Teams: UC Davis vs. No. 20 Long Beach State; Cal State Fullerton
Records: UC Davis (12-6, 3-1); Long Beach State (10-3, 3-0); Cal State Fullerton (11-5, 2-1)
Where: Upper Hickey Gymnasium
When: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 7 p.m.
Who to watch: Senior setter Carson Lowden has climbed into the Aggie record books this year moving into the top five in assists for a career.
The Yuba City, Calif. native currently sits at 2,753 assists and needs only seven more to move into fourth place on the all-time list and pass former teammate Katelyn Astruc who played from 2004-07.
Did you know? The Aggies are leading the Big West in blocks so far this season with 2.42 blocks per set. They are also second in the conference with an imposing .176 hitting percentage, trailing only Long Beach State’s .157.
Preview: After beating UC Riverside Friday night and losing to No. 23 UC Irvine one night later, UC Davis has another tough slate of Big West Conference games this weekend.
First up for the Aggies are the 49ers of Long Beach State, a team that is currently ranked No. 20 in the nation.
UC Davis will then face off against Cal State Fullerton, a squad that is on the brink of the top-25 rankings having received six votes in a recent poll.
With a couple of tough matches coming up coach Jamie Holmes is proud of her team, one that is a single win away from surpassing last season’s win total, but realizes that the Aggies still have a lot of hard work to do.
“There are still some things we need to work on,” Holmes said, “including getting better swings out of system and getting from dig to kill – what they call dig conversion. But our team continues to prove that they are solid in serve receive and solid from the service line. We’re doing a good job in those areas.“
The Aggies will also have the advantage of playing at home, one that Holmes thinks will give her team some extra energy with a strong showing from the student body.
“Our team plays really well in Hickey Gym,” Holmes said. “I think they enjoy it, so I hope we get a great fan attendance. I hope the Aggie Pack, the dorms and the community all come out. I want a lot of energy and emotion in the gym.“
– Kyle Hyland
