MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Volleyball will have their final week of non-conference play this week, taking on San Jose State at home (9/12) before heading to San Luis Obispo to take on Cal Poly (9/15) and Washington (9/16) in the Mustang Invitational. If the Gaels can win all three of these matches, they would finish their non-conference schedule with a 9-3 record, their best non-conference record in the past decade.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. San Jose State Spartans
Tuesday, September 12 at 7:00 PM
UCU Pavilion - Moraga, Calif.
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Cal Poly Mustangs
Friday, September 15 at 6:00 PM
Mott Athletics Center - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
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Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Washington Huskies
Saturday, September 16 at 10:30 AM
Mott Athletics Center - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Live Stats
ANOTHER BUSY WEEK
The three match week for the Gaels marks the third time this season in which Saint Mary's will play at least three times in a week. The Gaels opened up the season with a three match weekend in Ogden, Utah, winning all three of those, but are coming off of a tough 1-3 stretch over last week's matches. Following their three matchups this week, the Gaels will only play one or two match weeks from here on out.
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Heading into the final week of non-conference play, Kjersti Strong leads the Gaels in kills, already up to triple digits with 112. Strong ranks second on the team with a 0.343 hitting percentage, behind only fellow middle blocker Kristen Erland, hitting at 0.415. Senior setter Ella Sandt leads Saint Mary's with 220 assists and 13 service aces. Defensively, libero Makenna Joyce has reached triple digits with a team-high 143 digs, while Kjersti Strong has tallied a team high 53 total blocks. The Gaels lead their opponents statistically in every major category this season, including kills/set, attack percentage, service aces, digs per set and blocks per set.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
The Spartans are 5-3 through their first eight contests of 2023, the same start they had in each of their last two winning seasons (2021, 2022). Todd Kress is in his first season at the helm for the Spartans, but is no stranger to DI volleyball, with 27 years of DI head coaching experience under his belt. The Spartans have been led this season by a pair of outstanding transfers, outside hitter Blaire Fleming from Coastal Carolina and setter Brooke Slusser from Alabama. This matchup will be the 27th all-time meeting between the two programs, with San Jose State leading the series 16-10.
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
After going 5-4 in their first nine matches on the road, Cal Poly will see their first home action against the Gaels. The Mustangs are a formidable foe at home, winning eight of ten at the Mott Athletics Center a season ago. Head Coach Caroline Walters enters her fourth season at the helm of the Mustangs program already with more than 60 wins under her belt. Returning All-Big West selectees Tommi Stockham and Lizzy Markovska have both been brilliant to start the season. This will be the 15th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Cal Poly leading the all-time series 9-5, but the Gaels have won four of the last six meetings.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Arguably the most difficult matchup for the Gaels this weekend, the Washington Huskies are off to a 7-1 start, and have won seven straight. Long time Huskies assistant Leslie Gabriel took the head coaching reins in 2023 and could not have asked for a better start at the helm. A big reason as to why is her terrific libero Lauren Bays, who is averaging more than four digs per set and leads her team with 15 service aces. Washington has won all six previous meetings against the Gaels.
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