CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO COYOE CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 6 Seattle Pacific vs. Cal State Los Angeles, 2:30 p.m.
The Den / San Bernardino, Calif.
Live stats No live Webcast
Seattle Pacific vs. Cal Poly Pomona, 7:30 p.m.
The Den / San Bernardino, Calif.
Live stats No live Webcast
Saturday, Sept. 7 Seattle Pacific at Cal State San Bernardino, 2:30 p.m.
Coussoulis Arena / San Bernardino, Calif.
Live stats No live Webcast
Seattle Pacific vs. UC San Diego, 7:30 p.m.
The Den / San Bernardino, Calif.
Live stats No live Webcast
Weekly release (PDF)
Coyote Classic Tournament Central
GNAC season preview (PDF)
SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific Falcons won't back down from a volleyball challenge. That mindset will be much needed this weekend when they head to California for their first four matches of the 2013 season.
The Falcons, with most of their starters and 10 veterans overall returning, will take on a pair of 2012 NCAA West Regional tournament qualifiers when they step onto the court for the Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Classic.
SPU opens play on Friday with Cal State Los Angeles at 2:30 p.m., followed by a 7:30 contest against Cal Poly Pomona.
On Saturday, the Falcons face perennial West Region and national power preseason No. 14 Cal State San Bernardino at 2:30, then conclude the tourney at 7:30 against No. 22 UC San Diego. The Coyotes and Tritons both made the NCAAs in 2012, with San Bernardino advancing all the way to the regional title match.
Seattle Pacific is coming off of a 14-13 campaign, having won 10 of its final 14 matches in 2012.
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Live stats will be available for all four SPU matches in the tournament by clicking on this link. No live Webcasts are scheduled.
SIMULTANEOUS COUNTDOWNS: 500, 150
The Falcons start the 2013 season closing in on the program's 500th victory. SPU's overall record since it began play in 1986 is 490-347. The last milestone win for Seattle Pacific – No. 400 – came on Oct. 20, 2007, in a 3-0 sweep of Western Oregon in Brougham Pavilion.
Head coach Chris Johnson was at the helm for that one, then in his third season with the team. Johnson comes into 2013 within reach of his 150th career win. He has a 147-73 record, all with SPU.
SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- This is the first of 10 straight road matches to open the season. After the two preseason tournaments, the Falcons begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at Alaska Anchorage on Sept. 19, then visit Alaska Fairbanks on Sept. 21.
-- Last season, the Falcons opened with 12 straight away from home. They went 4-8 in those dozen matches, but ultimately finished 9-9 overall outside of Brougham Pavilion and 7-6 in true road matches (no neutral court).
-- That stretch included a match against UC San Diego in the Seawolf Spike at Sonoma State. The Tritons swept, 25-18, 25-13, 25-20.
-- The last time SPU and Cal State Los Angeles played was in the 2010 West Regional first round in San Bernardino's Coussoulis Arena. The Falcons rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win in five games.
-- That also was the last time Seattle Pacific and Cal State San Bernardino squared off, meeting in the title match. The Coyotes finally pulled away in the third game to close out a sweep, 25-22, 25-22, 25-14.
-- Whatever happens this week against Cal State L.A., the two teams will have a rematch next Friday, Sept. 13, in the Route 92 Invitational at Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont.
-- All time, Seattle Pacific is 63-54 against CCAA schools.
COACH CHRIS JOHNSON SAYS …
(On the first two weeks of practice)
"We've seen a lot of power in our gym, which is always exciting, and a lot of really good chemistry. We've seen a lot of improvement in our players from last fall this time to now, and we saw a lot of that last spring, as well."
(On this week's Coyote Classic)
"We're definitely playing good teams, which, in the West Region, we're going to get all the time. More than anything, we want to be focused on our side of the net and control what we can control. That's our attitude and effort, and we think we're doing a good job of that right now. We feel pretty strongly about our offense. If our ball control is there that can set it up, I think we're going to be in good shape. We just want to be mindful of the things we're working in practice and make sure we're doing those things well."
SCOUTING THE 2013 FALCONS
They have back four starters plus a starting libero. They have another player who was first off the bench and played in all 103 games in 2012. They have four other returners who provided a boost in reserve roles, plus two highly regarded recruits.
Small wonder why the Falcons are amped about the possibilities for the 2013 season.
At the top of the returning group is senior middle blocker Nikki Lowell (Claremont, Calif.). A force on both offense and defense, Lowell hit a solid .310, and had the team's best single match of the season with a .611 mark (12 kills-1 error-18 attacks) against Saint Martin's. She slammed 241 kills (2.34 per game), second-most for the Falcons, and led the team with 86 blocks.
Junior Madi Cavell (Keizer, Ore.) blossomed as a front-row regular. She played both at opposite and outside hitter in 2012, and also can play at the middle blocker position. She had 230 kills (2.35 per game), 54 blocks, and 170 digs, and led the Falcons with 27 service aces.
Outside hitter Jessica Miller (Fife, Wash. / Fife HS), now a junior, started 13 of 27 matches. Her 239 kills ranked third for SPU, and her average of 2.63 per game was second-best on the team. She hit .216 had 38 blocks.
Among last fall's regulars, sophomore middle blocker Jackie Arnold (Anaheim, Calif.) had the top hitting percentage of .362 with 101 kills in the 78 games she played. She also had 58 blocks, and her five solos tied Cavell for the team lead.
Brianna Leenders (Gresham, Ore.) provided steady play at libero. Now a junior, Leenders led Seattle Pacific with 445 digs, and her 25 service aces was No. 2 behind Cavell. Breanne Wiekamp (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) made an immediate impact as a freshman, and was one of just two Falcons (Lowell was the other) to play in all 103 games. She had 301 digs and 19 service aces.
In the mix for more playing time up front are senior outside hitter Nicole Schwend (Oregon City, Ore.) and sophomore outside hitter Ellie Britt (Orange, Calif.). Britt has earned a starting spot.
One position definitely will have a newcomer in 2013. With All-GNAC setter Shelby Swanson having graduated, veteran juniors Kendall Langdon (Irvine, Calif.) and Sara Biondi (Sacramento, Calif.) will contend to take over that position.
Freshmen arrivals Lexi Biondi (Albuquerque, outside hitter) and Maddi Hommes (Lynden, Wash. / Lynden HS, middle blocker) also will be pushing for playing time.
SCOUTING THE CAL STATE L.A. EAGLES: 16-13, 14-8 CCAA (5th)
All-time series: CSULA leads, 6-3. Current series streak: SPU won 1. Last time: SPU 3, CSULA 2 (25-23, 20-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-6; Nov. 18, 2010 at NCAA Regionals, San Bernardino). Eagles on the Web.
Eagles in a nutshell: Outside hitter / opposite Loreal Carter hammered 202 kills and hit .213 last year as a sophomore for Cal State Los Angeles. She also was the team's second-leading blocker with 98.0, including four solos. Alexandra Bura became the leading setter for the Eagles as a freshman in 2012, racking up 937 assists. But last year's three leading offensive threats, who combined for 699 kills, all graduated. Included in that group was All-American middle blocker Marquis Mora, who hit .350 and had a team-leading 348 kills and 164.0 blocks, 15 of which were solos.
SCOUTING THE CAL POLY POMONA BRONCOS: 13-16, 9-13 CCAA (8th)
All-time series: Pomona leads, 6-4. Current series streak: SPU won 1. Last time: SPU 3, Pomona 0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-15; Aug. 29, 2009 at Pomona). Broncos on the Web.
Broncos in a nutshell: Pomona has three of its five best offensive players returning, two of whom also are solid defensively. Senior outside hitter Jessica Doerner, at 5-foot-11, put down 302 kills, barely behind now-graduated team leader Diana Lake's 311. Middle blockers Lauren Jones (193 kills, .213 hitting) and Alexa Hasen (190 kills, .283 hitting) are back across the front. Those two also had 81 blocks apiece, with nine solos for Hasen, and two for Jones. The Broncos also return two effective setters: senior Katie Colin (411 assists), and Nicoletta Stork (397).
SCOUTING THE CAL ST. SAN BERNARDINO COYOTES: 24-9, 19-3 CCAA (1st)
All-time series: San Bernardino leads, 7-0. Current series streak: San Bernardino won 7. Last time: San Bernardino 3, SPU 0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-14; Nov. 20, 2010 at NCAA West Regionals, San Bernardino). Coyotes on the Web.
Coyotes in a nutshell: A lot of people thought the Coyotes might be going through a down year in 2012 when they started out 3-6. But from there, they won eight in a row, and went 21-3 the rest of way before their season ended in the West Regional final. Back in blue is sophomore outside hitter Alexandra Torline, who led the team with 319 kills. The players ranked No. 3, 4 and 5 in that department – sophomore outside hitter Ashley Solis (266), senior outside hitter Danielle Newcombe (213), and sophomore middle blocker Brenna McIntosh (201) – also return. McIntosh was the Coyote's top blocker with 149 (19 solos).
SCOUTING THE UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS: 20-11, 15-7 CCAA (4th)
All-time series: UCSD leads, 7-1. Current series streak: UCSD won 3. Last time: UCSD 3, SPU 0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-20; Sept. 8, 2012 at Sonoma, Calif.). Tritons on the Web.
Tritons in a nutshell: UC San Diego had four players in triple-digit kills last fall – and all of them are back. Sophomore outside hitter
Danielle Dahle had a team-high 416, junior middle blocker
Sara McCutchan had 303, sophomore outside hitter
Sophie Rowe slammed 247, and sophomore outside hitter
Rachel Gam had 107. McCutchan also stood out on defense with a team-best 119 total blocks, 13 of those solo. Amber Hawthorne, now a junior, totaled 1,097 assists, and also had a team-leading 26 service aces, put down 94 kills, and had 58 total blocks.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
The Falcons piled up 23 double-double performances last season, led by the15 of now-graduated setter Shelby Swanson. She finished with 32 for her career. Outside hitter Cailin Fellows, who also graduated, had five for the season and seven for her career.
Madi Cavell (Keizer, Ore.), who became a full-time starter up front, recorded the first three collegiate double-doubles. Coming into 2013, she is the only Falcon on the roster with double-doubles on her career stat sheet.
GRAND GOALS FOR LOWELL
Senior middle blocker Nikki Lowell is on the cusp of passing 1,000 points and 1,000 kills for her career. She comes into the fall with 768 kills. If she meets or beats any of her single-season totals from the previous three years – 285, 242, and 241 – she'll exceed 1,000.
Points-wise, she's even closer, coming into the year with 927.0.
Former outside hitting star Lindsey Wodrich (2008-11) was the most recent Falcon to accomplish that feat. She finished with 1,041 kills and 1,212 points.
SHE'S AN IRONWOMAN, TOO
A few have come close. But in the 27-year history of the Seattle Pacific program, none of the many outstanding athletes to don a Falcons uniform have pulled off the feat of playing in every single game of their career.
Lowell has a chance to be the first. Through her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, SPU has played 304 games, and Lowell has been on the court for all of them.
The Falcon who came closest to the four-year ironwoman accomplishment was former All-American libero Anna Herold (2008-11). The all-time SPU record-setter for digs played in 407 of 410 games. The only three she missed were in a non-conference match against British Columbia midway through her senior year.
Lowell and Herold both put themselves in position to do that by earning starting roles right away as freshmen. SPU has had numerous other outstanding players come through the program, including All-American stars Jenna Von Moos, and Alyssa Given. Von Moos and Given played every game as sophomores, juniors and seniors, but not as freshmen. Von Moos played 62 of 100 as a first-year Falcon in 2003, and Given was in 74 of 96 in 2004.
WELCOME ABOARD: HOWDY, CUZ
The Falcons will have a certain family connection in 2013 with the addition of freshman outside hitter Lexi Biondi. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Albuquerque led her St. Piux X high school team to the Class 4A New Mexico state championship last fall, and ultimately was named the state Player of the Year.
Biondi is the cousin of junior setter Sara Biondi, who joined SPU last fall after playing her freshman year at Washington State. She hails from Sacramento, Calif.
WELCOME ABOARD: LET'S DO TWO
Seattle Pacific's other newcomer this fall is freshman middle blocker Maddi Hommes from Lynden, Wash., about two hours north of
Seattle near the U.S.-Canada border. Hommes was an All-Northwest Conference second-team selection for Lynden High School in 2012.
But a volleyball uniform won't be the only one she dons as a Falcon. When that season is done, Hommes will turn her attention to track and field, competing both indoors and outdoors. This past spring, she placed 11th at the Class 2A Washington state meet in the discus, and was part of the 12th-place 4x200 relay team. She also ran on the Lions' 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams at district, and previously has done the 100, 200, 400, long jump and high jump.
GETTING THAT FIRST GAME
At every level of the sport, the importance of winning Game 1 in paramount, and that certainly was evident for the Falcons in 2012. In last year's 27 contests, SPU took the opening game 12 times, and went on to win 11 of those matches.
In getting off to a 4-9 start, Seattle Pacific won just a pair of Game 1s. But in all 10 victories of their 10-4 finish, they won the opener, including a pair of long ones: 32-30 at No. 22 Central Washington (the Falcons eventually won in five), and 31-29 in a three-game season-ending sweep of Simon Fraser.
POLLING PLACE
Defending champion Western Washington is the favorite, and Seattle Pacific is picked for a fifth-place finish in the GNAC according to the preseason poll of conference coaches.
The Falcons, who tied with Alaska Anchorage for fourth place last year at 11-7, received 49 points in the voting.
Western Washington collected seven of the 10 first-place votes for 77 points. Central Washington had two first-place votes and 72 points. Anchorage is picked for third with 63 points, and Western Oregon got the other first-place vote and is fourth with 61.
WWU (No. 17) and Central (No. 24) also are ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll. That top-25 group, led by defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul, also includes four other West Region teams: No. 5 Brigham Young-Hawaii, No. 12 Fresno Pacific, No. 14 Cal State San Bernardino, and No. 22 UC San Diego.
ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT ON CAVELL
Junior middle blocker / opposite Madi Cavell will be one of five athletes featured in the fall issue of Seattle Pacific's ETC Magazine. The cover story focuses on the ultimate examples of student-athletes who combine success in sports with similar success in their studies.
An English major with a concentration on creative writing, Cavell sports a 3.7 GPA.
UP NEXT
The Falcons will be back in Brougham Pavilion practicing through the early part of next week, then will head back to California for the Route 92 Invitational. That tournament will be divided between two venues. On Friday, SPU will be at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, facing Holy Names at 9 a.m. and Cal State Los Angeles at 3 p.m. Action shifts to Cal State East Bay in Hayward on Saturday. The Falcons take on Azusa Pacific at 11 a.m., then meet host East Bay at 7 p.m.
The GNAC schedule begins Thursday, Sept. 19, at Alaska Anchorage, followed by a visit to Alaska Fairbanks on Sept. 21. The home opener is Thursday, Sept. 26, against Simon Fraser at 7:30 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion.
NUMERICAL MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
150th win Chris Johnson (has 147)
200th dig Madi Cavell (has 173)
200th game Brianna Leenders (has 196)
300th block Nikki Lowell (has 285)
300th kill Jessica Miller (has 283)
500th team win Seattle Pacific (has 490)
700th dig Brianna Leenders (has 683)
900th assist Sara Biondi (has 898)
1,000th point Nikki Lowell (has 927.0)
AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for a look a news, notes, results and stats from around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
