Thursday, November 4
Chicago
4 PM
California Baptist University
at
Chicago State
Photo by: Zac Zeman zaczeman.com
VB Preview: CBU Looks to Keep First-Place Standing in WAC West Division With Trip to Chicago State
11/2/2021 10:20:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CHICAGO – After gaining sole possession of first place in the Western Athletic Conference West Division, California Baptist University volleyball will look to keep it that way this week.
The Lancers have three matches left in the regular season – all on the road – and one this week, with a trip to Chicago State for a match Thursday. CBU has a one-match lead on the rest of the WAC West Division with a 13-8 overall and 8-3 conference record.
California Baptist is in the hunt for its best-ever finish in the WAC. The Lancers' best showing in the WAC came in their debut season when they took fourth place in 2018. They since took fifth in 2019 and sixth in the shortened 2020 season.
There is little separating first through sixth in the WAC West Division. Grand Canyon and NM State are one match back of CBU at 7-4 in the WAC, while Chicago State and Utah Valley both had just four losses at 6-4, as well. Dixie State isn't too far back in sixth place at 4-6.
The Lancers broke a first-place tie in the WAC West Division with a four-set win over NM State and sweep of Grand Canyon at home last week. They have now won six-straight matches, which makes them the hottest team in the WAC.
Chicago State had a four-match winning streak of its own snapped in a four-set loss at Utah Valley on Saturday. The Cougars have gone 5-3 since they first faced CBU in Riverside on Sept. 25, with a five-set win over Grand Canyon highlighting those victories.
LAST TIME OUT
Defense and offensive efficiency were key to CBU's 25-19, 25-13, 25-19 sweep of Chicago State in the Van Dyne Gym back in September. The Lancers hit .310 as a team (41-10-100) and posted a 69.8 sideout percentage.
Defensively, CBU held CSU to a .087 hitting percentage (30-21-103), with the help of seven blocks, and held Chicago State's top offensive threat, Yanlis Felix, in check for most of the match. She was limited to just four kills through two sets before she finished with 11 kills on a .135 hitting percentage (11-6-37).
IN THE BALANCE
Depth and balance have been the name of the game for CBU this season. Offensively, the Lancers have four players averaging 2.27 kills a set or more: Tesa Oaks (2.89), Christine Graf (2.83), Scherine Dahoue (2.53) and Anouk van Noord (2.27). It's just the second time in the last 15 years the Lancers can say that.
ALL SET
Setters Leah Pease and Hana Okuhara have orchestrated CBU's 6-2 offense to perfect this season, as offensive efficiency has been a key strength for the Lancers. Pease has started 16 of 21 matches this year and leads the way with 396 assists (5.42) to go along with 19 aces and 2.21 digs a set. Okuhara is not far off with 365 assists (5.00), 24 aces and 2.27 digs. Okuhara has eight double-doubles on the year, while Pease has six.
COMING ON STRONG
Chandler Gorman has been key to CBU's defense this season, as the middle blocker has a team-high 74 blocks (33 more than the next Lancer) for a 1.19 per set average.
She's been on fire over the last eight matches, with 41 blocks for a 1.41 per set average over that span, along with 37 kills (1.28) on a .367 hitting percentage, which is way up from her season average of 1.05 and .224.
Gorman has eight matches with at least five blocks this year, with six of them coming over the last eight matches, including a season-high eight against NM State last Thursday.
CHICAGO STATE AT A GLANCE
The Cougars have a new head coach and they're off to a strong start in the Tony Tifonov era. Trifonov previously coached at Florida A&M for 21 seasons (1997-2018) and was most recently was the head volleyball coach at Seward County Community College (Liberal, KS), where he posted a 63-10 overall record in two seasons (2018-19).
Chicago State's strengths have been its offense, as it averages 13.4 kills on a .217 percentage and back-row defense with 15.7 digs a set.
Sophomore Yanlis Feliz is the go-to option for the Cougars, as the outside hitter averages 5.00 kills a set, which is the 10th most in all of NCAA Division I, on a .235 hitting percentage. She also has 23 aces and averages 3.30 digs and 0.54 blocks a set on the year.
Nailah Jones and Berenice Almeyda also average 2.35 kills and 2.14 kills a set. Almeyda does so on a team-high .344 percentage. Jaclyn Inclan has been setting her up primarily, with 9.49 assists a set and 28 aces. Andrea Calderon averages 3.88 digs a set. Mesalina Severino is the leading blocker with 77 overall and 0.96 a set.
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Chicago State
Dates: November 4
Times: 4 p.m. Pacific
Location: Chicago (Jacoby Dickens Center)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Video: ESPN+ & WAC Digital Network (international viewers only)
The Lancers have three matches left in the regular season – all on the road – and one this week, with a trip to Chicago State for a match Thursday. CBU has a one-match lead on the rest of the WAC West Division with a 13-8 overall and 8-3 conference record.
California Baptist is in the hunt for its best-ever finish in the WAC. The Lancers' best showing in the WAC came in their debut season when they took fourth place in 2018. They since took fifth in 2019 and sixth in the shortened 2020 season.
There is little separating first through sixth in the WAC West Division. Grand Canyon and NM State are one match back of CBU at 7-4 in the WAC, while Chicago State and Utah Valley both had just four losses at 6-4, as well. Dixie State isn't too far back in sixth place at 4-6.
The Lancers broke a first-place tie in the WAC West Division with a four-set win over NM State and sweep of Grand Canyon at home last week. They have now won six-straight matches, which makes them the hottest team in the WAC.
Chicago State had a four-match winning streak of its own snapped in a four-set loss at Utah Valley on Saturday. The Cougars have gone 5-3 since they first faced CBU in Riverside on Sept. 25, with a five-set win over Grand Canyon highlighting those victories.
LAST TIME OUT
Defense and offensive efficiency were key to CBU's 25-19, 25-13, 25-19 sweep of Chicago State in the Van Dyne Gym back in September. The Lancers hit .310 as a team (41-10-100) and posted a 69.8 sideout percentage.
Defensively, CBU held CSU to a .087 hitting percentage (30-21-103), with the help of seven blocks, and held Chicago State's top offensive threat, Yanlis Felix, in check for most of the match. She was limited to just four kills through two sets before she finished with 11 kills on a .135 hitting percentage (11-6-37).
IN THE BALANCE
Depth and balance have been the name of the game for CBU this season. Offensively, the Lancers have four players averaging 2.27 kills a set or more: Tesa Oaks (2.89), Christine Graf (2.83), Scherine Dahoue (2.53) and Anouk van Noord (2.27). It's just the second time in the last 15 years the Lancers can say that.
ALL SET
Setters Leah Pease and Hana Okuhara have orchestrated CBU's 6-2 offense to perfect this season, as offensive efficiency has been a key strength for the Lancers. Pease has started 16 of 21 matches this year and leads the way with 396 assists (5.42) to go along with 19 aces and 2.21 digs a set. Okuhara is not far off with 365 assists (5.00), 24 aces and 2.27 digs. Okuhara has eight double-doubles on the year, while Pease has six.
COMING ON STRONG
Chandler Gorman has been key to CBU's defense this season, as the middle blocker has a team-high 74 blocks (33 more than the next Lancer) for a 1.19 per set average.
She's been on fire over the last eight matches, with 41 blocks for a 1.41 per set average over that span, along with 37 kills (1.28) on a .367 hitting percentage, which is way up from her season average of 1.05 and .224.
Gorman has eight matches with at least five blocks this year, with six of them coming over the last eight matches, including a season-high eight against NM State last Thursday.
CHICAGO STATE AT A GLANCE
The Cougars have a new head coach and they're off to a strong start in the Tony Tifonov era. Trifonov previously coached at Florida A&M for 21 seasons (1997-2018) and was most recently was the head volleyball coach at Seward County Community College (Liberal, KS), where he posted a 63-10 overall record in two seasons (2018-19).
Chicago State's strengths have been its offense, as it averages 13.4 kills on a .217 percentage and back-row defense with 15.7 digs a set.
Sophomore Yanlis Feliz is the go-to option for the Cougars, as the outside hitter averages 5.00 kills a set, which is the 10th most in all of NCAA Division I, on a .235 hitting percentage. She also has 23 aces and averages 3.30 digs and 0.54 blocks a set on the year.
Nailah Jones and Berenice Almeyda also average 2.35 kills and 2.14 kills a set. Almeyda does so on a team-high .344 percentage. Jaclyn Inclan has been setting her up primarily, with 9.49 assists a set and 28 aces. Andrea Calderon averages 3.88 digs a set. Mesalina Severino is the leading blocker with 77 overall and 0.96 a set.
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Chicago State
Dates: November 4
Times: 4 p.m. Pacific
Location: Chicago (Jacoby Dickens Center)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Video: ESPN+ & WAC Digital Network (international viewers only)
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
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