Match 16: USF (13-2, 0-2 WCC) at Pacific (10-3, 1-1 WCC)
Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 7 p.m. | Alex G. Spanos CenterAll-time vs. Tigers: 2-14 | 0-6 away
Current streak: L3 | Last 5:2-3 | Last 10: 2-8
Last meeting: 11/25/14 (H) L, 1-3; 20-25, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25
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Complete match notes (PDF)#15sports1team
After a tough first weekend in West Coast Conference action, the San Francisco volleyball team looks to get back on track in a three-match week. USF takes on Pacific Tuesday before hosting Gonzaga and Portland on the Hilltop over the weekend.
What 2 Watch 4
The Dons are scorching the NCAA leaderboards, finding themselves in the top 20 in four categories as a team. USF is outhitting opponents .296 to .166, ranking first in the West Coast Conference and ninth in the nation in hitting percentage. Stout on the block, USF rates second in the league in blocks (135.0) and fourth blocks per set (2.65), and their blocks per set tally is 28th in the NCAA.
Katarina Pilepic leads the squad in total kills (200), kills per set (3.92) and points (228), standing in the WCC top 10 in each category. Freshman
Madison Murtagh has been a stout presence at the net, compiling 63 total blocks to rate 54th nationally, and second in the WCC. She leads the conference in hitting percentage with a mark of .399, which stands at 38th in the NCAA.
Setting duties have been split between the duo of
Kiara McKibben and
Jurja Vlasic, with McKibben pacing the team with 369 assists for the Dons. Libero
Kim Gutierrez leads the squad with 208 digs, or 4.08 per set to help anchor USF's defensive efforts.
By the Numbers
Kim Gutierrez ... needs 89 digs to move to 15th on the all-time list passing Jaime Schopflin (801 digs; 96-98)
Kiara McKibben ... needs six assists to jump to ninth on the career assists tally and pass Joan Caloiaro (1746 assists; 10-11), and 259 assists to become the seventh Don to reach the 2,000-assist mark mark
Katarina Pilepic ... needs 18 kills to leap into the top 15 all-time to leap Amanda Willnerd (857 kills, 98-01), and 160 kills to be the 11th woman to hit 1,000 kills in her career as a Don
Know the Foe
For the first time in 2015 the Tigers play at home as they host San Francisco on Tuesday night in Pacific's home opener. The Tigers spent the first 13 matches on the road going 10-3 overall with a split last weekend on the road to begin conference play. Pacific fell at Gonzaga 1-3, but rebounded with the 3-1 victory at Portland.
Putting the Tigers' offense on her shoulders, junior outside Lexi Elman has proven herself up to the task as the third-year attacker is among the best in the nation in scoring. Entering the week, she has totaled 237 kills averaging 5.15 kills per set, second in the nation among all attackers and tops in the WCC.
Last Time Out
After playing toe-to-toe with No. 10 BYU on Thursday night, the Dons experienced a stall to the offense against San Diego Saturday. USF could only muster a .128 hitting percentage, a season low, as the Toreros were clicking along at .341 to take the sweep.
Katarina Pilepic was the lone Don to post double-digit kills, finishing with 10.
Kiara McKibben and
Jurja Vlasic split setting duties,
Kim Gutierrez finished with a team-high six digs and
Madison Murtagh contributed four total blocks in the match.
Let's Go Streaking
USF rolled through the non-conference slate unscathed, sporting a perfect 13-0 mark. The only other time in school history the Dons posted a 13-0 start to the season was in 2003, when USF opened up the year 15-0 before going on to notch a 23-8 overall record while earning the program's first NCAA bid.
The last 13-game winning streak came in 2006, when the Dons rolled through the non-conference slate with a 16-1 mark, only falling at No. 18 Arizona. USF finished 23-10 that season, and tied for fourth in the WCC.
Preseason Poll
The Dons were selected to finish tied for eighth in the West Coast Conference's annual preseason poll. USF received 22 points in the poll, alongside Saint Mary's and above Portland. After a record-setting march to the 2014 NCAA National Championship match, BYU was picked as the unanimous favorite to win the 2015 crown.
A Look Ahead
After the road trip to Stockton, the Dons have a quick turnaround in this three-match week. USF hosts Gonzaga Thursday at 7 p.m., and takes on Portland Saturday at 1 p.m. during the University's alumni weekend.
Get Connected
Fans can follow the Dons in a variety of ways: Via the departmentalTwitter,Facebook,Instagramand Snapchat with the username donsathletics. Through team-specific Twitter (@USFDonsVB) and Facebook (University.of.San.Francisco.Volleyball) OnYouTube at USFDonsAthletics, where fans can view video segments online On Comcast SportsNet California in USF Athletics' monthly show, "Behind the Mask" With previews, recaps, videos, features and more as seen onUSFDons.com
