HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay volleyball team has the best record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) after the first week of conference play and sits atop the North Division standings along with Sonoma State. 

But coach Jim Spagle and this experienced Pioneer squad, which just last year made its first ever CCAA postseason appearance, know that the season's toughest tests are still ahead of them. And it starts this week, as East Bay embarks on its first conference road trip and opens the weekend against perennial West Region powerhouse Cal State San Bernardino.

The Pioneers visit Coussoulis Arena Friday to take on the 22nd-ranked Coyotes, then head over to Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday for another tough road matchup. Both contests are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

STRIVE FOR FIVE
After posting 3-1 records at each of their non-conference tournaments, the Pioneers opened up the CCAA schedule last Wednesday with a four-set victory over Cal State Monterey Bay, posting a .311 team hitting percentage. They made it a perfect week on Saturday by squeaking out a win over another North rival in Humboldt State.

It took East Bay five sets to take down the Jacks, which has become somewhat of a trend in 2017. The team has now played five sets in seven of their 10 matches so far this season, with just one of them ending in three. 

McKIERNAN MAGIC
Several Pioneers had outstanding performances last week, but none posted numbers as impressive as junior middle blocker Kathy McKiernan. She led the team in kills in both matches, hitting .652 against the Otters and .500 against the Jacks with 30 total kills and just two total attack errors. McKiernan has been by far the top hitter in the CCAA this season with a .429 percentage, and she has helped lead East Bay to a .235 team percentage, third-best in the conference.

MOVING UP THE RANKS
With about one-third of the season in the books, several members of this veteran CSUEB team are moving up the program's all-time rankings. Senior Brandi Brucato has racked up 1,087 career digs, putting her just shy of becoming the fourth Pioneer ever to reach 1,100.

McKiernan's red hot start has propelled her career hitting percentage up to .281, which would rank fourth in school history. Both McKiernan and fellow junior Deja Thompson have cracked the top-10 in blocks with 161 and 169, respectively. 

Junior Kiki Leuteneker is leading the team averaging 2.89 kills per set, and currently ranks eighth among CCAA players with 3.63 total points per set. She currently ranks eighth all-time with 717 career kills, and could be as high as fourth place in just a few weeks. 

And with 1,224 career assists, junior Katie Ireland is just 28 away from moving up to ninth place in program history.

SCOUTING SAN BERNARDINO
Although they enter the week with just a 5-5 record, the Coyotes have three losses to teams ranked in the top-15 in the nation. They opened CCAA play on the road last week, defeating SF State and then falling to Sonoma State in four sets. CSUSB is hitting .213 as a team. They have a trio of excellent attackers, led by Lauren Nicholson, who ranks second in the conference in kills. Over the last five seasons, the Pioneers have lost eight straight contests against the Coyotes since pulling off a five-set upset in San Bernardino in 2012. The Coyotes ended East Bay's season last year, beating the Pioneers in straight sets in the opening round of the CCAA Tournament.

PEEKING AT POMONA
The Broncos went 4-4 in non-conference play, then split their opening week of the CCAA schedule. Like CSUSB, the Broncos defeated SFSU and lost to Sonoma State. Pomona has a .184 team hitting percentage for the season. Andrea Bosnic lead the team in kills (2.89 per set), and middle blocker Desi Martin paces them in hitting (.302) and total blocks (0.81 per set). Senior libero Samantha Figueroa ranks second in the conference in digs (4.72 per set). The Pioneers have lost five straight matches against Pomona, with their last victory coming in November of 2013.