THE SCHEDULE
Match #11
vs. Holy Names (1-14, 0-7)
Wednesday, Oct. 5 • 7 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. • Special Events Center 
Live Stats • Video
 
WEEKLY RECAP
The Sunbirds are coming off a pair of five-set losses last week against PacWest opponents. FPU fell to Hawai'i Pacific on Wednesday despite a double-double of 15 kills and 13 digs from Karah Mitchell. The Sunbirds then nearly upset the conference favorite California Baptist Lancers on Saturday, as FPU led 2-0 before dropping three straight sets. Mitchell put down a career-high 26 kills and totaled a career-best 20 digs for the Sunbirds, while Montana Lowe added 14 kills on .545 hitting in the setback.
 
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
For her efforts against Point Loma on Sept. 23, FPU's Hailey Hilvers was awarded the PacWest Freshman of the Week on Monday. It marked the first such distinction for Hilvers. Her 13 kills were a career high, besting her previous high of five in the season opener against Concordia (Ore.). More
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Three Sunbirds have recorded double-doubles this season, with Bissie DenHartog and Karah Mitchell leading the team with five apiece on the year.
- DenHartog – 32 assists, 10 digs at SF State (9/9)
- DenHartog – 45 assists, 12 digs vs. Simon Fraser (9/9)
- DenHartog – 60 assists, 11 digs vs. Dominican (9/19)
- DenHartog – 49 assists, 10 digs vs. Hawai'i Pacific (9/28)
- DenHartog – 57 assists, 11 digs vs. California Baptist (10/1)
- Mitchell 11 kills, 10 digs vs. Simon Fraser (9/9)
- Mitchell – 22 kills, 13 digs vs. Dominican (9/19)
- Mitchell – 22 kills, 19 digs vs. Point Loma (9/23)
- Mitchell – 15 kills, 13 digs vs. Hawai'i Pacific (9/28)
- Mitchell – 26 kills, 20 digs vs. California Baptist (10/1)
- Jasmine Phoolka – 13 kills, 11 digs vs. Simon Fraser (9/9)
 
MATCH HIGHS
Kills: Karah Mitchell (26) vs. California Baptist (10/1)
Hitting Percentage (min. 12 kills): Hailey Hilvers (.550) vs. Point Loma (9/23)
Assists: Bissie DenHartog (60) vs. Dominican (9/19)
Digs: Chelsea Speaks (38) vs. Dominican (9/8)
Aces: Chelsea Speaks (4) vs. Concordia (Ore.) (9/8); Carley Bock (4) vs. Concordia (Ore.) (9/8)
Blocks: Hailey Hilvers (8) vs. Hawai'i Pacific (9/28)
 
ROSTER NOTES
- The Sunbirds return eight student-athletes from last season, including starters Gabriela Macedo (All-PacWest, 2.90 K/S), setter Bissie DenHartog (9.84 A/S), Sarah McCann (1.77 K/S) and Montana Lowe (2.29 K/S, .303). In addition, FPU returns Chelsea Speaks, Carley Bock, Madison Pierce and Alyshia Bier as key contributors.
- The Sunbirds also welcomed back Karah Mitchell, who last competed in 2012 as an outside hitter, and Jasmine Phoolka, who took a redshirt season a year ago.
- FPU added four newcomers on the roster this season: Christina Tran, Sierra LeBeau, Hailey Hilvers and Halle Neher.
- Morghan Williams and Hannah Butler, both All-PacWest performers, graduated after stellar careers with the Sunbirds.
 
PACWEST PRESEASON POLL
FPU was picked to finish eighth in the 2016 PacWest standings, as voted on in the preseason poll by the league's 14 head coaches. California Baptist was voted to top the poll with 189 points and eight first-place votes, while defending champion Dixie State was second with 180 points and five first-place votes. Point Loma (158 points), Concordia (131), Azusa Pacific (127), Chaminade (121) and BYU-Hawaii (116, one first-place vote) rounded out the top seven ahead of FPU. Hawaii Pacific (92), Hawaii Hilo (68), Academy of Art (60), Dominican (51), Notre Dame de Namur (41) and Holy Names (21) landed in the final six spots of the poll.
 
SUNBIRD NOTES
Bissie DenHartog currently ranks eighth all-time in career assists with 2,926 in the FPU record book….the senior also ranks eighth in single season assists with 987 in 2013, while her 895 from last season ranks 10th on the list….she also sits in eighth and ninth in assists per set at 10.81 (2013) and 9.84 ('15), respectively….DenHartog has totaled 30 or more assists in eight out of 10 games this season, with a season-high of 60….Karah Mitchell leads the Sunbirds in kills this year, as the junior has totaled 10 or more in eight of 10 games….Mitchell put down a career-high 26 kills twice and also added a career-best 20 digs against CBU….Chelsea Speaks ranks 39th in Division II in digs pet set (5.18)….the senior recorded a career best 38 earlier this year….four Sunbirds have made their college debuts this season: Jasmine Phoolka, Hailey Hilvers, Christina Tran and Halle Neher….the Sunbirds welcomed back three former players on the coaching staff this season: head coach Tracy Ainger-Schulte, lead assistant Brittany Henderson (Pierce) and assistant Michelle Gibson (Johnson).
 
ABOUT THE HAWKS
Holy Names currently sits at 1-14 overall and 0-7 in league action. The Hawks are coming off a five-set loss to BYU-Hawaii at home on Saturday. HNU took the first and fourth sets, but fell short against the Seasiders for its eighth-straight loss. Melissa Munley leads the Hawks offensively and averages 2.71 kills per set, while Marin Gibson chips in with 2.12 K/S. Sabina Gerard heads the defense with a 3.95 digs per set average.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's match will mark the 16th meeting between the two programs. FPU holds a perfect 15-0 advantage in the all-time series. The Sunbirds defeated the Hawks 3-1 in Oakland and 3-0 in Fresno last season.
   
HEAD COACH TRACY AINGER-SCHULTE
Head coach Tracy Ainger-Schulte is in her first season at the helm of the Sunbirds. An FPU alum and Hall of Famer, Ainger-Schulte returns to her alma mater after nine seasons as the head coach at Fresno City College. Prior to coaching at FCC, Ainger-Schulte spent three years on staff at FPU (2003-05) where she worked her way up to associate head coach. She was an integral part of the coaching staff for the program's 2003 national championship team. Considered by many to be the greatest individual athlete in FPU Athletics history, Ainger-Schulte played at FPU from 1994-96 leading the Sunbirds to three straight GSAC titles and two NAIA Final Fours. She was a three-time First Team All-American with her career culminating in being named the 1996 NAIA National Player of the Year. Despite playing just three seasons, she ranks first in program history in career digs (2,618) and digs per set (6.84), second in kills per set (4.54) and third in overall kills (1,737). Her 1,032 digs (7.22 per set) in 1994 remains the single-season school record. She holds FPU records for most digs in a match with 61 and most aces in a match with 12 (twice). Her #11 jersey is the only number in FPU Athletics' history to be retired. She has been inducted into three Hall of Fames: the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2003, the FPU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
 
SHOP FPU
The Fresno Pacific Department of Athletics is proud to announce the opening of a Team Store that can be accessed on ShopFPU.com. Fans and students can now purchase apparel for all 14 athletic teams, along with numerous other items, throughout of the 2016-17 season.
 
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