First serve in opposition to the Aggies is slated for 10 a.m. PT whereas first serve in opposition to the No. 12 Bruins Saturday is ready for 9 a.m. PT.
Following Saturday’s match, Cal Poly will head to Orem, Utah to tackle Utah Valley on Monday, August 29 at 5 p.m PT.
FOLLOW CAL POLY: Daniel Gillman shall be calling Friday and Saturday’s matches by way of a distant audio broadcast on GoPoly.com. That hyperlink, together with reside stat and streaming hyperlinks for each matches shall be obtainable on Utah State’s web site with the hyperlinks for these additionally on the volleyball schedule web page of GoPoly.com.
RECAPPING THE 2021 SEASON: The 2021 Mustang volleyball group completed the common season with a 15-16 general report and 13-7 within the Large West for a third-place end. It was the sixth straight season the Mustangs have completed within the prime three of the Large West standings. Outdoors hitter Tommi Stockham, who was fourth within the Large West in kills per set at 3.54 was named First Crew All-Convention. Center blocker Meredith Phillips, who led the Mustangs and was fifth within the Large West in blocks and second on the group in kills earned Honorable Point out All-Convention honors.
PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL: Cal Poly was chosen to complete third within the Large West Preseason Coaches’ Ballot. They had been picked behind two-time defending champion Hawai’i and final yr’s second place finisher UC Santa Barbara. The Mustangs final gained the Large West title in 2018.
DVORACEK, STOCKHAM NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG WEST TEAM: Cal Poly senior proper facet hitter Maia Dvoracek and redshirt sophomore outdoors hitter Tommi Stockham had been every named to the eight-player Large West Preseason All-Convention Crew.
Stockham is again for her second yr with the Mustangs after incomes First Crew All-Convention honors final season. The skin hitter led the group and was fourth within the Large West in kills at 3.54 per set. That included posting not less than 20 kills 5 occasions, six double-doubles, and double digit kills in 16 of 20 convention matches.
Dvoracek final performed in 2019 as a result of 2020 season being cancelled as a result of pandemic and was compelled to overlook the 2021 season whereas recovering from a extreme knee harm. She burst on to the scene in 2019 in her first yr as a starter. That yr, she led the group and was second within the Large West in kills at 4.25 per set along with rating top-five within the nation in service aces. She was named First Crew All-Large West and an AVCA Third Crew All-American, changing into the seventh Mustang in program historical past to be named to one of many three All-American groups.
Cal Poly is one among three packages to have two gamers named to the Preseason All-Convention together with Hawai’i and Lengthy Seashore State. UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine every have one.
GUESS WHO’S BACK?: After being compelled to overlook the 2021 season whereas she recovered from a critical knee harm, senior outdoors hitter Maia Dvoracek returns to the Cal Poly lineup this season.
In her first yr as a starter in 2019, Dvoracek averaged 4.25 kills per set general and 5.09 kills per set throughout convention matches. Her 4.25 kills per set ranked second most within the convention that yr. She was additionally top-five within the nation in service aces per set at .58 and 64 whole aces.
She recorded double digit kills within the remaining 20 matches of the 2019 season and had 20 or extra kills on seven matches, together with a career-high 30 in opposition to Utah. She additionally averaged 2.21 digs per set and had seven double-doubles on the yr.
She was named an AVCA Third Crew All-American, changing into the seventh participant in program historical past to be named to one of many three All-American groups. She was additionally named First Crew All-Large West and AVCA Pacific North All-Area
In a match in opposition to Wichita State that season, she tied this system report for aces in a match with eight.
RETURNING POWER: Though this system misplaced seven letterwinners from final yr’s group, eight are again this yr for the Mustangs, together with 5 who performed in not less than 80 units final season.
Along with Dvoracek and Stockham, a number of key items return. Senior center blocker Meredith Phillips, a three-time All-Large West honoree, is again after main the group final season in blocks (118) and hitting proportion (.310) whereas additionally being second in kills (2.40 per set).
Senior setter Avalon DeNecochea, the Mustangs’ beginning setter the final three seasons, returns for her remaining season. Coming into the season, she ranks sixth in program historical past for profession assists with 3,187. Final yr, she was second within the Large West in assists at 10.31 per set. She was additionally third on the group in blocks (69), digs (198) and repair aces (24) and posted three double-doubles.
Again for her second season after taking part in in 111 of 112 as a freshman final season is redshirt sophomore center blocker Kate Slack. Final season, Slack was second on the group in blocks with 90 and was sixth in kills at 1.32 per set.
Redshirt sophomore Amy Hiatt shall be one other key piece off the bench for the Mustangs this season. In her first season of motion final yr, she performed in 86 units and was third on the group in kills with 228. She had not less than 10 kills in 10 matches. She was additionally fourth on the group in blocks with 52.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS: This weekend’s event in Logan, UT is a well-known one for the Mustangs. In 2018, Cal Poly performed in a event there, going 3-0 beating LMU, UTRGV, and Utah State.
The Mustangs are 14-7 all-time in opposition to Utah State and have gained the final two conferences with the final being a 3-0 win at Utah State in 2018. In 2021, the Aggies had been 22-9, together with a 12-1 residence report. They made it to the semifinals of the Mountain West Match, dropping to Boise State.
UCLA leads the all-time sequence in opposition to Cal Poly, 11-3. Nevertheless, the Mustangs have gained the final two conferences, beating the Bruins back-to-back nights at residence in 2018. In 2021, UCLA completed with a 25-6 report and made it to the Candy 16 of the NCAA Match earlier than falling to eventual champion Wisconsin.
