Match notes: Rams close regular season as MWC champs

Nov. 23, 2010

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Rams close regular season as MWC champs
The 14th-ranked Colorado State volleyball team, which has clinched its eighth Mountain West Conference regular-season championship, closes its schedule this week hosting foes Utah (Wednesday) and BYU (Friday) for the final time as Mountain West Conference rivals at Moby Arena.

The Rams, 24-3 overall (13-1 MWC), led the MWC race wire-to-wire for the second consecutive season and officially secured the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by virtue of second-place New Mexico’s loss at BYU on Saturday. 

This week, the Rams will have an opportunity to celebrate the school’s 13th overall MWC championship with the Moby faithful as part of Thanks Fans Week.  Several special promotions are being offered. 

A Mountain West Conference championship trophy presentation will take place following Wednesday’s contest against Utah, and the Rams will honor the careers of four outstanding seniors - Jacque Davisson, Audrey Hemmings, Emily Koenning and Danielle Minch - prior to Friday’s regular-season finale vs. BYU. 

About Utah
The Utes enter Wednesday’s contest just one match ahead of BYU and San Diego State for third in the Mountain West Conference standings with an overall record of 15-14 and a 9-5 mark in league play. The team is coming off a 3-1 victory over TCU on Saturday, which snapped a two-match losing streak for the Utes. 

Utah ranks second in the MWC with a team hitting percentage of .231, just behind the Rams (.262).  They also lead the league in assists (12.53 per game) and kills (13.54 per game), but rank in the bottom half of the league in blocks (fifth) and aces (seventh). 

Freshman Erin Redd ranks just ahead of CSU’s Megan Plourde as the MWC leader in hitting percentage (.373).  Fellow freshman Morgan Odale is seventh in the MWC averaging 3.28 kills per set.  Senior Keisa Fisher ranks as one of the league’s top defensive players, leading the MWC with 4.24 digs per set. 

Head coach Beth Launiere is 418-231 in her 21st season with the Utes. 

In the teams’ first meeting of the season, Danielle Minch and Megan Plourde tallied 14 and 10 kills, respectively, to lead the Rams to the 3-0 victory. 

Colorado State holds the all-time series advantage, 49-24, including three consecutive victories.

About BYU
The Cougars enter action this week tied for fourth in the MWC standings with an overall record of 13-15 (8-6 MWC). The team has won three straight contests and  travels to Laramie, Wyo., for a matchup against the Wyoming Cowgirls before taking on the Rams Friday night at Moby Arena. 

BYU ranks third in the MWC in blocks (2.38 per set), but is seventh in the league in hitting percenage (.203) and kills (12.18 per set). 

Freshman Jennifer Hamson ranks first on the team, ninth in the MWC, averaging 3.54 points per set.  She also ranks third in the MWC with 0.31 aces per set.  Senior Stephanie Snow ranks among the league leaders with a hitting percentage of .340, third in the MWC.  Setter Kiana Rogers is fourth in the MWC averaging 9.90 assists per set. 

Head coach Shay Goulding is 41-41 in her third season with the Cougars. 

In the teams’ first meeting of the season, CSU sophomore Megan Plourde had a huge mtach, tallying 16 kills and 11 blocks to lead the Rams to a 3-2 road victory.  Danielle MInch (15), Jacque Davisson (15) and Katelyn Steffan (12) also tallied double-figure kills in the win. 

BYU leads the all-time series 48-25-1.  CSU has won three consecutive matches in the series, and six of the last seven, while establishing an 18-9 advantage vs. the Cougars since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999.

Block party
Colorado State enters the final week of the 2010 regular-season as the national leader in blocking, averaging 3.06 blocks per set as a team.  The Rams are led by sophomore middle blocker Megan Plourde, who ranks first in the MWC and fourth nationally averaging 1.55 blocks per set.   

20 wins for the Rams
The Rams’ sweep of San Diego State on Oct. 30 marked the team’s 20th victory of the season. Colorado State has recorded at least 20 wins in 16 consecutive seasons, and has made the NCAA tournament field in each of the previous 15 years.

Rams vs. the MWC
Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999, the Colorado State volleyball team has proven to be the most successful program in the league.  The Rams have compiled a record of 153-25 (.860) in Mountain West Conference matches, including an impressive 82-6 (.932) mark at Moby Arena vs. the MWC, and a 71-19 (.789) record on the road in league action.  The team has averaged nearly 13 conference victories per season, and closed the 2009 season with 14 more victories than the next closest program, Utah (126-38). 

Streaking at home
With MWC home victories Nov. 4 vs. UNLV and Nov. 6 vs. Air Force, the Rams have now defeated 30 consecutive conference foes at Moby Arena.  The Rams have completed perfect 8-0 conference records at home each year since 2007.  CSU’s last loss at Moby Arena to a Mountain West Conference program came Nov. 18, 2006, a 3-1 loss to No. 24-ranked Utah.

CSU is the only program in MWC history to record three consecutive seasons with an undefeated home record, also accomplishing the feat from 1999-2001.

Poll position
The Colorado State volleyball team opened the 2010 season ranked No. 17 nationally in the AVCA coaches top 25 preseason poll released Aug. 17.  It marked the third consecutive season that Colorado State has appeared in the preseason top 25.  Following opening-weekend victories over Duke and Furman, the Rams jumped to No. 15 in the Week 1 poll released Aug. 30.  The Rams improved to No. 14 in the Week 3 poll, after a 3-0 showing at the Rams Volleyball Classic, Sept. 10-11.  Following early November wins over Air Force and UNLV the Rams peaked at No. 13.  The Rams enter action this week 14th in the poll.  The team has now been ranked for 18 consecutive weeks, after cracking the top 25 for the final three regular-season polls of 2009 and finishing No. 17 in the season-ending poll after a postseason trip to the NCAA regional semifinals last December. 

Up next
Colorado State, having secured the MWC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, will await its fate when the bracket is announced Sunday afternoon.  The announcement will be made live on ESPNews between 1-1:30 p.m. MT. 

The team will host a selection show watch party beginning at noon Sunday at the Beach House Grill, 125 S. College Ave.  Fans are welcome to join the Rams as the bracket is revealed for CSU’s 16th consecutive - and 22nd overall - NCAA tournament appearance.

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