This the Press Release from Danny Martinez, Assistant Director, Communication Services the Sports Information Department at Arizona.
He’s very supportive of 520 Sports Talk and a pleasure to work with.
WEEK 7 || AT #2 STANFORD, AT #16 CALIFORNIA
MATCH 17 » ARIZONA (11-5, 1-3 Pac-12) at #2 STANFORD (9-3, 3-1 Pac-12)
Friday, Oct. 11 • 8 p.m. MST • Palo Alto, Calif. (Maples Pavilion)
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Live Stream)
MATCH 18 » ARIZONA (11-5, 1-3 Pac-12) at #16 CALIFORNIA (13-1, 3-1 Pac-12)
Sunday, Oct. 13 • 12 p.m. MST • Berkeley, Calif. (Haas Pavilion)
TV: N/A (Live Stream)
WEEKLY NOTES
CATS FACE TOUGH ROAD TEST IN THE BAY
Arizona (11-5, 1-3 Pac-12) is set for the first of two consecutive weekends on the road vs. what are currently four ranked foes, beginning this weekend at No. 2 Stanford (9-3, 3-1 Pac-12) and No. 16 California (13-1, 3-1 Pac-12).
The Wildcats will look to carry the momentum from a Sunday sweep of Colorado in McKale Center their last time out.
Up first, the Wildcats will face Stanford at 8 p.m. on Friday before facing California on Sunday at noon.
Live Coverage: vs Stanford: Arizona’s match vs. Stanford will be televised on Pac-12 Networks/Bay Area (Greg Mescall) and streamed at pac-12.com/live; live stats will be available at gostanford.com/sidearmstats … Vs. California: Arizona’s match vs. California will not be televised, but will be streamed at pac-12.com/live
QUICK HITS
Arizona (10-5, 1-3 Pac-12) is set for four straight road matches vs. teams currently ranked in the top 25, beginning this week at No. 2 Stanford (9-3, 3-1 Pac-12) and No. 16 California (13-1, 3-1 Pac-12).
The Wildcats swept Colorado last Sunday to end a three-match skid, which followed an eight-match winning streak.
Devyn Cross leads the NCAA in hitting percentage, hitting .512 so far this season. Cross is the only player in the country hitting above .500. She 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.
As a team, Arizona is hitting .270 this season. That figure ranks 23rd nationally and third in the Pac-12, behind Cal (.309) and Stanford (.271), the Wildcats’ two opponents this weekend. That is Arizona’s highest hitting percentage through 16 matches since 2014 (.270).
The Cats rank in the top five in the league in all three offensive categories: third in kills/set (13.51), hitting percentage (.270) and fifth in assists/set (12.42).
While the offense has been improving every week, Arizona’s defense has been suffocating all year long. The Wildcats have held 11 of their 16 opponents under .220 hitting this year.
The Wildcats are 11-0 when posting a better hitting percentage than their opponents and 0-5 when they are outhit by their opponent. UA is 7-0 when hitting .300 or better and 9-0 when holding its opponents to .200 or worse.
A pair of seniors have a chance to move up a couple of career top-10 lists this week; Julia Patterson (currently 2,952 assists) enters the week two assists shy of moving into seventh place and Devyn Cross (currently 340 blocks) enters the week four blocks shy of 10th place.
Arizona is currently without two starters, with libero Kamaile Hiapo dealing with a hamstring injury (suffered on Sept. 28 at USC) and middle blocker Shardonee Hayes suffering a concussion on Oct. 4 vs. Utah.
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 523-326 (.615) at Arizona and ranks 15th among all active coaches in the NCAA with 645 career wins, including his 122 wins at Cal State Bakersfield.
#2 STANFORD CARDINAL (9-3, 3-1 Pac-12)
Team Notes: The defending national champions are back and loaded once again; Stanford enters the week ranked No. 2 nationally after defeating #25 Oregon (3-1) and Oregon State (3-0) on the road last week … Stanford has already played nine matches vs. top-25 teams and is 4-2 vs. top-10 teams … Reigning national player of the year Kathryn Plymmer leads the Cardinal with 5.18 kills/set on .296 hitting.
Head Coach: Kevin Hambly (3rd season; 73-8)
Series History: Stanford 68, Arizona 8
2018 (0-1) || Palo Alto: #2 Stanford 3, Arizona 1
#16 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (13-1, 3-1 Pac-12)
Team Notes: After finishing 10th in the Pac-12 last season, California has turned things around in a major way with a 13-1 start to the 2019 season … Cal needed the minimum six sets to defeat Oregon State and #25 Oregon on the road last week … The Golden Bears lead the Pac-12 with a .309 hitting percentage.
Head Coach: Sam Crosson (1st season ; 13-1)
Series History: Arizona 41, California 25
2018 (1-0) || Tucson: #23 Arizona 3, California 2
