Three Matches For Volleyball Starting On Tuesday
Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. starts a busy week for the 49ers.
Oct. 29, 2007 Click Here For Full Release THIS WEEK:
Cal State Fullerton (11-10, 5-4 Big West) at
Long Beach State 49ers (15-6, 9-2 Big West)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 30
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Walter Pyramid Cal State Bakersfield (6-17, Independent) at
Long Beach State 49ers (15-6, 9-2 Big West)
Date: Friday, Nov. 2
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Walter Pyramid Long Beach State 49ers (13-6, 7-2 Big West) at
Cal State Northridge (9-15, 3-2 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 3
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Northridge, Calif. Tuesday?
In a quirk of the conference schedule, the 49ers are fitting in two matches this week despite playing travel partner Cal State Northridge on the weekend. The 49ers will host Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night in the Walter Pyramid, as Long Beach State plays the Titans for the first time on the season. The Titans are the only team the 49ers have yet to play this year in the conference, coming after the team has already closed four series, including two last week against UC Irvine and UC Riverside. Weekend Series
Along with their match Tuesday, the 49ers will play their usual Friday/Saturday schedule, though using two different venues and playing their first non-conference opponent since mid-September when the team played at the Pioneer Classic. Starting the weekend, the 49ers host Cal State Bakersfield, who is making their way through their first year in Division I before taking on Cal State Northridge on the road on Saturday. Both matches will begin at 7 p.m. Six Straight
Long Beach returned to their winning ways last week, sweeping two conference matches over the weekend on the road. The more impressive of the two was the first, as the 49ers handled third-place UC Irvine 30-24, 34-32, 31-29 at Crawford Court. Alexis Crimes led the 49ers with 13 kills, and Nicole Vargas had the first of two double-doubles on the weekend with 10 digs to go with 42 assists. After the early sweep the 49ers made a big rally to comeback and win game two on the way to outpacing UC Riverside 30-21, 34-32, 30-15 in Riverside on Saturday. Scouting Cal State Fullerton
A consistently .500 ballclub, Cal State Fullerton currently stands in fourth place in the conference with a 5-4 Big West record, and are 11-10 overall, with their biggest non-conference win coming against Houston. Junior Brittany Moore leads the Titan attack, averaging 4.33 kills per game, fourth in the conference just behind Alexis Crimes. Long Beach State vs. the Titans
One of the most lopsided series in program history, Long Beach State holds a 71-4 overall edge and has not lost to the 49ers' perennial conference opponent under Brian Gimmillaro, taking 48 straight matches dating back to 1982. In fact, the 49ers have not lost a game in five-straight, since a four-game win at the Walter Pyramid on September 16, 2004. Scouting Cal State Bakersfield
Cal State Bakersfield enters 2007 as an independent in their first year of transitioning into Division I athletics. The Roadrunners do have some wins, beating Idaho State and Stony Brook along with a season sweep of Fresno State winning in four games on the road in Fresno before taking a sweep at home against the Bulldogs last week. Sarah Norman is their main attacker, averaging 4.79 kills per game and taking nearly 400 more attempts than any other player. Long Beach State vs. the Roadrunners
This is the first meeting between the teams. Scouting Cal State Northridge
Val Kepler and Brittany Williams each had seven kills in the teams' last meeting, and the pair are joined by Alex Johnson in a balanced attack for the Matadors, with all three recording around 200 kills this season. Northridge also stands out for their use of two setters, as both Kayla Wright and Angela Hupp see time. Long Beach State vs. the Roadrunners
Alexis Crimes had 15 kills and the 49ers had a three-game win in the two teams' earlier meeting this year. Talaya Whitfield added 19 digs in the three game match. Overall, Long Beach State leads the series 41-16. 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 two weeks ago she passed Crump in block assists to hold down second in program history in that category as well. Crimes is also just three 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 both Brittany Hochevar and Jillian Mazzarella in assists, and currently ranks fifth all-time as a junior. Rank This!
The 49ers continue to hang onto the outside of the poll, receiving 31 votes in this week's poll following a tough week for the top 25. The 49ers have not lost to a team outside the Top 25, and own a win over No. 16 Ohio coming in September. The team has one more crack at a ranked opponent in the regular season, hosting No. 10 Florida as part of the Baden Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, November 24. One More For Four
Success for the Beach in 2007 will rely heavily on senior middle blocker Alexis Crimes, who has the opportunity to a very exclusive group of 49ers who have earned All-America status four times over the course of their careers. Previously, only Tara Cross has been selected for the honor all four seasons. Additionally, Crimes returns as the defending Big West Co-Player of the Year, joining six 49ers who have won the honor. Having earned the award as a junior Crimes can join Tara Cross, Misty May, Cheryl Weaver and Danielle Scott as the only 49ers to have won conference player of the year honors twice during their careers.
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