For anyone who likes to read volleyball articles even if it's the team you cheer for, read on.
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Article Last Updated: 9/26/2006 11:46 PM
College notes:
CSUN turning things around BY RAMONA SHELBURNE, Staff Writer
Inside SOCAL
The scouting report on the Cal State Northidge women's volleyball team before the season was relatively the same across the board: young but talented. It's the kind of tantalizing combination that can leave a coach breathless one moment and frustrated the next.
Last year was the frustrating part, as the Matadors struggled to a 4-23 record.
This fall has been the fun part. The Matadors, who have only one upperclassman in senior Colleen Tobin, took a giant step forward last week with a 3-1 victory over Cal State Fullerton to extend their winning streak to five matches.
"It really made people see who we are," sophomore middle blocker Darla Donaldson said of the victory over Fullerton (11-2). "It showed people that we're out there and we're coming. We're only freshmen and sophomores, so there are a lot more years to go."
The conference seemed to take notice, naming sophomore Harmony Burdine the Player of the Week. Burdine had 29 kills, six service aces, 21 digs and four blocks in the Matadors' victories over Fullerton and UC Riverside last week.
Despite the impressive run, coach Jeff Stork said the team hasn't even been firing on all cylinders offensively yet.
The defensive effort is keyed by Donaldson, who is third in the conference in blocks.
Hupp and freshman Siara Grayson hav also been key to the Matadors' early season success. Hupp, a former Paraclete of Lancaster star, is one of the best all-around players on the team. Her diverse talents allowed Stork to swith to a 6-2 offense.
The Matadors take their five-match winning streak on the road to Pacific (3-10, 1-1) this week.
Donaldson hopes to lead Matadors to glory
Zabie Mansoory
Posted: 9/27/06
Don't let her age fool you. Darla Donaldson, sophomore middle blocker, walks around with a smile, but that all changes once she enters the court. The six-foot-four Matador shining star is well known among her enemies for her excellence.
"When I am in the court, it is a different type of focus and getting my team together," said Donaldson, an interior design major.
"She is not (the) most vocal (player on the court)," said five-year head coach Jeff Stork. "But she leads by example. Her teammates look for (her) to get the job done."
Donaldson who turns 21 on Sept. 29, reached double figures on Sept. 22. She helped lead the Matadors to victory over the Fullerton Titans with 11 kills, eight blocks and four aces.
Donaldson leads the team in kills with 141 and hitting percentage with an average of .340.
played for four years at Chaparral High School in and is now in her second year playing for CSUN.
"We always knew that she (would) be a good player," Stork said. "It is a question of her concentration and so far we like what we see."
The Matadors have already shown improvement from their 4-23 performance in 2005 by doubling their win total in the first half of the 2006 season. The Matadors are 8-4 overall and 2-0 in Big West conference play.
"We had so much training in (the) spring," Donaldson said. "We know (what) losing feels like game after game and we don't like it."
"She does all the things we've been asking of her," Stork said. "We are going to add on as much as we can, but she still needs a lot of development."
This year's team is made up of four freshmen, eight sophomores and two seniors.
"The coaching staff has me improving mechanics of my game all around the court," Donaldson said. "But I still have a lot of improvement to do in the back row."
"She touches the ball very well at the high position," Stork said. "She just needs a little more strength and flexibility."
Hoping to play for the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) one day, Donaldson sees herself as a volleyball coach later in life.
"People around me make me who I am," Donaldson said, who looks up to her older sister Rachael as her role model and personal mentor. "She always has the right answer for every question I would have."
"Our team is a group of sisters," said Donaldson. "This is my family away from home."
"If there is going to be anybody who can do it (take us to play offs) I think (she) is it," Stork said.
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© Copyright 2006 Daily Sundial
From Recordnet:
Article published Sep 30, 2006
Pacific Volleyball
Tigers face tough opponent
STOCKTON - A victory over lowly UC Riverside doesn't signal Pacific's return to prominence in women's volleyball, but the Tigers hope one win will lead to another when they play Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. today at Spanos Center.
The Tigers (3-10, 1-1 Big West Conference) defeated the Highlanders (1-13, 0-3) in four games on Sept. 23. Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Anderson had career highs of 25 kills and 22 digs, and the Tigers hit .232 - 70 points above their season average.
"We have to take everything we did good and just keep running with it," said junior middle blocker Johanna Hilbers, who had 13 kills and 10 digs against UC Riverside. "We have a lot of stuff to work on, but we like to take the positives out of everything."
Pacific coach Charlie Wade praised Anderson and Hilbers, and said his team played well defensively against the Highlanders.
"I think there was just a little more clarity in our play," Wade said. "We played volleyball a little better. Johanna kind of helped anchor that, and then the defensive effort was really good, too. When Alexa gets 22 digs, that really helps us in that middle-back position, and it's not like all 22 were hit right at her. She showed good range and good anticipation, and that really makes us a better team when we can play with that kind of defensive effort."
The Tigers may have to redouble their efforts tonight against a team that already has doubled last season's win total.
Cal State Northridge (8-4, 2-0) is enjoying the view atop the Big West standings after suffering an abysmal 2005 season with 10 newcomers and no seniors. The Matadors finished 4-23 overall and posted a 2-12 mark in the Big West, but they showed promise in a five-game upset over No. 25 Pepperdine.
Freshmen Harmony Burdine, Darla Donaldson, Kelley Hanson, Amy Hultner, Val Kepler, Jenn Probert and Kayla Wright accounted for 1,163 of the team's 1,348 kills last season. Most of them now rank among the conference leaders in various categories. Burdine was named Big West Player of the Week after hitting .280 with 4.14 kills per game, 21 digs, six service aces and four blocks in last week's victories over UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton.
The Matadors vaulted themselves to the top of the conference with 97 services aces after recording 26 in their last two matches.
"They did that in seven games, so that's a pretty impressive number," Wade said. "That obviously gets your attention, so hopefully we can be prepared for it and hold them under their average."
Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8283 or janderson@recordnet.com
