago. In that match, the Mustangs took an easy game one win
and then lost three straight to fall for the first time in
Big West action. Long Beach State vs. the Mustangs
Long Beach State leads the all time series 31-14, but has
lost four straight to the Mustangs dating back to a five
game loss in 2005. In the most recent meeting, the
Mustangs hit .330 overall, led by Kylie Atherstone who had
15 kills. The 49ers stayed close through game one, losing
27-30, but fell quickly in two later games to seal the
loss. The last win for Long Beach State in the series came
in 2005, when the 49ers won on the road in San Luis Obispo
in four. Record Watch
With six total blocks in her one match against Cal State
Northridge, Alexis Crimes passed Nique Crump for second in
program history in total blocks with 522, and just this
past week she passed Crump in block assists to hold down
second in program history in that category as well. Crimes
is also just four solo blocks away from becoming the
fourth 49er to reach 100. She is within striking distance
of Danielle Scott for the top spot in total blocks and
block assists, within 100 in both categories with a number
of matches still to be played. Among the setters, Nicole
Vargas passed Brittany Hochevar for sixth in assists, and
can pass Jillian Mazzarella before the week is out. Rank This!
With a 12-5 record, the 49ers remain in the minds of
voters as all five of the team's losses have come against
teams in the top 25, and Long Beach State also holds a win
against No. 20 Ohio. However, the Beach still remained
just outside of the Top 25 this week, receiving 37 votes.
The Beach now has seven of their 2007 opponents ranked in
the Top 25. The return trip for Poly remains on the
schedule, as well as a Thanksgiving weekend matchup
against No. 10 Florida.
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