Oct. 29, 2010
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's women's volleyball team continues Western Athletic Conference play this weekend with a match at Fresno State on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. (MT).
Utah State is 16-7 overall and 4-6 in the WAC after posting a three-sets win at San Jose State (25-22, 26-24, 25-18) Thursday. USU is led by junior outside hitter Liz McArthur who is hitting .226 and averaging 4.20 kills, 1.86 digs, 0.43 blocks and 0.41 service aces per set. Sophomore opposite side hitter Shay Sorensen is hitting .236 and averaging 2.19 kills and 0.81 blocks per set, while senior setter Chelsea Fowles is hitting .312 and averaging 9.87 assists, 2.15 digs, 0.89 kills, 0.70 blocks and 0.32 service aces per set. As a team, Utah State is hitting .229 on the year as compared to a .177 hitting percentage for its opponents.
Fresno State is 10-12 on the season and 4-6 in WAC play following a four-set loss at home to Nevada (25-19, 27-25, 19-25, 25-23) Thursday. The Bulldogs are 5-6 at home this year and are led by junior middle blocker Brianna Clarke who is hitting .353 and averaging 2.53 kills and 1.29 blocks per set. As a team, FSU is hitting .171 on the season and its opponents are hitting .218. Fresno State returns five starters and nine letterwinners from last year's team that went 15-16 and finished in a tie for fourth-place in the WAC with a 7-9 league mark.
Utah State is 10-7 all-time against Fresno State, which includes a 3-5 record on the road. USU won the first meeting between the two teams earlier this year in Logan in three sets, while FSU defeated the Aggies the last time the two teams played in Fresno in four sets. Since joining the WAC, USU is 8-4 against the Bulldogs.
Utah State is 57-82 (.410) in road matches during the last 10 years, which includes a 38-59 (.392) record in conference matches. This year, USU is 6-3 on the road with wins at Utah (3-1), Arizona State (3-0), Montana (3-1), Brigham Young (3-2), Idaho (3-1) and San Jose State (3-0), and losses at then No. 5 Hawai'i (3-0), Boise State (3-2) and Nevada (3-1). USU is 47-43 (.522) in WAC play all-time including a 17-28 (.378) record on the road.
