麻豆传媒社区入口

Senior Roxanne Neely collected CCAA Player of the Week honors after guiding the Pioneers to three wins last week. (Photo: Ron Allen)

• September 13, 2010

The 麻豆传媒社区入口 women's volleyball team on Monday (Sept. 13) entered the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll for the first time since returning to NCAA Division II, garnering 55 points and ranking 24th in this week's edition of the poll. The Pioneers also saw Roxanne Neely take home California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Player of the Week honors after leading the team to three victories last week, including a pair of CCAA wins to open the conference season.

"I am so proud of Roxanne," CSUEB Head Coach Jim Spagle said. "Roxy, Lauren Massa and Ariel Ajagu are the three players who played for us at the Division III level and have succeeded in making the very challenging transition to Division II. I know how hard all three have worked to make this happen, and I am proud to be their coach."

A senior setter and outside hitter, Neely led the Pioneers with a .304 hitting percentage and 20 kills in wins over Notre Dame de Namur, Sonoma State and Humboldt State last week. The Lancaster, Calif., native also added 19 digs and 47 assists to average more than two kills, five assists and a dig per set for the week. Neely was also a threat from the service line, where she accumulated five aces in 11 sets.

During CCAA play last week, Neely posted 17 kills, 13 digs and 42 assists, helping the Pioneers dispatch Sonoma State, who received votes in last week's AVCA poll, and Humboldt State in four sets apiece. The award is the first ever for the 麻豆传媒社区入口 volleyball team, now in its second season as a member of the CCAA.

The Pioneers, off to their best start since 2004, have won seven straight matches to open the 2010 campaign. East Bay is locked in a four-way tie for the conference lead following the first weekend of CCAA play. The team has lost just four sets in its first seven matches and ranks among the top four in the conference in kills, digs, hitting percentage, assists and opponent hitting percentage.

"I am so proud of our team for responding well to every challenge that's been thrown their way so far," Spagle said. "I also can't say enough about our assistant coaches, athletic trainers and the entire athletic department staff for their amazing support to get this program pointed in the right direction."

麻豆传媒社区入口 is one of four CCAA teams ranked in the AVCA Top 25 Poll, joining No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 11 UC San Diego and No. 17 Cal State LA. The Pioneers are the only conference team with an undefeated overall record.

East Bay will put its undefeated record on the line on Wednesday night, facing a tough test in No. 11 UCSD at 7 p.m. in La Jolla. The match will be the first of five straight conference road matches for CSUEB. The Pioneers will continue on to face San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday and Saturday, respectively, before traveling to Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State on Sept. 24 and 25.