Riverside—The UC Riverside Volleyball Team returns to the Inland Empire this week for its first home match of the 2015 regular season. The Highlanders take on Cal State Fullerton on Friday, September 25 beginning at 6 pm PT in the first Big West Conference match of the year for both squads.
UCR went 5-8 during the non-conference tournament portion of its schedule, which is the program's best record prior to the start of Big West play since the 2005 team opened the season with a 10-1 mark.
Senior Helena Peric was named to the Grand Canyon Invitational All-Tournament Team over the weekend, as she paced the Highlanders with 45 kills in the three matches, including a career-high 18 in a 3-1 victory over the host Antelopes (story)
Maddie Hubbell leads the conference in total digs (131) and digs per set (2.73), while Chelsea Doyle is fifth in the league in assists per set with 7.96.
Cal State Fullerton enters conference play in search of its first win after droppings its first 12 matches of the season. The Highlanders and Titans have two common opponents on the year—Sacramento State (UCR L, 3-1; CSF L, 3-0) and Santa Clara (UCR, L 3-0; CSF L, 3-0).
Ashley Preston is in her first season as the head coach at Cal State Fullerton after spending the previous three years at Coppin State. Kandace Thomas (1.74 K/S, .240 att%) and Summer Kerins (2.20 K/S, .182 att%) lead the Titans' offensive attack, while Mackenzie Olsen (322 assists) serves as the team's primary setter.
The Highlanders are 13-31-1 overall against Cal State Fullerton, and the Titans have won 20 straight matches in the series. The last time UC Riverside beat Cal State Fullerton was in a 3-2 victory on October 28, 2004 (box score). | Highlanders vs. Titans |
| UC Riverside | Cal State Fullerton |
| 2015 Record & Stats | 5-8 | 0-12 |
| 2015 Roster | 2015 Roster |
| 2015 Schedule | 2015 Schedule |
| Conference | Big West |
| Current Streak | L 2 | L 15 |
| Most Recent Box Score | L, 3-1 vs. Boise State | L, 3-0 vs. Yale |
| Next Opponent | September 30 at UC Davis | September 30 at UC Irvine |
| Top Attacker | | Helena Peric
Senior
102 K, 2.76 K/S,
.222 Pct. | | Kandace Thomas
Senior
73 K, 1.74 K/S,
.240 Pct. |
| Top Setter | | Chelsea Doyle
Freshman
382 A, 7.96 A/S | | Mackenzie Olsen
Senior
322 A, 7.67 A/S |
| Top Blocker | | Alex Gresham
Sophomore
38 TB, 0.79 B/S | | Kyra Smith
Freshman
39 TB, 0.95 B/S |
| Record vs. | | 13-31-1 (results) |
| Current Streak vs. | | L 20 |
GAME NOTESFRESHMAN SENSATION
Alex Gresham was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team in 2014, becoming the fifth Highlander to be so honored (Ashley Cox, 2012; Megan Reza, 2011; Jamie DeKiewiet, 2002; Shannon Burmaster, 2001)
BLUE AND GOLD DIGGER
Sophomore Maddie Hubbell ranked eighth in the Big West in digs per set last season with 3.59. She currently leads the conference in total digs (229) and in digs per set (4.77). Should Hubbell maintain her digs per set average she will rank fourth in single-season digs per set in the program's Division I history.
She was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week for her performance from August 31-September 6. She is the first Highlander to receive a weekly award since Amanda Vialpando in 2011. | Digs Per Set (min. 100) |
| Sheryl Benson | 5.7 | 1988 |
| Leanna Clark | 5.1 | 1988 |
| Melanie Jones | 5.0 | 1987 |
| Maddie Hubbell | 4.77 | 2015 |
| Janna Stern | 4.5 | 1998 |
ALL-TOURNEY TEAMSThe Highlanders recorded five All-Tournament caliber performances during the non-conference portion of their schedule. Chelsea Doyle, Alex Greshman and Fabiana Rosas opened the season by being named to the San Jose State All-Tournament Team (
story). Maddie Hubbell earned All-Tournament honors at the Bulldog Showdown (
story). Helena Peric was named to the Grand Canyon Invitational All-Tournament Team (
story).
SWEPT UP
The Highlanders three-set win over Savannah State on September 6, 2014 (box score/recap) was the first sweep for UC Riverside since a 3-0 victory over Villanova on September 15, 2012 (box score/recap).
PLEADING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH
The Highlanders played to four or five sets in 13 of 28 matches last season. The 2004, 2007 and 2012 squads all played 15 matches to four or five sets to claim the UCR Division I mark.
This season, UC Riverside has played to four or five sets in seven out of its first 13 matches.
LET THERE BE HEIGHT!
Of the eight newcomers to the Highlanders 2015 squad, five are taller than 6-0, giving UC Riverside eight 6-footers overall, and its highest percentage of 6-footers in the Division I history of the program.
(ALMOST) OVER THE RAINBOW
UC Riverside took the first set from nationally-ranked Hawai'i in the last match of the 2014 season, 25-19. It marked the first time the Highlanders had won a set against the Rainbow Wahine since 1984, spanning 20 sets. UCR also nearly topped Hawai'i in the second set of their September 27 meeting, but the Rainbow Wahine eked out a 29-27 victory.GENERAL PATTON
UC Riverside is in its third season under new head coach Michelle Patton. Patton came to the Highlanders following five seasons at San Francisco State, where she took over a program that lay dormant for four years (2004-07). The Gators advanced to two NCAA Tournaments during Patton's tenure including a 21-9 mark in 2012 which included a program-record 16 conference victories.
