Volleyball 8/23/2018 9:45:00 PM Corey Miggins, Sports Information Director

Volleyball Opens 2018 Season at Cal Molten Classic

CSU Volleyball opens its 2018 season this weekend at the Cal Molten Classic against Colgate, Rutgers and the host Golden Bears (Photo by Billy Montgomery).

Match #1
Chicago State (0-0) at California (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 – 12 p.m.
Haas Pavilion – Berkeley, Calif.
Live Video - Live Stats

Match #2
Chicago State vs. Colgate (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 – 12 p.m.
Haas Pavilion – Berkeley, Calif.
Live Video - Live Stats

Match #3
Chicago State vs. Rutgers (0-0)
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 – 1 p.m.
Haas Pavilion – Berkeley, Calif.
Live Video - Live Stats

Cal Molten Classic Match Notes

CHICAGO -

Opening Serve – Chicago State volleyball travels to the west coast this weekend to open its 2018 schedule with the Cal Molten Classic, hosted by California at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. The Green and White face off against the host Bears in their opener tomorrow at 12 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. showdown against Colgate later that night. CSU concludes the tournament on Saturday afternoon against Rutgers at 1 p.m.

Scouting the Cougars – Chicago State heads into its fourth season under head coach Brandon Reeves with eight returning letterwinners and six newcomers looking to build upon last year's 10-21 campaign starting at Cal. Last Saturday, the Cougars had a tightly-contested exhibition battle at Butler before falling in three sets (23-25, 21-25, 21-25). Senior outside hitter Lauryn Dela Cruz (Provo, Utah/Timpview) and sophomore setter Lacee Adams (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central) are the top returners for CSU.

Scouting the Golden Bears – Bringing in a new head coach in Jennifer Dorr, California returns 10 players from last season, including four starters. Anderson is the top returning player for the Golden Bears after she posted 75 total blocks (0.79 bps) and tallied a .336 hitting percentage to lead the team, while Potter produced 5.93 assists a set and Smith recorded 3.35 digs per set.

Scouting the Raiders – Colgate posted an 18-11 record a year ago and earned a berth in the inaugural National Invitational Volleyball Championship tournament. The Raiders, who bring back 13 letterwinners and five starters from that squad, are paced by senior middle blocker Jaelah Hutchinson (.264 hitting percentage, 75 total blocks – 0.79 bps), senior libero/defensive specialist Bridget Kolsky (3.52 dps) and senior outside hitter Katie Stansbury (3.24 dps, 2.52 kps and 35 service aces).

Scouting the Scarlet Knights – Rutgers return seven letterwinners and six starters from last season's team going into this weekend's tournament. Senior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie is the top offensive returner for the Scarlet Knights as she averaged 2.48 kills and 1.35 digs per set in 2017. Other returners for RU are junior middle blocker Stasa Miljevic (92 total blocks – 0.86 bps, .257 hitting percentage) and junior libero Karysa Swackenberg (2.48 dps).

The Newbies Have Arrived - CSU brings in six newcomers to this season's squad with a four-year transfer (senior Gabby Pearl (Farmer City, IL/Blue Ridge)), two junior college transfers (junior Beatriz Palmieri (Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Professora Carlina Cacapava de Mello) and Kirah Williams-Shephard (Toronto, Canada/L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute)) and three prep standouts (freshmen Autumn DeSantis (Canfield, OH/Cardinal Mooney), Nicole Luckey (Spokane, WA/Mead) and Kayla Malec (Spring Grove, IL/Richmond-Burton)) in addition to having redshirt junior middle blocker/opposite hitter Karen Asprilla (Cali, Colombia/Instituto Ser Internacional) play her first season after redshirting last year due to injury.

CSU'S Academic Success Continues – The Green and White had nine student-athletes earn Fall Academic All-WAC honors after the 2017 season, including a pair of repeat honorees in juniors Alexandria Cliff (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) and Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden). Also receiving the honor among its returners were Adams, Dela Cruz, senior Ludmila Bomfim (Belo-Horizonte Minas Gerais, Brazil/Escola Estadual Pedro II) and sophomore Ebun Olapo (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls).

Up Next – The Cougars return to action with their first mid-week match of the season on Tuesday, Aug. 28 at Western Michigan with the opening serve set for 6 p.m., central time.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Lacee Adams: S; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#12 Karen Asprilla: MB/OPP; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

#11 Ludmila Bomfim: S; 5' 9"; Senior

#9 Alexandria Cliff: MB; 6' 0"; Junior

#8 Lauryn Dela Cruz: OH; 5' 8"; Senior

#4 Megan Klavitter: L/DS; 5' 3"; Junior

#14 Ebun Olapo: MB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#15 Gabby Pearl: OPP; 6' 2"; Senior

#2 Autumn DeSantis: OH; 6' 1"; Freshman

#3 Nicole Luckey: L/DS; 5' 5"; Freshman

#5 Kayla Malec: MB; 6' 1"; Freshman

#7 Beatriz Palmieri: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#6 Lacee Adams
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: S

#12 Karen Asprilla
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: MB/OPP

#11 Ludmila Bomfim
: 5' 9"; Senior
: S

#9 Alexandria Cliff
: 6' 0"; Junior
: MB

#8 Lauryn Dela Cruz
: 5' 8"; Senior
: OH

#4 Megan Klavitter
: 5' 3"; Junior
: L/DS

#14 Ebun Olapo
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: MB

#15 Gabby Pearl
: 6' 2"; Senior
: OPP

#2 Autumn DeSantis
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: OH

#3 Nicole Luckey
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: L/DS

#5 Kayla Malec
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: MB

#7 Beatriz Palmieri
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned