LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's volleyball team, which split a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association road contests last week, continues to hold a spot in the fourth regular-season national American Volleyball Coaches Association/Taraflex Division II coaches poll released on Monday by the AVCA.
The Golden Eagles, the defending NCAA West Region and California Collegiate Athletic Association champions, are ranked No. 25 in the nation. Cal State LA (5-7, 3-1 CCAA) began the season with eight matches against top-ranked teams at the Yotes Classic Showcase hosted by Cal State San Bernardino and the Colorado Premier Challenge and ended non-conference play with an overall record of 2-6. The Golden Eagles have won three of their first four conference matches.
Cal State LA is one of three CCAA teams to be ranked in the top-25. Cal State San Bernardino is No. 12 and Cal Poly Pomona is No. 14. In addition, Chaminade of the PacWest Conference is No. 17 and Central Washington of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference is No. 18 and Seattle Pacific of the GNAC is No. 24.
Cal State LA opened the season at No. 9 in the nation, its first national top-10 ranking in a preseason poll since 2006.
The Golden Eagles began last weekend with a disappointing three-set loss at Cal Poly Pomona on Friday, but bounced back nicely in a three-set victory at Cal State San Marcos on Saturday.
Emily Elliott leads the team with 176 kills and 208 points, while
Iane Henke has 135 kills and 173 points. Henke leads with 21 service aces, while Elliott has 18.
Haley Roundtree leads with 43 blocks and Henke leads with 127 digs, just ahead of
Jameson Sanders, who has 120.
Eliza Cannon has 189 set assists, while
Jaden Grova has 183.
Elliott is third in the conference in kills and points, while Henke is ninth in points.
Cal State LA will have two big home matches this weekend, starting with a Friday night match against Cal State San Bernardino at 5 p.m. The Golden Eagles will then host San Francisco State on Saturday at 5 p.m. Cal State LA, Cal State San Bernardino and San Francisco State are three of the five teams with 3-1 records in conference play.
