THE SCHEDULE
Match #21
vs. Chaminade (14-11, 8-8)
Friday, Nov. 11 • 3 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. • Special Events Center
Live Stats • Video
 
Match #22
at Dominican (16-7, 12-3)
Saturday, Nov. 12 • 7 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. • Conlan Center
Live Stats • Video • Audio
 
WEEKLY RECAP
The Sunbirds are coming off a tough three-game week, as FPU fell to Dixie State (3-2), Notre Dame de Namur (3-1) and Azusa Pacific (3-2). In Saturday's match with APU, the Sunbirds jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Cougars stormed back with three straight set wins to escape Fresno with a victory. Karah Mitchell led FPU with 16 kills and a career-high 23 digs, while Montana Lowe added 14 kills on .382 hitting.
 
DENHARTOG HONORED
Bissie DenHartog was named the PacWest Player of the Week on Oct. 31 after leading the Sunbirds to two straight wins the prior week. She averaged 10.78 assists and 4.56 digs per set in nine sets. She totaled 45 assists and a career-best 22 digs in a four-set win over HNU, and added 52 assists and 19 digs in a five-set comeback win at Point Loma. It was her second career award.

The senior was also tabbed Academic All-District by CoSIDA on Nov. 4. DenHartog will now be placed on the Academic All-American ballot, which will be released later this month. More
 
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 Karah Mitchell and Bissie DenHartog leading the team with 11 apiece on the year and Jasmine Phoolka adding five. Mitchell has recorded a double-double in four straight matches. Check out the complete list by clicking here.
 
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: Montana Lowe (9) vs. BYU-Hawaii (10/12)
 
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
The Sunbirds are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak….Bissie DenHartog currently ranks sixth all-time in career assists with 3,334 in the FPU record book….the senior also ranks eighth in single season assists (rally scoring) 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 17 out of 20 games this season, with a season-high of 60….she ranks second in the PacWest in assists per set (10.47)….Karah Mitchell leads the Sunbirds in kills this year, as the junior has totaled 10 or more in 15 of 19 games….Mitchell put down a career-high 26 kills (10/1) and a career-best 23 digs (11/5) this year….Chelsea Speaks leads the defense with 356 digs, which is a career high….the senior has a season high of 38 digs, which is also a career high….Montana Lowe leads the team in hitting percentage at .313, which marks a career best….the senior added a career best nine blocks against BYU-Hawaii….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 SILVERSWORDS
Chaminade enters at 14-11 overall and 8-8 in PacWest play. The Silverswords are coming off a three set victory against Hawaii Hilo on Saturday and have won five of six matches. CUH ranks second in the PacWest in hitting percentage (.219) and third in kills per set (12.87). Kim Spring leads the team in kills per set (3.12), while Daisia LaBrie adds 2.77 kills per set. Waihilo Chartrand heads the defense and averages 3.18 digs per set.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Friday's match will be the eighth meeting between the two teams. FPU holds a 4-3 all-time series advantage against Chaminade. The Silverswords defeated the Sunbirds last season in Honolulu in five sets.
 
ABOUT THE PENGUINS
Dominican currently stands at 16-7 overall and 12-3 in the PacWest. The Penguins will host Point Loma prior to Saturday's match with the Sunbirds. Dominican sports the best defense in the league, averaging 19.17 digs per set. That mark also ranks ninth nationally. DU ranks eighth in the league in kills per set (12.18). Amande Lee spearheads the defense with a PacWest leading digs per set average of 5.72, while Aimee Steinwand leads the offense with a 3.00 kills per set average.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's match will be the 15th meeting between the two programs. FPU holds a 12-2 advantage in the all-time series. The Penguins defeated the Sunbirds earlier this season in Fresno 3-2 despite 22 kills from Karah Mitchell.
  
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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