April 2, 2009

FRESNO, Calif. - After an impressive kickoff to the spring season for the Fresno State volleyball team last weekend, the team will try something new in Southern California. The `Dogs will compete the USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Challenge in Long Beach on Saturday, in sand.

"Last weekend we looked at our statistics and we had a couple of goals: having an attack percentage above .200 and passing at least 50 percent," said head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell. "We exceeded both of those goals by hitting .284 and passing 55 percent which I was really happy about."

The `Dogs will look to take that momentum from the home tournament and apply it against some tough competition in a different environment.

The tournament will be held at Marina Green Park and features some of the top volleyball players and programs in the west, including: Pepperdine, UNLV, Montana, Chico State, Cal State LA, Concordia, Cal Baptist, Vanguard and Westmont College.

`We are going to this tournament because learning how to control the ball on the beach teaches you ball control better then any other circumstance you can put forward in the gym," Netherby-Sewell added. "We will learn some key aspects of the game this weekend. It will be our best lesson yet."

In preparation for playing in the sand, the `Dogs practiced all week on a sand court in Fresno.

Three teams of two will compete in the doubles bracket for the `Dogs including No. 4 seeded Brianna Clarke and Kelly Mason. No. 14 seeded Allanah Munson and Lauren Berger and No. 18 seeded Baylee Platt and Kasey Van Grouw will also represent the `Dogs, respectively

Meghan Moss, Lacey Gera, Lisa Gera and Kelly Leonardo will enter as the lone team of four for the `Dogs. A total of six teams of four will compete in two pools. The Fresno State foursome will compete in pool two along with the team from Montana and Concordia. Playoff rules apply the same way as they do for doubles.

"I'm excited about this weekend because I have never played beach competitively before. It will definitely be an experience I will always remember," said Lacey Gera.

Complete results can be found Saturday night on www.usavolleyball.org and a recap will be posted on www.gobulldogs.com.

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