Sept. 9, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Match 8
Gonzaga vs. Washington State
Pullman, Wash.
Wednesday, Sept. 10 - 7 p.m.
Gametracker: GoZags.com
Match 9-10-11
Gonzaga Volleyball Tournament
UTEP vs. Gonzaga
Martin Centre
Friday, Sept. 12 - 7 p.m.
San Diego State vs. Gonzaga
Martin Centre
Saturday, Sept. 13 - 1 p.m.
Weber State vs. Gonzaga
Martin Centre
Saturday, Sept. 13 - 7 p.m.
**There will be gametracker and live streaming for all tournament matches on GoZags.com**
THIS WEEK: The Gonzaga University women’s volleyball team will play at in-state rival Washington State University Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m., before hosting the Gonzaga Volleyball Tournament, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13. The Bulldogs, who are 2-5 on the season, will welcome San Diego State University, UTEP and Weber State to the third-annual Zag Tournament.
RECAP OF THE NORTHWEST CHALLENGE: Gonzaga University volleyball capped off its second week of action with a 1-2 record at the Northwest Challenge hosted by the University of Washington. The Zags fell to both Washington and Portland State University 3-0 before bouncing back and earning a 3-1 win over Boise State University. Freshman setter Denise Van de Mortel garnered All-Tournament honors after a strong three-matches.
ABOUT THE COUGARS: Washington State University currently holds a 3-3 record and enters into its contest with Gonzaga University on three-match losing skid. The Cougars dropped all three of their matches at the University of Idaho Classic last weekend. WSU, which holds a 23-6 lead in the all-time series with GU, is led by Emily Rooney who is averaging 2.92 kills and 1.08 blocks per set.
ABOUT THE AZTECS: San Diego State University holds a 2-4 overall record on the year. The Aztecs, who went 1-2 at the Baylor Classic this past weekend, are led by Lauren Salisbury and Michelle Ferrer. Salisbury is averaging a team-best 3.00 kills per set, while Ferrer is averaging 3.27 digs per set. San Diego State won the only meeting between itself and Gonzaga University. SDSU squeaked out a 3-2 victory over GU in 1993.
ABOUT THE MINERS: The University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) currently holds a 2-5 overall record. The Miners went 1-2 at the Doublewood Inn Classic presented by Asics this past weekend. UTEP defeated Illinois-Chicago before falling to the University of Northern Colorado and North Dakota State University. The Miners have two players averaging 3.00-plus kills per set, including Catherine Chavez who leads the team with 3.72 kills per set. Amy Sanders is averaging 3.00 kills.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Weber State University enters the Gonzaga University Tournament with the best record out of the four participating schools. The Wildcats currently hold a 5-3 record and have won two-straight, including a 3-1 victory over San Diego State University, also a participating team in the Gonzaga Tournament. The Wildcats are led by Chelsea Blair who is averaging 3.43 kills and 2.27 digs per set. Gonzaga leads the all-time series with Weber State 5-4.
TWENTY-SIX: Senior libero Paige Dillingham broke her career dig record, well actually she shattered her career dig record against Boise State University, Sept. 5. Dillingham finished the 3-1 victory with 26 digs. Her previous best was 17 attained this season against both the University of Montana and North Dakota State University. Along with being a personal-high, Dillingham’s 26 digs was also the highest individual dig amount in a single-match since 2004 when Jessica Herrera also had 26 against the University of Portland.
DOMINATING THE AIRWAVES: Senior middle blocker Elaina Renius had a career-high 12 blocks to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-1 victory over Boise State University, Sept. 5. Her 12 blocks, eight of which were block assists, were the most blocks by an individual Zag player since former Bulldog Briawna Mueller collected 12 against San Francisco in 2005. Renius was also just four blocks shy of breaking former Zag and current assistant coach Abby (Cullen) Bennett’s school record of 15, set against Portland in 2002.
A DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Junior outside hitter Emily Johnson recorded her second career double-double against North Dakota State University, Aug. 30. Johnson tallied 11 kills and collected 11 digs in the loss to register her second career double-double.
HEAD COACH Kip Yoshimura: Kip Yoshimura enters his seventh year as Gonzaga University’s head coach. Yoshimura has compiled a 50-134 record during his tenure with the Bulldogs. A former assistant coach at Gonzaga during the 1992 season, Yoshimura has complied a 301-206 career record which includes nine seasons at Lewis-Clark State College where he guided the Warriors to nine-straight NAIA tournament appearances. A 1990 graduate of Long Beach State University, Yoshimura entered the coaching ranks as a student-assistant on Long Beach State’s 1989 NCAA National Championship team.
VOLLEYBALL RULE CHANGES: NCAA volleyball rules changes this year include three important changes. First, the term “set” has replaced the word “game” as it is used internationally. Second, the number of points to win a set has been reduced from 30 to 25. Teams must still win by two points and the fifth set will still be played to 15. And lastly, because sets are now shorter, the number of allowable subs per set has been reduced from 15 to 12.
LIVE ON THE INTERNET: All Gonzaga University women’s volleyball home matches are available via Gametracker and live streaming on the internet at www.gozags.com. Check the Gonzaga website for all Gametracker and live streaming links. Gametracker for selected away matches are also available. Check out gozags.com for all Gametracker links.
BULLDOGS TABBED 7TH IN WCC COACHES POLL: The Gonzaga University women’s volleyball team has been selected to finish seventh in the West Coast Conference for the 2008 season according to a preseason vote of the league’s head coaches. The University of San Diego was selected as the preseason favorite to take home WCC regular season title, narrowly edging out Pepperdine University and Santa Clara University.
Women’s Volleyball 2008 Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 56 (3)
2. Pepperdine - 55 (3)
3. Santa Clara - 53 (1)
4. Saint Mary’s – 34 (1)
San Francisco - 34
6. Loyola Marymount - 29 (1)
7. Gonzaga - 18
8. Portland - 9
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