Nov. 6, 2008

Game Notes and Stats in PDF Format

UP NEXT FOR THE DONS: USF will once again hit the road as the No. 22 Dons travel to San Diego Saturday for a first place battle with the No. 15 Toreros. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Earlier this season, San Francisco defeated then-No. 15 San Diego 3-1 on October 11 at War Memorial Gym.

LAST WEEK FOR THE DONS: San Francisco opened the second half of West Coast Conference play with a 1-1 road trip to the Pacific Northwest. Thursday, the Dons dropped a five-set 3-2 decision to Gonzaga before rebounding to sweep Portland 3-0. Thursday's loss snapped a 10-match win streak for USF, including seven WCC victories. Prior to the loss to the Zags, the Dons had won nine straight league contests

DONS REMAIN RANKED IN TOP-25: USF Volleyball remains ranked in this week's national Bison/AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 poll that was released Monday. The Dons currently check in at 25th. This week marks the second straight week that San Francisco has been ranked in the top-25, marking a program first. Last week, USF earned a program-high ranking of 22nd. The Dons (18-5 Overall, 8-1 WCC) are one of five West Coast Conference programs to earn a top-25 rank or receive votes in the poll. Joining USF in the polls is San Diego ranked 14th, Santa Clara ranked 22nd, Pepperdine ranked 24th, and Saint Mary's, which is receiving votes. San Francisco will take on the No. 14 Toreros Saturday in a conference showdown for first place in the standings. The WCC is only one of four conferences to have five or more teams ranked or receiving votes in this week's poll. The other conferences are the Pacific-10 with eight, the Big X and Big XII, both with six.

BABIN, GOMBOS RANK NATIONALLY IN TOP-20 HITTING PERCENTAGE: Senior middle blockers Carly Babin and Alix Gombos both rank in the NCAA Division I top-10 in hitting percentage. Gombos is ranked sixth with a .426 average, while Babin checks in at 16th with a .403 clip. This week marks the fourth straight week that the pair of Dons has been ranked in the top-10 or -20. USF is one of two schools with two members of its roster listed in the top-10; the other is No. 1 Penn State. Penn State's Christa Harmotto leads the nation with a .517 average.

DONS, TOREROS TO BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE: When USF and USD meet on the court on Saturday, it will be a battle for first place in the conference as the Dons and Toreros are currently tied in the top spot. Both teams boast an 8-1 league record. San Francisco handed San Diego its lone league loss of the season on October 11 as the Dons prevailed 3-1. USF's lone loss came Thursday at Gonzaga. The champion of the West Coast Conference will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Dons earned a program-high third place finish in WCC play during the 1987 season.

SAN FRANCISCO SURPASSES WIN TOTAL FROM A YEAR AGO: Thanks to the victory over Portland Saturday, USF surpassed its win total from a year ago. The Dons currently stand at 18-5 overall, 8-1 WCC this season, while a year ago they finished with a 17-13 overall, 6-8 WCC mark. The 18 victories mark the third best in school history, while the school record is 23 wins. USF won 18 matches in the 2005 campaign and 23 in the 2006 and 2003 seasons. The 2003 campaign marked the first and only time, in San Francisco history that the Dons were selected to partake in the NCAA Tournament.

BABIN NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Carly Babin, a senior middle blocker on the USF women's volleyball team, has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Month for October, as announced by the league office Thursday. The honor marks the first time in program-history that a Don has earned the accolade. Babin led the Dons to a stellar 7-1 record, all of which were WCC contests, in the month of October. The native of Las Vegas, Nev. paced the Dons to an outstanding month, in which San Francisco defeated three nationally-ranked teams, with 98 kills (3.06) on .402 hitting with five service aces, 21 digs and team-high 40 blocks (1.25) to lead USF with 128.0 points (4.00). Highlighting the month for Babin was a 19 kill, .826 hitting percentage, seven block, performance against then-No. 15 San Diego on October 11. For her efforts against the Toreros, Babin was named WCC Player of the Week.

DONS CREEPING UP ON PROGRAM WCC WIN RECORD: Thanks to a sweep of Portland on Saturday, USF is one win shy of tying a program record for conference victories. Currently, San Francisco boasts an 8-1 record in league play. The school record for WCC victories is nine, set in 1987 when USF fished with a 9-5 WCC mark and tied for a program-high third in the conference.

USF WRAPS UP OUTSTANDING OCTOBER: The Dons finished October with a stellar 7-1 WCC mark. USF won the opening six matches of the month to make up the majority of a 10-match win streak that dated to September 20. For the month, San Francisco hit at an impressive .275 clip, while holding opponents to a .219 average. Senior middle blocker Carly Babin led the Dons with a .402 hitting percentage with 3.06 kills per set, five service aces, 21 digs and a team-high 40 blocks. Sophomore opposite hitter Sarah Mandala recorded a team-high 100 kills (3.12) during October, while senior middle blocker Alix Gombos hit at a team-high .450 clip with 87 kills. Senior outside hitter Addie Webster recorded 93 digs and 79 kills for USF, while junior libero Haley Carroll continued her strong campaign with 144 digs (4.50) and eight service aces. Senior setter Darcy Carroll dished out 282 assists for USF while recording a squad leading 13 service aces.

USF CONTINUES TO ROLL AT HOME: With a sweep over Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine this weekend, USF continues to be a threat when playing in the friendly confines of War Memorial Gym. Through the opening nine weeks of the season, the Dons have amassed a school-best 12-1 record on the Hilltop. The lone loss at home this season was a 3-2 battle to Miami on Saturday, Sept. 13 as part of the 2008 Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational. In the past four years, San Francisco has posted a 39-16 record when playing at home, including going 7-3 during the 2006 campaign.

DONS' STREAK SNAPPED: USF saw its 10-match win streak snapped last week at Gonzaga. After dropping a 3-0 decision to nationally ranked California on September 20, the Dons strung together victories over Central Connecticut State, Penn, Seattle, Portland, Gonzaga, San Diego, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine. Of the 10 victories, three came against nationally ranked foes and one against a team that was receiving votes in the national polls. The longest win streak in San Francisco history was 15-0 stretch to open the 2003 season en route to qualifying for the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.

DONS KNOCK OFF THREE RANKED TEAM IN AS MANY WEEKS: The victory over No. 15 Pepperdine marked on October 23 marked the third time in as many weeks that USF defeated a ranked opponent. On Oct. 11, USF downed then-No. 15 San Diego 3-1 at War Memorial Gym. The following week, on Oct. 18, the Dons earned a 3-1 victory over then-No. 20 Santa Clara at the Leavey Center in Santa Clara. USF then defeated Pepperdine 3-1 to mark the third ranked team this season to fall at the hands of the Dons. In addition, San Francisco also defeated Saint Mary's in Moraga, 3-2, on Oct. 16. At the time, the Gaels were receiving votes in the national polls. The three wins over ranked foes marks a program first, as prior to this season USF had never defeated more than two ranked teams in a single campaign. In 2003, the years of USF's lone NCAA Tournament appearance, the Dons defeated two ranked teams - then-No. 19 Washington State and then-No. 21 San Diego.

Gilad Doron ENTERS SECOND SEASON IN THE GREEN AND GOLD: After guiding USF to its program record third straight winning season, Gilad Doron enters his second season on the Hilltop. Doron was named as head coach March 14, 2007. Before arriving on the Hilltop, Doron spent three years as the head coach at Villanova (2004-06), guiding the Wildcats to back-to-back winning seasons in the Big East. Doron is assisted on the bench by former US National Team setter Dan Fisher, who enters his second season on the Hilltop and his first as the associate head coach and Sam Hastings, who also enters her second year at USF after playing for Doron at Villanova.

Carly Babin CONTINUES TO ADD TO STELLAR CAREER: Senior middle blocker Carly Babin continues to add to a stellar career resume and is looking for a strong finish in her final season in the Green and Gold. Babin is currently ranked among West Coast Conference leaders in attack percentage (second/.403), blocks (second/1.12), kills (10th/2.94) and points (ninth/3.77). After just recording 17 total blocks as a freshman, Babin enters the 11th week of 2008 with 378, good for sole possession of fourth place on the career charts and her 58 solo stuffs rate tied for ninth. Babin moved past KeLicia Shorts (2002-05) and Laura Tinetti (1997-2000) with 10 total blocks during the eighth week of the season. The Las Vegas native enjoyed one of the most prolific blocking seasons in USF history as a sophomore in 2006, ranking second in single-season stuffs with 160.

Alix Gombos ATTACKS WITH AUTHORITY: After an impressive junior season in which she was awarded All-WCC Honorable Mention accolades, senior middle blocker Alix Gombos continues to shine in her final season on the Hilltop. The Oregonian currently is second the Dons with 82 blocks, 10 solo, averaging 0.98 a game, while hitting at a league-leading .426 clip with 209 kills (2.49), ranking her sixth in NCAA Division I.

Haley Carroll PACES WCC IN ACES - SECOND IN USF CAREER DIGS: Junior libero Haley Carroll followed up an outstanding freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign and captured 2007 West Coast Conference Defender of the Year honors. It was the first major individual conference award ever presented to a Don. Carroll led the league in digs (4.97) and was even better in WCC contests (5.64). The Gilroy, CA native is the first player in program history to twice surpass 500 digs in a single season and is on track to do so once again with 402 in 23 matches. Carroll enters the 11th week of the 2008 season ranked second on the USF career digs chart with 1,446 and earlier this season passed Dons Hall-of-Famer and Legend of the Hilltop Melanie Kaiser (1988-91), who tallied 1,236. In addition to leading the WCC with 37 service aces (0.46), Carroll also ranks second in the WCC in digs with 402 (4.57).

Sarah Mandala GETS IT DONE: Sophomore opposite hitter Sarah Mandala turned in the most prolific offensive season by a freshman in school history, ranking second in kills (3.40) and capturing West Coast Conference Honorable Mention selection after averaging a team-high 3.53 kills on .267 hitting during league matches. Mandala currently leads the Dons offensively, averaging 3.56 kills (313) on .290 hitting. The native of San Dimas has also added 22 assists, 14 service aces, 106 digs and 70 blocks for USF this season. For her efforts against Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine during the ninth week of the season, Mandala was named the week's West Coast Player of the Week.

FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT: San Francisco's roster this year features four freshmen Erin Bragg (redshirt), Chelsey Lowe, and Leinani Keanini. Bragg leads the pack of newcomers, boasting 72 kills with 36 blocks - three solo, 21 digs and three service aces. Lowe is also making a statement with 12 assists, eight service aces and 92 digs. Keanini has earned 18 kills, 52 digs, eight service aces and three blocks.

Darcy Carroll MOVING ON UP CAREER ASSISTS CHART: Senior setter Darcy Carroll enjoyed the finest season of her career last season, ranking fifth among West Coast Conference leaders in assists (11.01), the sixth-best single season tally in program history. Last year the Dons offense hit at a .228 rate, the third best mark in program history, with Carroll doing the lion's share of setting. Carroll enters week 11 of her final season on the Hilltop ranked sixth in career assists with 2,975. Molly McEnery (1994-96) currently sits in the fifth spot with 2,928. A 2005 West Coast Conference Freshman Team selection, Carroll dished out a career-high 71 assists against No. 14 Cal Poly (9/14/07). So far this season, Carroll averages 8.54 assists per game while primarily running a 6-2 offense.

Addie Webster VERSATILE FOR USF: Senior outside hitter Addie Webster made solid contributions for the Dons in her first season on the Hilltop; ranking fourth on the team in kills (2.58) and was third in digs (2.59). A transfer from Eastern Washington, Webster captured Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honors in 2005 and turned in a team-high seven double-double matches for the Dons. Webster recorded 13 kills on .306 hitting to go along with 16 digs against Fresno State (8/25) and turned in 12 kills and 17 digs against Cal State Northridge (8/25). With her ninth kill against Cal State Fullerton (9/19) Webster reached 1,000 career kills. Webster notched 669 kills with the Eagles. Entering the tenth week of 2008, Webster averages 2.35 kills and 2.72 digs per game. Three weeks ago, Webster led all Dons with 26 kills and 31 digs, including posting her team-leading fourth double-double of the season thanks to a 19 kill, 19 dig performance at Saint Mary's. At Gonzaga last week, Webster recorded her team-leading fourth double-double of the season.

USF AGAINST 2007 NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS: This season, USF will play against seven teams that participated in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Included in the seven opponents is this week's foe, San Diego. Heading into week 11 of the season, the Dons have posted a 5-2 record against 2007 Tournament participants. A year ago, USF posted a 3-8 overall record against NCAA postseason qualifiers.

MANDALA, BABIN EARN PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Sophomore opposite hitter Sarah Mandala and senior middle blocker Carly Babin have each been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week this season, Mandala earned the honor a week ago after recording a team-high 32 kills, averaging 4.57 per set, on .490 hitting against Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine. Babin earned the honor on October 14, after the Dons past San Diego on October 12 with a .826 hitting percentage.

TAKING THE FIFTH: USF is 3-2 in five-set matches this season, taking a 3-2 victory against Missouri State (8/29), falling to Miami (9/13), posting a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Penn, postin a come-from behind 3-2 victory over Saint Mary's and seeing a comeback fall short, 3-2 at Gonzaga. The Dons have posted an impressive 19-12 record in matches going the distance since the start of the 2003 season. The Dons posted a 2-3 record in five sets in 2007. San Francisco's streak of nine consecutive five-game match wins came to an end in the 2006 regular season finale against Portland State in the Banker's Classic. The Dons posted its ninth straight five set decision with a thriller at Long Island (9/22) at the 2006 LIU Blackbird Invitational. The Dons turned in an impressive 6-0 record in five-game matches in 2005 after going 0-4 during the 2004 campaign. Since 2003, the Dons are 14-8 in matches going the distance. USF was 5-2 in five sets during its "Season of Firsts", with its only two setbacks coming against No. 13 Loyola Marymount and No. 5 Pepperdine.

TOURNAMENTS IN REVIEW: This season, the Dons competed in four tournaments - the Long Beach Tournament, 2008 Asics/Powerade Challenge, the 2008 Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational, and the Cal State Fullerton Tournament. San Fransico earned the title of the Asics/Powerade Challenge, after posting victories over UC Santa Barbara (3-1), Texas-Arlington (3-0) and Utah State (3-0). During the event, Carly Babin was named the MVP, while Alix Gombos and Sarah Mandala earned all-tournament honors. USF finished as runner-up in the other three tournaments, including going 2-1 at the Asics/Coca-Cola Inivitational and the Cal State Fullerton Tournament. Mandala earned all-tournament honors during all three runner-up finishes, while Haley Carroll was also recognized at the Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational and Darcy Carroll earned accolades at the Cal State Fullerton tournament.