FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific volleyball team returns home this week after a four-game road swing. The Sunbirds host UC Santa Cruz in non-conference action before jumping back into PacWest play against Holy Names.

THE SCHEDULE
Match #15
vs UC Santa Cruz (3-11)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 • 6 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. • Special Events Center
Live Stats • Video
 
Match #16
vs Holy Names (0-14, 0-5)
Thursday, Oct. 5 • 6 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. • Special Events Center
Live Stats • Video

BATTLE OF THE BIRDS

??: Mark your calendars now ?? for Oct. 5th. It's the first ever #BattleOfTheBirds!

?? @FPUvball vs. @HNUAthletics
?? 6 p.m.#TeamFPU ?????? pic.twitter.com/d6GE7FNAZr

— FPU Sunbirds (@fpusunbirds) September 28, 2017

ABOUT THE SUNBIRDS
• FPU currently sits at 4-10 overall and 3-3 in league play. The Sunbirds most recently went 1-1 last week, which featured a 3-2 win over Academy of Art and a 3-1 setback to Notre Dame de Namur.
• The 'Birds have now won two of their last three games and are right in the thick of things in the PacWest standings. FPU is tied with Point Loma in the league standings in seventh.
• FPU sports one of the best defenses in the league and sits behind only league-leading California Baptist in digs per set as a team. The Sunbirds scoop up 16.66 digs per set.
 
FPU LEADERBOARD
• Kills per set: Karah Mitchell (2.79)
• Blocks per set: Kylei Dewar (0.82)
• Digs per set: Sierra LeBeau (3.18)
• Assists per set: Greta Dobenecker (5.33)
• Aces: Dewar (17)

ABOUT THE BANANA SLUGS
• UC Santa Cruz, an NCAA Division III team, enters at 3-11 overall. The Banana Slugs most recently fell to Redlands 3-1 on Saturday.
• UCSC is hitting .112 as a team, but averages 16.79 digs per set. Claire Okerlund leads the team with a 2.27 kills per set average, while Monica Lee heads the defense with a 4.67 digs per set average.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• The Sunbirds hold a perfect 7-0 all-time mark against the Banana Slugs.
 
ABOUT THE HAWKS
• Holy Names currently sits at 0-14 overall and 0-5 in league play. The Hawks fell twice last week to Notre Dame de Namur (3-1) and Dixie State (3-0).
• HNU is struggling to find any rhythm offensively and is hitting .044 as a team. Summer Willians puts down 2.17 kills per set for the Hawks, while Christina Cobarruvias dishes out 6.00 assists per set.

SERIES HISTORY
• FPU holds an 15-0 all-time advantage over HNU. FPU won both meetings in 2016 by scores of 3-0 and 3-1.

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