WEEK 11Â ||Â vs. CAL, vs. STANFORD
WEEKLY NOTES
ARIZONA RETURNS HOME TO HOST CAL, STANFORD
- Arizona volleyball (12-12, 2-10) is back home this weekend, set to host a pair of top-20 teams to McKale. UA welcomes #20 California (18-4, 8-4 Pac-12) and #5 Stanford (16-4, 10-2 Pac-12) to McKale this week.
- The Wildcats are coming off a pair of tough-fought, five-set losses at Colorado and Utah last weekend. Despite the losses, the Wildcats had many notable individual performances on the weekend, including setter Julia Patterson posting the first triple-double (46 assists, 13 digs, 10 kills) by a Power 5 Conference player this season.
- This week, the Wildcats will turn their attention to two of the top six teams in the Pac-12. Stanford is alone on top at 10-4 in the league while California enters the week in a five-way tie for second place in the Pac-12.
- Earlier this season, Arizona dropped straight-set decisions to both Stanford and Cal in the Bay Area.
- Arizona has won five consecutive matches vs. California in Tucson, but Stanford has won 12 consecutive meetings in McKale Center.
- The Wildcats will face the Golden Bears at 7 p.m. on Thursday before facing the Cardinal on Saturday at 6 p.m.
- What to Watch for: Arizona's ever-long quest to get healthy continues this week; the Wildcats remain without three hitters due to concussions again this week ... Paige Whipple and Katie Smoot have shouldered the load in the absence of concusssed Elizabeth Shelton, Whittnee Nihipali and Shardonee Hayes; Whipple has at least 13 kills in each of her last seven matches while Smoot has had double-digit kills in her last five ... After posting 17 blocks last weekend, Devyn Cross enters the week 14 blocks shy of No. 400 for her career; she will become the eighth player in UA history to cross the 400-block mark if she reaches it.
- Live Coverage: Arizona's match vs. California will be televised by Pac-12 Arizona; both matches will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks and streamed on pac-12.com/live ... Live stats for both matches are available at arizonastats.com ... Follow this weekend's action and all season long on Twitter (@ArizonaVBall).
- Promotions:Â vs. California: Military Appreciation Night (all military personnel will be able to use a promo code for $4 tickets; vs. Stanford: Girl Scout Night (girl scouts will be able to purchase $4 tickets).
QUICK HITS
- Last Sunday, senior setter Julia Patterson became the first player in a Power 5 Conference this season to record a triple-double when she notched 46 assists, 13 digs and 10 kills vs. Utah. It was the first in Patterson's career and first by a Wildcat in at least a decade. Patterson, who led the Pac-12 in double-doubles last season with 21, is second this year with 12, including a league-most nine during Pac-12 play.
- Arizona will play six of its final eight matches of the season at home beginning this week vs. California and Stanford. The Wildcats are 7-3 this season in McKale Center compared to just 5-9 away from home.
- Devyn Cross leads the Pac-12 and is sixth nationally in hitting percentage (.431). Cross is trying to become the first Wildcat since Marissa DaLee in 2000 (.437, the Arizona single-season record) to lead the NCAA in hitting percentage.
- At California (10/13), Julia Patterson became the seventh player in Arizona history to record 3,000 career assists, moving into seventh place in Arizona history. She enters this week with 3,249 career assists, 258 shy of sixth in UA history.Â
- For the second straight season, the Wildcats are dealing with a handful of concussions. Three of UA's top six hitters -- Shardonee Hayes, Whittnee Nihipali and Elizabeth Shelton -- have missed extended time with concussions. In their absence, Arizona's normal libero, freshman Kamaile Hiapo, has played opposite during Arizona's last six matches. Hiapo has averaged 0.69 kills and 3.15 digs per set in her six-game stint.
- Arizona senior Emi Pua'a has played the last 10 games at libero after Hiapo was injured prior to being called into action at outside hitter. Pua'a has at least 12 digs in nine of her last 10 matches, including a career-high 29 digs vs. Washington, tied for 11th most overall in a match in Arizona history and tied for sixth in a four-set match in UA history.Â
- The Wildcats are 12-1 when posting a better hitting percentage than their opponents and 0-11 when they are outhit by their opponent. UA is 7-0 when hitting .300 or better and 9-2 when holding its opponents to .200 or worse.
- Head coach Dave Rubio is in his 28th season as the Wildcats' head coach. Last season, Rubio became the second coach in Pac-12 history to surpass 500 victories as a league coach and currently has a career record of 524-333 (.615) at Arizona and ranks 15th among all active coaches in the NCAA with 646 career wins, including his 122 wins at Cal State Bakersfield.
#20 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (18-4, 8-4 Pac-12)
- Team Notes:Â California enters the week after splitting last week vs. Oregon (L, 1-3) and Oregon State (W, 3-1) ... Cal's victory vs. Oregon State ended a three-match losing streak for the Bears, who are 1-3 since starting the season 17-1 ... Cal's offense is the most efficient in the Pac-12, it leads the league with a .294 hitting percentage, led by Preslie Anderson, who is second to Devyn Cross in hitting percentage in the Pac-12.
- Head Coach:Â Sam Crosson (1st season; 18-4)
- Series History:Â Arizona 41, California 26
- 10/13/19: California 3, Arizona 0
#5 STANFORD CARDINAL (16-4, 8-4 Pac-12)
- Team Notes:Â The defending national champions have won three straight matches, including sweeps last week of Oregon State and Oregon at home ... Stanford is led by setter Jenna Gray, who is fourth in the nation, averaging 11.51 assists/set, and reigning AVCA Player of the Year Kathryn Plummer, who is averaging 5.18 kills/set. Â
- Head Coach:Â Kevin Hambly (3rd season; 80-9)
- Series History:Â Stanford 69, Arizona 9
- 10/11/19: Stanford 3, Arizona 0
CAT CLICKS
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