Aggie spikers continue road swing, start Big West play
The Utah State women’s volleyball team had a goal of being 6-3 by the end of pre-conference play.
The Aggies reached the mark Saturday by knocking off Weber State for the second time this season and finishing 1-1 at the Sprint Hawaii Invitational.
USU will look to improve on its record Thursday when it continues its road swing by taking on Cal State Northridge and then Pacific on Saturday in the Aggies’ first look at Big West Conference action this season.
“I’m kind of nervous because I’m a freshman and I’m going into this not knowing anything,” said opposite side hitter Mari Ruddick. “I’m way excited and pumped up, though.”
Although it will be Utah State’s 10th match (including three tournaments) in a row, Aggie Head Coach Burt Fuller isn’t complaining.
Last season, the spikers had three trips where they had to fly to get to the tournament. This year, the team took buses to Weber State and Montana State and flew to Hawaii.
“We’ve played a lot of away matches, but we haven’t been that far from home for the most part,” Fuller said. “This year was a lot easier for us than last year.”
The only home match for USU so far this season was a 3-0 win over Idaho State on Sept. 3. The Aggies will play at the Spectrum again Tuesday against the University of Utah at 6 p.m. in a non-conference match.
The Aggies will look for opposite side hitter/setter Zuzana Cernianska to continue to lead the team into Big West action.
The sophomore from the Czech Republic was named the tournament MVP at Weber State and to the all-tournament team in Hawaii.
“She’s developing into a pretty good outside hitter,” Fuller said. “It’s a new position for her, but she has been attacking the ball very well. Not only is she picking up a lot of kills, but she is getting a high percentage.”
At the Hawaii invitational Cernianska hit .309 and averaged 6.43 kills per game. In Saturday’s meeting with WSU, she tied a school record with the most kills in a four-game match with 29.
The original record was set in 1993 by Marie Motil who had 29 kills against Idaho State.
Fuller also praised freshman outside hitter Beth Hodge. The Broken Arrow, Okla. native had 21 kills, 14 digs and three blocks in Hawaii.
The Aggies may be strong on the outside, but Fuller said they are struggling in the middle.
“Our middles have been good at times, average at others,” Fuller said. “That is something we are working on – getting a little bit more consistency.”
Middle blockers Ingrid Roth and Erin Graybill combined for eight kills, four digs and four blocks in Hawaii.
Freshman Ana Mirkovic has yet to see any action this year.
-juag@cc.usu.edu