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Santa Clara travels south this weekend to play its final three non-conference matches before starting West Coast Conference play at San Francisco on Sept. 26.
The Broncos will face host-UC Santa Barbara on Fri., Sept. 19 at 5 pm and play Northern Illinois at 10 am on Sat., Sept. 20. The Broncos will then travel to San Luis Obsipo for an 8 pm match at Cal Poly that same evening. It is the second straight Saturday they have played two matches in different cities on the same day.
The Broncos are 4-18 vs. Santa Barbara over the years, including a 3-1 loss on Sept. 9, 2011 at SCU. The Broncos 3-2 vs. Northern Illinois and haven't faced the Huskies since they won 3-0 on Sept. 10, 1999 in DeKalb. The Broncos are 9-10 vs. Cal Poly, but SCU has won the last three dating back to 2009, including a 3-0 match vs. the Mustangs on Sept. 14, 2013.
Head coach Jon Wallace said it's always a battle when the Broncos face UCSB, his alma mater. "They are traditionally really strong. We recruit from a lot of the same places so we know they have really good kids," said Wallace. "NIU is older, strong, really feisty and well-coached. And we know Cal Poly is a young team, but they are well-coached. We are always happy to see one of their assistant coaches, Caroline Walters, a Bronco alum."
The Broncos are 8-2 this season, including a 3-0 win vs. then-No. Duke on Sept. 20. They lead the country in service aces per game (2.3), are No. 4 in hitting percentage (.328) and No. 7 in team service aces (2.3).
Sabrina Clayton leads the team with 3.55 kpg and 110 kills; and she is second with .55 sapg. Taylor Milton is second with 3.23 kpg and 100 kills overall. Clayton collects 1.74 dpg and Milton scoops up 1.68 dpg. Nikki Hess is third with 2.97 kpg and has 1.76 dpg, third best on the team.
"We are ahead of what we thought we would be at this time, but also we do have high expectations for this team. Nikki, Sabrina and Taylor are going to be some of the best players in our conference and they are ready to go show it," said Wallace.
Wallace likes what he has seen from his young Bronco team the last three weeks of competition. "We are better in some areas than I thought, like our middle attack. Kaity Edwards is a big surprise and Lacey Maas has been really good," said Wallace. "Our setting has been really good, and not that that had been a surprise, but it is better than we had anticipated at this point 10 matches in."
Kirsten Mead leads the team with 11.8 apg and as mentioned above, the team has the fourth-best hitting percentage in the country at .328. "The seven road matches gave Kirsten a sense of footing," said Wallace. "Having two matches in Leavey last weekend really helped her and her development. I still think she has the ability to go even higher because she has got a tremendous future ahead of her."
Dani Rottman leads the team with 3.84 dpg and is the team leader with .58 sapg. "We can get a little bit better at our service, a little bit better with our setting and continue to work hard on our blocking and defense," added Wallace. "This team can really make a run at a conference championship and they setting themselves up really nice for the future."
Northern Illinois is 7-4 this season, including 2-1 away from home. They posted a 2-1 record last weekend, falling 3-2 to then-No. 15 Louisville. They are led by Mackenzie Roddy, who collects 3.93 kpg, and Mary Grace Kelly, who scores 2.47 kpg.
UCSB is 3-6 this season, including 1-2 last weekend at Cal. This weekend's matches will be their first at home this year after traveling the first three weeks of the season. The Gauchos are led by Britton Taylor's 2.74 kpg and Jaylen Villanueva's 2.63. Ali Spindt leads the team with 3.93 dpg.
Finally, Cal Poly enters the weekend at 4-4. They are 3-0 at home after hosting a tournament last weekend where they defeated Bakersfield 3-1 and San Jose State and Sac State 3-0 each. Reann Greisen scores 3.60 and 2.30 dpg. Hannah Mathiesen collects 3.0 kpg.
