CLARION TO START PSAC-WEST HOME SLATE TUESDAY WITH CALIFORNIA

Golden Eagles off to school-best 12-0 start

            The Clarion University women’s volleyball team will put its 12-game win streak on the line at 7 p.m. Tuesday when it entertains California in the PSAC-West home opener for the Golden Eagles.

            Clarion (12-0, 2-0) has set the school record for wins at a start of a season this year and is coming off a 3-1 win over defending PSAC champion Lock Haven Saturday.

            California (10-3, 2-0), the PSAC runner-up a year ago, enters the match on a 9-game win streak of its own. The Vulcans are fresh off a 3-0 win at home over IUP Saturday.  

            Clarion, which has won all but three of its matches 3-0, and those three were 3-1, is led on offense by seniors Christina Steiner, Sarah Fries, Kristi Fiorillo and Amanda Angermeier and freshmen Nicole Andrusz and Sarah Sheffield.

            Steiner leads the team with 178 kills (4.68 per game) while adding 167 digs (4.39 per game) and 22 blocks. Fries has 149 kills (4.14 per game), 19 service aces, 87 digs and 18 blocks, while Angermeier adds 109 kills (3.03 per game). Fiorillo sets the offense with 529 set assists (13.56 per game) while adding 116 digs (2.97 per game). Andrusz (82 kills, 29 blocks) and Sheffield (48 kills, 32 blocks) give the Golden Eagles a young presence in the middle.

            On defense, senior Vicky Gentile is the unquestioned leader with 245 digs (6.28 per game). She set the school career record for digs earlier this season and has 2,100 in her four years at Clarion. Sophomore Katie Aurand (69 digs) also plays a key role on defense for the Golden Eagles.

            Sophomore Joanna Nist leads Cal with 177 kills, while senior Katie Benick adds 129. Renata da Silva from Brazil sets the offense with 517 set assists while adding 22 service aces. Nist has 19 service aces and leads the defense with 167 digs. Senior Amber Santavy adds 151 digs.

            Clarion and California spilt the season series last year with Cal winning 3-0 at home and Clarion taking a 3-2 victory at Tippin Gym.

            GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES – The previous school-best start was 9-0 in 2002 when Clarion went 31-5 and 7-3 in the PSAC-West and made the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history … Earlier this month, Steiner became the seventh player in school history with 1,000 career kills. She has 1, 036 and ranks sixth in school history behind Jenna Canfield (5^th - 1,104) … Fries can join Steiner in the 1,000-kill club with 32 more kills. She has 968 … With 40 more assists, Fiorillo will have 2,000 in her career … Clarion returns to action Saturday with two matches at Holy Family. They face-off against Bloomfield at 2 p.m. before playing Holy Family at 4 p.m.