 |
Women's Volleyball Set to 'Dig For The Cure'
Nov. 11, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
Match 29 Match 30
THIS WEEK: The Gonzaga University women’s volleyball team welcomes Loyola Marymount University and Pepperdine University to the Martin Centre this week. The Bulldogs host the Lions on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. and then welcome the Waves, ranked 24th in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. DIG FOR THE CURE THURSDAY NIGHT: Gonzaga University women’s volleyball will DIG FOR THE CURE this Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. The Zags face Loyola Marymount University in a match dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer. Everybody is encouraged to wear pink and pink T-shirts will also be for sale, with all proceeds benefiting breast cancer awareness. Cash donations will also be accepted. Gonzaga will recognize anyone who has been affected by breast cancer through a public address announcement at the intermission. SENIOR DAY: Gonzaga University women’s volleyball closes out the regular season with a home match against the University of Portland on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs-Portland matchup with also serve as Senior Day for the Zags. Elaina Renius, Paige Dillingham and Tianna Tuatagaloa will all be recognized before the contest. ABOUT THE LIONS: Loyola Marymount University currently holds a 12-12 overall record on the season and is 2-8 in the West Coast Conference. The Lions, who have lost five straight, last won on Oct. 18 when they defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 in Los Angeles. Loyola Marymount is led by Emily Day, older sister of Zag freshman Laura, who is averaging 4.24 kills and 2.88 digs per set. The Lions hold the 34-9 lead in the all-time series with the Zags and have won two-straight. ABOUT THE WAVES: Pepperdine University, ranked 24th in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, enters into its contest with Gonzaga University with a 17-5 overall record and a 5-5 mark in the West Coast Conference. The Waves are led by Julie Rubenstein who is averaging a team-best 4.30 kills per set, along with 2.42 digs and 0.65 blocks per set. Pepperdine leads the all-time series with Gonzaga 40-3 and has won 22-striaght. The Waves earned a 3-1 meeting over the Bulldogs in their first meeting of the season on Oct. 16. SISTERS FACE EACH OTHER ON THURSDAY: Freshman defensive specialist Laura Day will see a familiar face on the other side of the net on Thursday when Gonzaga University takes on Loyola Marymount University. Day will face older sister Emily, a senior star for the Lions. In their first meeting against each other this season, Laura had six digs and one kill, while Emily registered a double-double of 17 kills and 15 digs in LMU’s 3-1 victory. HOT AT THE RIGHT MOMENT: Junior Layne Brosky was one of the main reasons the Gonzaga University women’s volleyball squad upset the University of San Francisco, the 22nd ranked team in the nation, 3-2 on Oct. 30. Brosky led the team with a career-tying high of 17 kills and a hit .519 on the night. TOPS IN WCC: Gonzaga University freshman setter Denise Van de Mortel has seven double-doubles to her credit this season; third best in the West Coast Conference. Emily Day of Loyola Marymount University leads the WCC with 14 double-doubles and Megan York, of Saint Mary’s College, is second with 13. Van de Mortel continues to pace the conference with 1089 assists on the season. 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. Dillingham has 371 digs to her credit this season; second best in the West Coast Conference. DOMINATING THE AIRWAVES: Senior middle blocker Elaina Renius had a career-high 12 blocks to lead the Gonzaga University women’s volleyball team 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. LEADING THE WAY: Senior Elaina Renius continues to lead the West Coast Conference with 109.0 total blocks and is second in total kills with 356. She had a career-high 24 kills against Eastern Washington University. TOPS IN BLOCKS: Senior Elaina Renius has 37 solo blocks to her credit this season; third highest in a single-season in Gonzaga University women’s volleyball history. The middle blocker needs just three more solo blocks to tie Lisa Petticord’s record of 40 set in 1989 or four more to become the all-time single-season leader in solo blocks. HEAD COACH Kip Yoshimura: Kip Yoshimura is in his seventh year as Gonzaga University's head coach. Yoshimura has compiled a 56-149 record during his tenure with the Bulldogs. A former assistant coach at Gonzaga during the 1992 season, Yoshimura has complied a 307-221 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.
|
