Friday, Sept. 14
@ San Francisco State
(5-2, 0-0 CCAA)
The Swamp
7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 15
@ Sonoma State
(6-2, 0-0 CCAA)
The Wolves' Den
7 p.m.

Hayward, Calif. – After a 3-1 showing as co-hosts of the inaugural Route 92 Showdown, the Cal State East Bay volleyball team will hit the road this weekend to begin its CCAA schedule. The Pioneers (5-2) will take on San Francisco State on Friday before heading up to Sonoma State on Saturday, with both matches set for 7 p.m.

The Pioneers are coming off a tournament in which just two points separated them from a 4-0 weekend. In its first homestand of the season, the team got off to a solid start by defeating Holy Names and Academy of Art – both in three sets – on Friday. The Pioneers stumbled in their third match of the tournament, losing in five sets to Northwest Nazarene despite coming back from down 2-0. In the nightcap on Saturday, Cal State East Bay played probably its best match of the year so far, defeating Cal Baptist in four sets. The team hit a season-high .311, and its 3-1 tournament record was good for second place (tied with Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal Baptist).

After an 11-11 record in conference play last year, this veteran 2012 squad will look to jump out of the gate quickly with a strong road performance this weekend. The quest for a CCAA title begins with matches against two tough bay area opponents, starting with SF State for the season's first battle of the Bay.

KEEPING PACE

Cal State East Bay is off to a 5-2 start, which ties the team for fourth in what promises to be a competitive CCAA. With the full slate of non-conference matches in the books, six CCAA teams have managed records above .500, including Chico State at 6-1, Cal State Monterey Bay and Sonoma State at 6-2, and the Pioneers and San Francisco State at 5-2. That doesn't even include defending champion Cal State San Bernardino, which finished 22-0 in conference play last year and was picked to finish first in the 2012 preseason coaches' poll. The Pioneers will attempt to keep pace with the leaders this weekend on an important early-season road trip.

DOUBLE HONOREES

A pair of attackers has been leading the way for Cal State East Bay during tournament play. Senior outside hitter Nicole Boyle and junior opposite Suzy Ni Xu were selected to the all-tournament teams of both the Nanook Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska and last weekend's Route 92 Showdown. In the four home matches, Boyle posted a .303 attack percentage and paced the Pioneers with 5.08 digs per set, while Xu racked up 48 kills and 57 total points to lead the team. For the season, Boyle ranks in the top-10 in the CCAA in both attack percentage and digs per set. Xu has made a presence on the conference leader board as well, currently sitting in the top-10 in kills per set and total points per set.

The Pioneers have received strong contributions from several others players in the young season. Junior outside hitter Hannah Bell is third on the team in kills, second in digs, and ranks third in the CCAA with 13 service aces. Sophomore middle blocker Samantha Bruno has posted an impressive 0.96 blocks per set, and junior setter Samantha Siebert ranks in the top-10 in the conference with 8.44 assists per set. Cal State East Bay has also gotten efficient offensive play in the middle, with junior Brittany Dominguez and senior Jade Sanford hitting .390 and .378, respectively.

HITTING THEIR STRIDE

The Pioneers currently rank third in the CCAA in team attack percentage and have hit .241 over their last five matches. The team has out-hit its opponents in each of its five victories (and has been out-hit in both losses). Cal State East Bay has saved its best for last, posting attack percentages over .300 in the final match of both tournaments.

GAUGING THE GATORS

San Francisco State comes into Friday's match with a record of 5-2. The Gators were also participants in the Route 92 Showdown, finishing 2-2, including tough five-set losses to Cal Baptist and tournament champion Fresno Pacific. The team currently leads the CCAA with 17.86 digs per set and ranks second with 56 service aces. SF State is led by sophomore outside hitter Kelly Ostello, who was selected to the all-tournament team last weekend. The Gators' leading scorer, Ostello ranks fourth in the CCAA with 3.70 kills per set. Freshman middle blocker Meagan Wright has also been impressive, leading the conference with a .399 attack percentage. SF State's offense runs through its veteran setter, though; senior Iris Tolenada currently sits second in the conference with 9.75 assists per set. Last season, the Gators finished conference play at 11-11, tied with Cal State East Bay. The teams split their two matches in 2011, with each winning at home. The Pioneers will attempt to buck that trend in Friday's conference opener.

SCOUTING THE SEAWOLVES

Sonoma State enters the opening weekend of CCAA play with a record of 6-2. The team hosted the Seawolf Spike last weekend and finished 3-1, with its only loss coming at the hands of 18th-ranked Western Washington. The Seawolves are off to an impressive start, currently leading the CCAA in team attack percentage, kills per set, and assists per set. A pair of outside hitters lead Sonoma State's offense. Senior Ally Sather is top-10 in the conference in both kills per set and attack percentage, and freshman Madelyn Densberger has had a strong rookie season, hitting .297 with 2.89 kills and 3.22 digs per set. Setters Hayley Ross and Devin Shaver both rank in the top-15 in the CCAA in assist average, while junior libero Nicole Gragnola is fourth in the conference with 4.66 digs per set. Sonoma State placed second in the conference last season and was picked to finish in the same spot in this year's preseason coaches' poll. Cal State East Bay dropped both of its matches to the Seawolves in 2011.