Women's Volleyball | 10/22/2014 4:01:00 PM

San Francisco – The SF State women's volleyball team begins a tough four-match road trip beginning Thursday in Arcata, Calif. to battle Humboldt State before traveling south to take on Cal State San Bernardino.  Both matches are slated for a 7:00 p.m. start.

The Gators enter this weekend's contest on a high note, after defeating Cal State L.A. in four and sweeping Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday.  The win over the Toros was the Gators first win on a Saturday this season.

Senior setter Jacquie Brice had an outstanding weekend for the Gators, recording 84 assists and 17 digs with an ace.  She averaged 12 assists per set.  In the win over Cal State L.A. Brice finished the evening with 52 assists an ace and four digs, she followed that up by posting a match-high in both assists (32) and digs (13) in the straight-sets win over Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Outside hitter Jaclyn Clark continues to be a force from the outside.  For the year she has 215 kills which ranks fifth in the conference.  The Gators remain just one of two teams in the CCAA with five players averaging 2.0 or more kills per set. As a team, the Gators average 13.61 kills per set which ranks third in the CCAA and 36^th in the nation.  They are hitting .225 which is 49^th in the nation. 

Defensively, the Gators are holding their opponents to an attack percentage of .211 and are limiting their foes to 12.57 kills per set.  A big reason for the Gators strong defensive numbers is the play from back row players Jessica Nicerio, Arianna Cruz and Krista Forte.  All three players average better than 2.0 digs per set with Nicerio leading the team with 4.32 digs per set.  Nicerio has 1,193 career digs, which is third all-time at SF State.  She is 55 digs shy of tying Dana Steigerwald (1994-97) for second all-time.

Humboldt State enters this weekend with an overall record of 12-5 and is 9-4 in the CCAA which has them tied for third in the conference standings. Over their last 10 games they are 8-2 but lost in five sets last Saturday at home against Cal State Monterey Bay.  As a team, the Lumberjacks are averaging 13.63 kills per set which ranks second in the CCAA, they are hitting .233 which is fourth in the conference.  Their opponents average 11.56 kills per set and are hitting .186.  Earlier in the year the Jacks defeated the Gators in four sets at home on September 20.

Cal State San Bernardino enters this weekend ranked No. 15 according to the AVCA Top-25 Coaches' Poll.  The Coyotes are 13-4 overall with a 10-3 mark in the CCAA which has them squarely in second place in the conference.  They are 8-2 over their last 10 games but are currently riding a five match winning streak.  Last weekend they defeated Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay at home.  As a team, the Coyotes are averaging 13.44 kills per set which is fourth in the conference; they are hitting .258 which is second in the CCAA.  Their opponents are hitting .169 and are averaging 12.45 kills per set.  On September 19 the Gators defeated Cal State San Bernardino in a thrilling five set win at home, ending a losing streak that dated back to 1992.

Both matches will feature live stats, for in game updates be sure to follow the Gators on twitter @SFStateGators and Gators volleyball on @SFState_WVB.

--

Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.

Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments.  For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.