By Don Le — Reporter
San Jose State women’s volleyball starts a two game series against the Fresno State Bulldogs (1-1, 1-1 MW) Thursday in Fresno, Calif.
The Spartans’ (1-3, 1-3 MW) losing record does not represent how well they have been playing this season thus far.
They are currently leading the Mountain West in digs (225), while also ranking second in assists (183), kills (196), and total attacks (552).
The team’s impressive defense is led by junior libero Sarah Smevog, junior middle blocker Haylee Nelson and freshman setter Mia Schafer with 153 out of 225 digs split between the three alone.
Nelson and Schafer will also be needed on the offensive side of the ball if the Spartans are to even up their record this week.
The two players are in the upper echelons of multiple statistical categories for the team. Redshirt senior outside hitter Latahevai Lousi and Nelson currently lead the team with 57 kills and 55 kills, respectively.
Schafer meanwhile will be looked at to set up those aforementioned kills for her teammates.
The first-year player is the team’s de facto leader in that category with an astounding 90 assists, 25 alone coming from the Spartans’ Feb. 13 victory against the Air Force Falcons.
Junior setter Keith Mamie Garard has been effective as well with 64 assists over the Spartans’ first four games of the season. Expect these two assist leaders to set up some big kills for their teammates this series.
Looking at the opposing team, the Bulldogs come into this week’s series after splitting their first two season-opening games 1-1 against San Diego State on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13.
The Bulldogs currently have 25 blocks this season compared to the Spartans’ 27.5, and 3.6 blocks per set, ranking them third in the nation in that category.
The team’s leader in blocks is redshirt sophomore middle blocker Rebecca Rendahl with 12 blocks over her first two games.
Seven of which coming from her first game, five from her second. The team’s two leaders in kills are senior outside hitter Desiree Sukhov with 26 and sophomore middle blocker Grace Doyle with 17.
Both games will be played at Fresno State’s Save Mart Center arena. The first game against the Bulldogs will be played Thursday at 1 p.m.
The second game will be played Friday at 6 p.m.
Follow Don on Twitter @SJSUDonLe