Oct. 14, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Thursday, Oct. 14
Gonzaga at Pepperdine, 7 p.m.
Gametracker & Video available at GoZags.com
Saturday, Oct. 16
Gonzaga at Loyola Marymount, 1 p.m.
Gametracker & Video available at GoZags.com
THIS WEEK: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team continues its West Coast Conference season when it travels to Los Angeles for two contests. The Bulldogs, looking to snap a 16-match losing streak, face Pepperdine University Thursday and Loyola Marymount University Saturday.
GAMETRACKER AND LIVE STREAMING FOR ALL HOME MATCHES: All Gonzaga University women's volleyball home matches are available via Gametracker and live streaming on the internet at www.gozags.com. Check the Gonzaga website for all Gametracker and live streaming links. Gametracker for selected away matches are also available. Check out gozags.com for all Gametracker links.
TWITTER: Yes, the Gonzaga University Bulldogs are on twitter! You can find us at www.twitter.com/GonzagaBulldogs. We provide inside scoop on all Bulldog athletics as well as in-game updates for all home and selective road matches. CHECK US OUT!
FACEBOOK: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team is on Facebook. Search for Gonzaga University women's volleyball when signed into facebook and LIKE the page. Get inside scoop on the team, see photos from the season, read recaps of matches and watch video. ENJOY!
HEAD COACH Dave Gantt ENTERS SECOND SEASON: Gonzaga University women's volleyball head coach enters his second season at the helm of the Zags. Gantt previously coached at Montana State University and Oregon State University. To check out Gantt's full bio please head to http://www.gozags.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/gantt_dave00.html.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team is currently on a 16-match losing streak. After the Bulldogs opened the season 2-2 at the North Dakota Classic, they have hit a road block, dropping 16 in a row and only winning 10 sets in those 16 matches. Gonzaga was match-point away from winning two matches at the Zags Volleyball Classic, but couldn't pull them out, falling 3-2 to both Seattle University and the University of Idaho. Gonzaga is led by senior Caitlin Cozad who is averaging 2.0.2 kills, 1.16 digs and 0.89 blocks per set.
BULLDOGS PICKED SIXTH IN WCC COACHES PRESEASON POLL: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team has been selected to finish sixth in the West Coast Conference 2010 season according to a preseason vote of the league's head coaches. The Bulldogs received 18 votes in this year's poll after losing just two starters off a team that went 10-18 and 5-9 in the conference a season ago.
Women's Volleyball 2010 Preseason Poll
1. San Diego 48 (6)
2. Saint Mary's 43 (1)
3. Pepperdine 36 (1)
4. Santa Clara 33
5. San Francisco 23
6. Gonzaga 18
7. Portland 12
8. Loyola Marymount 11
(First place votes)
ABOUT PEPPERDINE: Pepperdine University goes into its contest with Gonzaga University with a 12-5 overall record and a perfect 3-0 mark in West Coast Conference play. The Waves have won five-straight and nine out of the last ten matches. Their only loss in the last nine matches was a 3-0 setback to the University of Arizona. Pepperdine is led by Kim Hill who is averaging 3.62 kills, 1.60 digs and 0.90 blocks per set. The Waves hold the 43-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulldogs and have won 26 straight.
ABOUT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: Loyola Marymount University, who was picked to finish last in the West Coast Conference this season, is currently 2-1 in league play and 10-8 overall. The Lions lone loss of WCC action so far this season is a 3-0 setback to Pepperdine University. LMU is led by Jasmine Rankins who is averaging 3.57 kills and 2.42 digs per set. Loyola Marymount leads the all-time series with Gonzaga and won the last meeting between the two institutions.
ALL-TOURNAMENT - PIONEER CLASSIC, NORTHWEST CHALLENGE , NORTH DAKOTA CLASSIC & ZAGS VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC: Senior Schylur Edelman, a transfer from the University of Colorado, was named to the All-Tournament squads at both the Northwest Challenge and the Pioneer Classic. Junior Denise Van de Mortel was also named All-Tournament at the Pioneer Classic and garnered All-Tournament team honors at the Zags Volleyball Classic this weekend. Senior Allyson Powell earned All-Tournament honors at the North Dakota Classic.
HITTING A MILESTONE: Senior Allyson Powell became the 11th player in Gonzaga University women's volleyball history to break the 1,000 dig plateau. The captain from Selah, Wash., currently has 1,078 digs to her credit to stand in ninth in the Bulldog record book for career digs. She is averaging 4.11 digs per set this season and has collected double-digit digs in 16 of the Zags 20 matches. Her season-high is 31 against Cal State Bakersfield.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES FOR DENNY: Junior setter Denise (Denny) Van de Mortel has registered a team-high seven double-doubles this season. She finished with 36 assists and 10 digs in a 3-2 heartbreaker at the University of North Dakota; tallied a season-high 50 assists with 12 digs in a 3-2 win over Cal State Bakersfield; dished out 34 assists and had a then-season-high 15 digs in a loss to Portland State University; had 34 assists and 12 digs in a 3-1 setback to the University of Denver, passed out 42 assists and dug 15 balls in a 3-2 setback to the University of Idaho, had 46 assists and 11 digs in a 3-1 loss at the University of Montana and tallied 43 assists and a season-high 17 digs in a 3-1 loss to Santa Clara University. On her career, Van de Mortel has 25 double-doubles.
WHERE THEY STAND IN WEST COAST CONFERENCE STATS: Four Gonzaga University women's volleyball players are ranked in the top 10 in multiple statistical categories in the West Coast Conference. Senior Allyson Powell is fourth in digs per set at 4.11, while junior setter Denise Van de Mortel is sixth in assists per set at 8.71. Two spots in the Top 10 of blocks are occupied by the Bulldogs. Senior Caitlin Cozad is eighth at 0.89 per set and redshirt freshman Meredith Crenshaw is ninth at 0.88 per set.
CAN SHE BREAK IT?: Senior Allyson Powell, the starting libero and captain for the Gonzaga University women's volleyball team, was three dig shy of breaking the single-season digs record last year; a record that has stood since 1986. Powell finished the season with 434 digs. Linda Bushinski is the current holder of the record with 436 set during the 1986 campaign. Powell could have a chance this year to break the mark, having collected 304 digs thus far this season.
INJURY REPORT: Junior Kaprina Goodwin, who was averaging 2.07 kills and 0.43 blocks per set, dislocated her right elbow in Gonzaga University's contest at the University of San Diego Sept. 30. The outside hitter is out for the rest of the season with the injury.
ALL THE WAY AROUND: Junior defensive specialist Laura Day had a career night for the Gonzaga University women's volleyball team in its 3-0 loss to the University of San Francisco Oct. 7. Day, a defensive specialist by trade, played all the way around for the Zags finishing with a career-high 12 kills and added 14 digs for her first career double-double. Day's previous high in kills was five collected twice this season, the last coming at the University of San Diego to open West Coast Conference play..
BREAK OUT MATCHES: Sophomore Jessie Genger and senior Kelsey Bashaw had break out matches for the Gonzaga University women's volleyball team in its 3-1 loss to Santa Clara, Oct. 9. Genger tallied a team-high 12 kills, one off tying a career-high, and had a career-high 12 digs in the match to collect her first career double-double. Bashaw added 10 kills and a match-high .381 hitting clip. Bashaw's 10 kills tied a career-high. The outside hitter previously had 10 kills at the University of San Francisco Oct. 15, 2009.
