HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay volleyball team wraps up the 2014 season this weekend with a final pair of home matches at Pioneer Gymnasium. The squad closes out the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) schedule by hosting UC San Diego on Friday night, followed by Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday night.
Friday's match will feature a pregame tailgate sponsored by Associated Students, Inc. Food will be available to the first 100 fans, starting at 6:30 p.m. outside the gym.
Saturday's finale against the Broncos with be "Senior Night" for Cal State East Bay, so the match will be preceded by a brief ceremony to honor the accomplishemnts of the four seniors on this year's team. Fans can watch live video of the festivities at
www.PioneerWebTV.com.
WEEKLY RECAPThe Pioneers finished the season with just one road victory after dropping their final two matches away from Pioneer Gym last weekend. On Friday night, they were topped by first-place Sonoma State in three sets. The Seawolves hit .300 for the match, led by Kelsey Hull's 18 kills. The next night, the Pioneers traveled to SF State and suffered another three-set loss. The Gator attackers posted a .333 hitting percentage in capturing the season series over East Bay, two games to one.
CSUEB has a chance to play spoiler this weekend, as both visiting opponents are trying to secure spots in the CCAA Tournament. The Pioneers have been solid at home this season, posting a record of 8-6.
Current CCAA StandingsCCAA Statistical LeadersSCOUTING UCSDThe Tritons defeated Humboldt State last Saturday to snap a five-match losing streak. They rank first in the CCAA in digs per set and second in blocks per set, but their team hitting percentage is ninth-best at .192 (just behind the Pioners at .193). UCSD's top attackers are Caitlin Brenton (3.21 kills/set, .251 pct., 2.06 digs/set, 0.85 blocks/set), Danielle Dahle (2.99 kills/set, 2.06 digs/set), and Amanda Colia (2.40 kills/set, 3.20 digs/set). The Pioneers are 2-7 against the Tritons since joining the CCAA in 2010, with UCSD claiming a three-set victory earlier this season.
BRONCO BREAKDOWNCal Poly Pomona has won three of its last four, including a home victory over No. 22 Cal State San Bernardino last Saturday. They're third in the league in blocks per set, but they're behind Cal State East Bay in team hitting percentage at .191. The Broncos are led by outside hitter Deanna Blaire (2.92 kills/set, 3.11 digs/set) and middle blockers Alexa Hasen (2.00 kills/set, .286 pct., 1.06 blocks/set) and Cristen Williams (1.96 kills/set, .303 pct., 1.01 blocks/set). East Bay has a record of 5-4 against CPP as members of the CCAA, but the Broncos picked up a three-set victory earlier in the year in Pomona.
CELEBRATING THE SENIORSA quartet of standout student-athletes will be competing at Pioneer Gymnasium for the final time this Saturday. Here are a few career highlights for each senior:
Samantha Bruno has been a starter at Cal State East Bay for four seasons, playing in 103 total matches. She holds the school's all-time career record for total blocks with 257, and she ranks eighth in program history with 709 kills. This year, Bruno ranks second on the team and top-20 in the CCAA with 2.66 kills per set. She reached 16 kills twice this season, which was a career high for a single match. A native of Portland, Ore., Bruno is pursuing a degree in human development.
Amber Hall has played two seasons for the Pioneers after transferring from Feather River College. She has competed in all 55 of the team's matches, racking up 520 kills and 403 digs. As a senior, Hall has been Cal State East Bay's top attacker. She leads the team in scoring and ranks fifth in the CCAA with 3.45 kills per set. She's also second on the team with 207 digs and third with 20 service aces. Hall has recorded double-digit kills in 20 matches this season, including nine in a row entering this weekend. A native of Redding, Calif., she's working towards her degree in kinesiology.
Ashia Joseph made a huge impact for the Pioneers at setter, playing 55 matches in two seasons after transferring here from College of Southern Idaho. She has led the team in assists each of the last two years, and she enters the weekend seventh on the school's all-time list with 1,777 career assists. As a senior, she leads the CCAA with 34 service aces and has averaged 2.26 digs per set to go along with 8.33 assists per set. Originally from Hilo, Hawaii, Joseph is pursuing a degree in kinesiology.
Veronica Sanchez joined the Pioneers after one season at Yakima Valley Community College and has competed in 82 matches for East Bay over the last three seasons. A libero/defensive specialist, she has recorded the second-most digs in school history, entering the weekend with 1,258 for her career. As a sophomore, she set a program record with 39 digs in a match against SF State. As a junior, she led the CCAA in digs per set (5.43) and earned Second Team All-CCAA honors. A native of Selah, Wash., Sanchez is pursuing her degree in communications.
