After playing two nationally-ranked opponents on the road last weekend (UC San Diego and Cal St. San Bernardino), the Otters will host two more nationally-ranked teams (San Francisco State and Sonoma State) this weekend.
Otters will be tested with nationally-ranked San Francisco State, Sonoma State in town
SEASIDE, Calif. -- School's out for the young Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team. Now it's time for their first exams.
After finishing the first round of California Collegiate Athletic Association at nationally-ranked UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino, the Otters return to The Kelp Bed to host two more nationally-ranked teams -- San Francisco State and Sonoma State -- this weekend. For CSUMB Head Coach Jody Garry, it's an opportunity to see how much her youngsters have grown.
“Last weekend's roadtrip was another step for our young players," says Garry. “Not only were we playing on the road against to very good teams, but we had to play through an injury and a flight delay that didn't let us get in until 3 a.m. The veteran players know how to overcome in those circumstances, but for the young players it was a learning experience.”
Two more matches against nationally-ranked opponents might seem like more lessons are in order, but Garry sees a different approach to this weekend.
“I think we're better now than we were when we started conference at San Francisco and Sonoma,” says Garry. We had success in our preceonference schedule, but the quality and the parity in the CCAA really gave us a chance to grow. Now that we've seen everybody, we know the mental and phyical levels at which we must compete to be successul in the CCAA. Plus, we have a comfort level playing at home that I think is reflected in our record.”
OTTERS (10–9, 4–7) vs. SAN FRANISCO STATE (13–5, 8–3)
OCTOBER 19, 2012 • 7:00 PM • THE KELP BED
vs. SAN FRANCISCO STATE
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SFSU leads the series 6–3.
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SFSU leads the series in Seaside, 3–1.
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SFSU took the 1st meeting 25–21, 25–11, 25–20 on Sept. 15.
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CSUMB's last win in the series came in The Kelp Bed on Nov. 2, 2010.
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SFSU has won 5 its last 7.
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SFSU fell in its last match at home to Cal Poly Pomona, a team CSUMB swept on Sept. 29
LAST 8 vs SAN FRANCISCO STATE
2012 at S.F. State 3, CSUMB 0
2011 S.F. State 3, at CSUMB 1
2011 at S.F. State 3, CSUMB 0
2010 at CSUMB 3, S.F. State 2
2010 CSUMB 3, at S.F. State 1
2009 at S.F. State 3, CSUMB 1
2009 S.F. State 3, at CSUMB 2
2008 CSUMB 3, at S.F. State 2
OTTERS vs. SONOMA STATE (13–6, 7–4)
OCTOBER 20, 2012 • 7:00 PM • THE KELP BED
vs. SONOMA STATE
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Sonoma leads the all–time series 14–3.
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Sonoma leads the series in Seaside, 6–2.
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Sonoma has won 10 straight in the series dating back to 2007.
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CSUMB's last win over Sonoma came in The Kelp Bed on Sept. 19, 2007.
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Sonoma took the 1st meeting this season, 25–17, 25–16, 25–18, in Rohnert Park on Sept. 14.
LAST 8 vs SONOMA STATE
2012 at Sonoma 3, CSUMB 0
2011 at Sonoma 3, CSUMB 0
2011 Sonoma 3, at CSUMB 1
2010 Sonoma 3, at CSUMB 0
2010 at Sonoma 3, CSUMB 0
2009 at Sonoma 3, CSUMB 0
2009 Sonoma 3, at CSUMB 1
2008 Sonoma 3, at CSUMB 0
The Otters will celebrate Gen Giammanco Night when San Francisco State visits on Friday, Oct. 19. All ticket proceeds and donations will benefit The Gen Giammanco Foundation which provides scholarships to local student athletes.
The Gen Giammanco scholarship is a tribute to an eager learner. Gen was a talented athlete who was determined to achieve her best in the classroom and on the volleyball court. Following her death at age 17, Gen's friends and family established this Foundation and a scholarship for CSUMB's volleyball team as an expression of their love. Their wish is that Gen's life will serve as an inspiration for students.
For additional information or to learn how you can support the Gen Gianmmanco Foundation, please contact Jennifer Martinez at (831) 582-3131 or at jenmartinez@csumb.edu.
THIS WEEK IN OTTER VOLLEYBALL HISTORY
Rheann Fall set the CSUMB standard with 33 kills in a match against Cal Poly Pomona on Oct. 15, 2009. She is still the only Otter to record 30 kills in a match.
OTTER VOLLEYBALL ODDS & ENDS
BE IT EVER SO HUMBLE: After stumbling at (albeit) two of the most difficult venues in the CCAA, the Otters return to the friendly confines of The Kelp Bed this weekend. CSUMB is 7–2 at home this season.
CLIMBING TO 300… Sophomore OH Julia Ashen enters the week with 263 kills. She needs 37 more to become just the eighth player in Otter history to reach 300 kills in a season. Rheann Fall owns the school record with 422 kills in 2010.
…WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HER FRIEND: Julia Ashen isn't climbing up the Otter kill list on her own—she's doing it with a helping hand from sophomore setter Kelsey Johnston. Johnston enters the week with 617 assists, already No. 6 on the CSUMB single–season list. She is averaging 9.35 assists per set (itself a CSUMB record). At her current pace, Johnston would finish with 985 assists, shattering the Otter season record of 844 set by Nicki Sanderson in 2006.
MORE ASHEN: Julia Ashen was held to nine kills in both matches last weekend (at UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino). Nevertheless, she has reached double–figure kills in 16 of 19 matches this season, including 14 consecutive matches from Sept. 1 through Oct. 6. That was the longest such streak since Melanie Lashbrook opened the 2011 season by reaching double figures in 13 straight (Aug. 31 – Oct. 7).
MORE JOHNSTON: Sophomore setter Kelsey Johnston continues to make her presence known in the CSUMB record books. Johnston, who set the Otter mark for assists in a four–set match with 51 in the Sept. 1 win over Alaska–Anchorage, earned the No. 2 spot on that list with 48 assists the Oct. 6 win over Stanislaus. Her 817 assists already rank No. 4 on the CSUMB career list.
