The Week Ahead

• Sacramento State (14-9, 7-3) plays twice this week to begin a four-match road trip.
• The Hornets will play Northern Colorado (18-5, 9-1) on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT, followed by a Saturday matchup at Northern Arizona (10-11, 3-7) at 11 a.m. PT.
• The four-match road trip will be the longest of the season for the Hornets inside Big Sky play. The trip will also includes dates next week at the Montana schools.
• At 7-3, the Hornets have just six matches left in the regular season, before the team hosts the Big Sky Tournament Nov. 27-29 at the Nest. Sacramento State is the host school by virtue of winning last season's Big Sky regular season title.
• Only two games separate the top four teams in the Big Sky, comprised of Northern Colorado (9-1), Idaho State (9-2), Weber State (8-3) and the Hornets (7-3).
• The Hornets have lost to each of those teams once, accounting for the team's three defeats. That includes five-set losses to Northern Colorado and Weber State, and a four-setter at Idaho State.
• One of those losses came at home to Northern Colorado (17-15 in the fifth). The Hornets looked to have the match won at 15-13, but a controversial call by the up official thwarted the victory. A judgement call that could not be challenged.
• In the Hornets' first match with Northern Arizona, Sacramento State secured a 3-1 victory at the Nest (25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21) on Oct. 10.
• Sacramento State is 3-6 on the road this season, including 2-2 vs. Big Sky opposition. The two conference road losses came two weeks ago to Weber State and Idaho State.
• The top eight teams in the Big Sky qualify for the conference tournament, which takes place the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving Week.
• The Hornets have used the same starting lineup in every match this season - Kate Doorn at setter, Bridgette Smith and Caitlin Volkmann at outside hitter, Ashlynn Archer and Karlie Spohn at middle blocker, Ellie Tisko on the right side, and both Reese Ampi and Abbey Kadillak at libero.
• Since 2015, Sacramento State has combined for a 110-47 conference record (.701 winning percentage). That includes Big Sky regular season championships in 2023 and 2017.
• Head coach Ruben Volta, in his 17th season with the program, received a three-year contract extension last week. Volta has been named Big Sky Coach of the Year three times during his tenure, and has guided the team to 10+ conference wins eight of the last nine years.
• After the four-match road trip, the Hornets will play their final two home regular season matches, which includes Senior Night on Nov. 23 vs. Weber State.

Multimedia Options

• Every match the remainder of the season will air on ESPN+.
• For the fourth straight year, all of Sacramento State's home matches, as well as road games at a Big Sky Conference venue, will stream on ESPN+.
• Multimedia links, including video, live stats and tickets, can be found next to each match on the volleyball schedule at hornetsports.com.

vs. This Week's Opponents

• Northern Colorado enters the week as winners of eight straight with an 18-5 overall record and 9-1 conference mark. The Bears have not lost since a five-set home defeat to Idaho State on Sept. 28. Northern Colorado is 7-3 at home, and most impressive, has not lost a match on the road (10-0).
• The Hornets are 16-21 all-time against Northern Colorado, including a 3-12 mark in Greeley.
• In the teams' only meeting last season, Sacramento State swept the Bears on the road, snapping a four-match losing streak in Greeley.
• In the meeting earlier this season at the Nest, the Bears won, 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 17-15). Sacramento State squandered four match points in the fifth set before the Bears eventually won.
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• Northern Arizona enters the week with a 10-11 overall record and 3-7 conference mark. After winning three straight, the Lumberjacks have dropped their last two. NAU is 5-2 at home, including 2-2 against Big Sky foes. The league home wins came against Montana and Montana State.
• Sacramento State is 43-24 in the all-time series with NAU, and has won five straight. That includes a four-set Hornet win at the Nest on Oct. 10 (25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21).
• The Hornets are 12-19 when playing in Flagstaff, but have won the last two meetings.
• Sacramento State's last loss to NAU came in Flagstaff in three sets on Nov. 6, 2021.
• The Hornets have won 12 of the last 13 sets between the two teams spanning four matches.

Outside Hitter Tandem Playing Big

• Starting outside hitters Bridgette Smith and Caitlin Volkmann have been an incredible duo.
• Overall, Smith leads the Big Sky in kills per set (3.93) while Volkmann leads the league in kills per set in conference play with 4.05 kps.
• The tandem currently ranks among the Big Sky's top three players in kills per set both overall and conference - the only duo in the league to currently boast that feat.
• Overall, they take up the top two spots in the Big Sky in kills, with Smith averaging 3.89 kills per set, and Volkmann averaging 3.69.
• Either Smith (12 times) or Volkmann (10 times) has led the team in kills in all but one match this season. Ellie Tisko paced the team in kills in the win over CSU Bakersfield.
• Both players are fifth-year seniors. Smith ranks fourth in program history with 1,641 career kills. Smith also has 1,187 digs, and is one of 13 players in school history to be in the 1,000/1,000 club.
• Volkmann has 1,312 career kills, the 11th best mark in program history.

Among The Nation's Best Serving Teams

• Sacramento State is averaging 2.01 aces per set, the 11th best mark in the nation and easily the top mark in the Big Sky. That includes at least seven aces in all but two matches vs. Big Sky opposition.
• The team set its season high with 15 aces on Saturday vs. Eastern Washington, surpassing its previous best of 14, set against both Northern Arizona and Akron.
• Leading the way has been Bridgette Smith, who is seventh in the country with 0.59 aces per set. Her 52 total aces are eighth in the nation, and she is attempting to become just the second Hornet during the Div. I era (1991-pres.) to secure 60 aces, and first since Nicole Harty had 62 in 1992.

Hornet Notables

• After combining for just four blocks in losses to Weber State and Idaho State, Sacramento State's defense combined for 24 blocks last week. That includes a season-high 16 vs. Eastern Washington.
• The Hornets, who employ a 6-2 offense, have two setters which have over 1,000 career assists in a Sacramento State uniform after Hailey Plugge accomplished the feat two weeks ago. Kate Doorn has 1,275 assists in a Hornet uniform, while Plugge has 1,029 assists. Doorn spent her freshman season at Idaho (2022) before transferring. Plugge spent three years at Wichita State (2020-22).
• The Hornets use two liberos, as Reese Ampi (2.61 dps) is employed on defense, and Abbey Kadillak (0.95 dps) is used on serve receive.
• Middle blocker Ashlynn Archer had a career-high 12 blocks vs. Eastern Washington, tied for the 10th best single-match mark in Sacramento State history.