Nov. 16, 2004
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Player of the Week
Kelli Nerison, Loyola Marymount
The senior middle blocker from Laguna Niguel, Calif. led Loyola Marymount to two WCC victories last weekend over Gonzaga and Portland. Nerison was a dominant offensive and defensive force for the Lions in both matches, tallying a match-high 14 kills and nine blocks (four solo) against Gonzaga and a match-high 20 kills and six blocks (two solo) against Portland. Nerison also chipped in two digs against the Bulldogs, one dig and one service ace against the Pilots, and hit a combined .509 for the two matches. For the week, Nerison totaled 34 kills and 15 blocks. The senior currently ranks second in the WCC in hitting percentage and blocks per game, is third in points per game, eighth in service aces per game, and 15th in kills per game. The Lions improved to 7-5 in conference play with the weekend sweep, and are tied for fourth place in the WCC. This marks the second Player of the Week honor for Nerison, who also earned the honor on Oct. 12.
Upcoming Schedule
November 19
*#15 San Diego at LMU - 7:00 pm
*#23 Santa Clara at Pepperdine - 7:00 pm
November 20
*Gonzaga at Portland - 7:00 pm
*#16 Saint Mary's at San Francisco - 7:00 pm
*#15 San Diego at Pepperdine - 7:00 pm
*#23 Santa Clara at LMU - 7:00 pm
*Conference Match
Around the WCC
San Diego Clinches At Least A Share Of WCC Title
With its conference win over Saint Mary's last weekend, San Diego clinched at least a share of the WCC title. The Toreros hold a perfect 12-0 record with just two conference matches remaining on the season. San Diego is 1.5 matches ahead of Saint Mary's in the conference standings, and can clinch the title outright this Friday night with a win over Loyola Marymount. This marks the first title for San Diego since 1998 when it finished 12-2, one match ahead of second-place Pepperdine.
USF's Voelckers Records 2,000 Career Kills
San Francisco senior outside hitter Stephanie Voelckers surpassed the 2,000 career kill mark last Saturday night at Santa Clara. The transfer from Hartford tallied eight kills against the Broncos to raise her career number to 2,003. Pepperdine's Nicole Sanderson and Loyola Marymount's Sarah McFarland are the only two WCC players to reach 2,000 kills in their careers with 2,028 and 2,020, respectively. Voelckers and the Dons will play their final match of the season this weekend at home against Saint Mary's.
Final Weekend Of Conference Play
All eight WCC teams will play their final conference matches this weekend. San Diego has already clinched at least a share of the WCC title, but can claim the outright title with a win Friday night at Loyola Marymount or a win Saturday night at Pepperdine. If San Diego loses both matches this weekend and Saint Mary's beats San Francisco, Saint Mary's would share the WCC title with San Diego. In that case, San Diego would receive the automatic NCAA bid from the WCC because it owns the tie-breaking scenario having swept Saint Mary's in the season series. Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, and Pepperdine all have a shot at claiming third place in the conference depending on the outcomes this weekend. Santa Clara will play both LMU and Pepperdine this weekend. San Francisco has secured sixth place, while Portland and Gonzaga sit in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Games to Watch
#15 San Diego at Loyola Marymount - Friday, November 19 at 7:00 pm
San Diego can claim the WCC title outright Friday night with a win on the road against Loyola Marymount. Currently, San Diego holds a 1.5 match lead on second-place Saint Mary's, but needs a win to eliminate Saint Mary's title chances. The Toreros swept the Lions, 3-0, in their first meeting of the season in San Diego. Loyola Marymount needs a win to keep pace with Santa Clara and Pepperdine for third place. San Diego leads the conference in hitting percentage, kills per game, assists per game, service aces per game, is third in digs per game, and sixth in blocks per game. Loyola Marymount is currently second in the WCC in hitting percentage and service aces per game, third in blocks per game, fourth in kills per game and assists per game, and seventh in digs per game.
Gonzaga at Portland - Saturday, November 20 at 7:00 pm
Gonzaga is looking for its first conference win in its last conference match Saturday night at Portland. Earlier in the year, Portland beat the Bulldogs, 3-1, in Spokane. That was the only conference win for Portland. Gonzaga has never finished a season without a conference win since joining the WCC in 1987, and only once in the WCC's volleyball history has one team finished undefeated and another team finished winless. That occurred in 1999 when Pepperdine finished the season 14-0 in conference play, and Portland finished 0-14. Gonzaga ranks fifth in the conference in blocks per game, sixth in service aces per game, and eighth in hitting percentage, kills per game, assists per game, and digs per game. Portland is second in the WCC in digs per game, sixth in hitting percentage, seventh in kills per game, assists per game, and service aces per game, and eighth in blocks per game.
#15 San Diego at Pepperdine - Saturday, November 20 at 7:00 pm
If San Diego wins at Loyola Marymount Friday night, it can secure an undefeated conference season with a win at Pepperdine Saturday night. The Toreros have never finished a conference season without a loss. Pepperdine has posted undefeated seasons nine times since 1985, while Loyola Marymount is the only other WCC team to finish the conference season without a loss. The Lions have finished the season undefeated twice since 1985. San Diego knocked off the Waves, 3-1, earlier in the year in San Diego. Pepperdine ranks first in the conference in digs per game, fourth in blocks per game, fifth in kills per game and assists per game, seventh in hitting percentage, and eighth in service aces per game.
Team Notes
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga dropped both matches to Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine last weekend at home...The Bulldogs were swept by both the Lions and the Waves...Senior setter Emilee Gihring led Gonzaga against LMU with a double-double, tallying 33 assists and 10 digs...Senior middle blocker Lauren Armas and freshman outside hitter Becky Jones each added nine kills on the match...Gihring again led the Bulldogs on senior night against Pepperdine, posting 27 assists, five kills, 12 digs, and seven blocks...Jones was the top attacker with seven kills...Gonzaga opened this final week of the season with a loss to Montana Monday night...Freshman middle blocker Briawna Mueller led GU with a team-high 17 kills against the Grizzlies...Gonzaga will wrap up the 2004 season at Portland Saturday night...The Bulldogs are looking for their first conference win in their final conference match.
Loyola Marymount Lions
Loyola Marymount swept the weekend set in the Pacific Northwest...The Lions swept Gonzaga and beat Portland, 3-1...LMU has won 26 consecutive matches against Gonzaga...Senior middle blocker Kelli Nerison led the way against the Bulldogs, tallying 14 kills and nine blocks...Freshmen outside hitters Heather Hughes and Jania Motton each chipped in 12 kills...Nerison again led the Lions against Portland with a match-high 20 kills and a staggering .529 hitting percentage...Hughes added 18 kills and 14 digs...Loyola Marymount will host San Diego and Santa Clara this weekend...The Lions look to end the Toreros undefeated season in conference play Friday night...LMU lost to both teams earlier in the year...Loyola Marymount is currently tied for fourth place with Pepperdine in the WCC standings, but can potentially finish in third place with two wins this weekend.
Pepperdine Waves
Pepperdine came away with two wins against Portland and Gonzaga last weekend...The Waves beat Portland, 3-1, and swept Gonzaga...Sophomore middle blocker Sophia Milo recorded 14 kills and seven blocks and senior outside hitter Kristen Shultz posted 16 kills and 15 digs to lead the way against Portland...Shultz again led the way against Gonzaga with 16 kills...Senior libero Christina Hinds logged a match-high 21 digs...Hinds needs just 28 digs over the final two matches this weekend to become Pepperdine's all-time digs leader...The Waves host Santa Clara and San Diego this weekend in their final two WCC matches of the year...Pepperdine is currently tied for fourth place with Loyola Marymount in the conference standings, but like LMU, can potentially finish in third place with two wins this weekend.
Portland Pilots
Portland dropped two conference matches last weekend at home to Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount...The Pilots took both teams to four games before losing, 3-1...Junior middle blocker Monique Kettler led the way against Pepperdine with 12 kills...Junior outside hitter Sara Vercruyssen chipped in 11 kills and 17 digs...Freshman setter Kara Pein posted 29 assists, four kills, five blocks, and 12 digs against the Waves...Those stats were all career highs for the freshman...Vercruyssen tallied her 14th double-double against LMU with 19 kills and 11 digs...Senior middle blocker Michelle Oakland added 14 kills...The Pilots will close out the 2004 WCC season Saturday night when they host Gonzaga...Portland beat the Bulldogs earlier in the year, 3-1.
Saint Mary's Gaels
Saint Mary's beat Santa Clara in a key WCC match last weekend, but dropped another key match to San Diego...The Gaels are currently in second place in the WCC, but can clinch a share of the WCC title if San Diego loses both matches this weekend and they beat San Francisco in the final WCC match...Saint Mary's has never won the WCC championship...Junior outside hitter Kaui Salzman led the Gaels against SCU with 18 kills and 13 digs...Sophomore outside hitter Cassandra Kolkka posted 13 kills and 18 digs...Salzman recorded eight kills and 12 digs against San Diego, while freshman outside hitter Missie Stidham tallied seven kills and 12 digs...Saint Mary's will travel to Bay Area rival San Francisco for its only match of the week...The Gaels swept the Dons earlier in the year.
San Diego Toreros
San Diego beat San Francisco and Saint Mary's in two big WCC matches last weekend...The Toreros remained undefeated in conference play and clinched at least a share of the WCC title...With one win this weekend, the Toreros can secure the outright title...Senior outside hitter Devon Forster was instrumental in the two wins...Forster led the Toreros against the Dons with a match-high 19 kills and nine digs...Forster again tallied 19 kills to lead USD to the win over Saint Mary's...Senior outside hitter Kristen Hurst added 11 kills, while junior libero Jackie Bernardin tallied 21 digs...San Diego will travel to Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine to close out the WCC schedule this weekend...The Toreros look to remain undefeated in conference play for the first time in program history.
San Francisco Dons
San Francisco lost two WCC matches last weekend on the road to San Diego and Santa Clara...The Dons lost both matches in four, 3-1...Senior outside hitter Stephanie Voelckers tallied a match-high 20 kills against San Diego and eight against Santa Clara to surpass the 2,000 career kills mark...Voelckers currently has 2,003 kills in her career...Freshman outside hitter Kristin Hasselberg added 13 kills against the Toreros and a team-high 12 kills against the Broncos...Freshman middle blocker Linzy Kearney added eight kills against SCU...San Francisco will host Bay Area rival Saint Mary's Saturday night in the final WCC match of the season for both teams...Saint Mary's swept San Francisco earlier in the year in Moraga...San Francisco can spoil any Saint Mary's hopes for a share of the WCC title with a win.
Santa Clara Broncos
Santa Clara dropped a key WCC match to Saint Mary's last weekend, but rebounded to beat Bay Area rival San Francisco, 3-1...Junior outside hitter Cassie Perret notched her ninth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 14 digs against SMC...Junior outside hitter Toni Muratore added 14 digs...Muratore recorded 20 kills against San Francisco, while junior setter Kristen Luxton posted a career-high 57 assists and 10 digs...Junior outside hitter Jac Heler added 11 kills, 17 digs, and seven blocks...The Broncos will travel to Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount this weekend for the final two WCC matches of the season...Santa Clara is currently in third place in the conference standings, but needs two wins this weekend to stay ahead of fourth-place LMU and Pepperdine...Santa Clara beat both teams earlier in the year.
