THE GAMES (Times MST)
1 | Friday, Oct. 13 (6 p.m.) |
3,
1 (25-18, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) |
Recap |
Box Score |
Photo Gallery
2 | Sunday, Oct. 15 (1 p.m.) |
vs.
| Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Center) |
Live Stream |
Live Stats |
Twitter Updates |
Tickets
WEEKLY NOTES
CATS WELCOME UTAH, COLORADO TO CLOSE OUT HOMESTAND
Coming off its biggest win of the season, Arizona volleyball (8-7, 2-4 Pac-12) hosts 13th-ranked Utah (14-3, 5-1 Pac-12) and Colorado (12-5, 2-4 Pac-12), this weekend in McKale Center. Last week Arizona split with 13th-ranked UCLA (L, 0-3) and 15th-ranked USC (W, 3-0), the latter of which handed the previously unbeaten Trojans their first conference loss of 2017 and ended a four-match losing streak for Arizona. Now, Arizona will try to carry that momentum into a second straight week at home against a pair of teams receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25, starting with No. 13 Utah, which is coming off three straight wins, including a victory at No. 9 Washington.
SERIES HISTORY
- Arizona has won 24 of the 29 all-time meetings between the Wildcats and Utes, including six in-a-row. Last year, UA upset No. 17 Utah in Tucson in four sets (22-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-15). A full recap of last year's match can be found on page 4.
- The Wildcats and Buffaloes have split 12 all-time meetings, with Colorado's six victories coming all in the last four years, in which Colorado is 6-1. CU defeated UA in Boulder last year in five sets (25-19, 25-22, 19-25, 19-25, 15-9). A full recap of last year's match can be found on page 4.
COACHES
- Arizona head coach Dave Rubio is in his 26th season with the Wildcats. The conference's active leader in wins a Pac-12 coach, Rubio is 487-298 at UA.
- Utah head coach Beth Launiere is 535-339 in 28 seasons at Utah.
- Jesse Mahoney is 26-21 at Colorado, where he is in his second year.
CATS AT A GLANCE
- With Arizona's victory over 15th-ranked USC on Friday, Arizona is now 9-7 in its last 16 matches vs. ranked opponents, dating back to last year. UA is 1-2 this season.
- In Arizona's 15 matches this year, the Wildcats have used 11 different lineups. The Wildcats have used a different lineup in each of their last four matches. Most recently, freshman middle blocker Candice Denny earned her first career start vs. USC and responded with a career-high eight kills on .636 hitting with three blocks in the win.
- Julia Patterson had a career-high 58 assists last Sunday at Cal. Only one player in the conference (Jenna Gray - Stanford) has had more in one match this year. The first-year starter is fifth in Pac-12, averaging 10.64 assists per set. Patterson has seven double-doubles this year, two off the Pac-12 lead.
- Arizona has had double-digit blocks in 10 of its 15 matches (67%). UA had 10-or-more blocks in just 15 total matches last season (43%).
- Freshmen and sophomores account for 54% of Arizona's kills (391-of-724), 93% of Arizona's assists (619-of-668), 63% of Arizona's digs (484-of-774) and 65% of Arizona's blocks.
- When leading its opponent in hitting percentage, Arizona is 8-0. When trailing, the Wildcats are 0-7.
OPPONENTS
- #13 Utah (14-3, 5-1 Pac-12)
- The 13th-ranked Utes come to Tucson riding a three-match winning streak, including a 2-0 sweep at No. 9 Washington (3-2) and Washington State (3-1) last week.
- Senior outside hitter Adora Anae, who averages 4.37 kill/set on .295 hitting for the season, was named conference and national player of the week last week after posting a pair of 20-plus-kill efforts in Utah's 2-0 weekend at Washington and Washington State.
- Utah's No. 13 ranking is its highest in over a decade.
- Colorado (12-5, 2-4 Pac-12)
- CU went 0-2 last weekend at Washinton State (1-3) and No. 9 Washington (0-3).
- The Buffaloes have wins this year over No. 12 Oregon (3-1) and No. 22 Colorado State (3-2).
- Junior Alexa Smith is fifth in the Pac-12, averaging 4.19 kills/set.
RANKINGS
- Arizona did not receive votes in this week's AVCA Top 25.
- Arizona was ranked 24th in the preseason top 25, marking Arizona's 314th week in the AVCA Top 25, dating back to 1982. That's 10th-most among all schools in Division I.
- The Pac-12 has six teams in the Top 25: No. 3 Stanford, No. 12 UCLA, No. 13 Utah, No. 14 Washington, No. 15 Oregon and No. 19 USC. Colorado is receiving votes.
- UA is 1-2 this season vs. ranked opponents.
GOING STREAKING
- With Arizona's sweep of #15 USC last week, UA extended a streak of now seven straight seasons in which the Wildcats have upset either USC or UCLA while they were ranked. (2016 - #22, #25 USC & #18, #9 UCLA; 2015 - #11 UCLA; 2014 - #20 UCLA; 2013 - #1 USC; 2012 - #5 UCLA; 2011 - #2 UCLA twice).
SPREADING THE LOVE
- Nine Wildcats average more than kill per set, the most of any team in the conference.
- The other 11 teams in the conference have an average of 6.5 players with at least one kill/set.
- Five different Wildcats have led Arizona in kills in a match this year. That already equals UA's total from 2016.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
- Over the last four seasons, much of Arizona's identity has been its backrow defense. UA led the Pac-12 in digs/set from 2013-15 and finished third in 2016 (15.67).
- However, four of the six players that averaged more than a dig per set last season graduated, including libero Laura Larson and setter Penina Snuka, two of the top five diggers in UA history.
- This season, UA is averaging 14.07 digs/set (eighth in the Pac-12) led by libero Kimberly Gutierrez's 2.72 digs/set.
DAHLKE'S RESURGANCE
- After struggling out of the gates this season, Kendra Dahlke is returning to form in conference play, helping reshape Arizona's offense. In nine nonconference matches, Dahlke had just 61 kills and was hitting .100. In six Pac-12 matches, Dahlke has 81 kills and is sixth in the conference in kills/set in conference matches (3.86).
- Dahlke is coming off a breakout campaign in 2016, a season in which she averaged 3.95 kills and 4.35 points per set. Those figures ranked fourth and sixth in the Pac-12, up from 1.57 kills and 1.72 points per set as a freshman in 2015.
BIG SHOES TO FILL
- This season, sophomore setter Julia Patterson is tasked with replacing All-American Penina Snuka, the 2016 Pac-12 Setter of the Year. So far, so good. Patterson is averaging 10.64 assists/set, fifth most in the Pac-12, and 2.64 digs/set.
- As the understudy of the best digging setter in UA history, Patterson must have picked up a thing or two. Snuka led the Pac-12 in double-doubles all four seasons as UA. Patterson is two off the Pac-12 lead with seven double-doubles this year.
RUBIO AND STAFF RECRUITING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL
WILD KITTENS
- Arizona has eight freshmen, five sophomores, four juniors and just two seniors. Arizona's 13 underclassmen are the most in the Pac-12.
- Through graduation/transfer, Arizona lost six players who combined for 737 total sets played in 2016. The nine returners combined for 550 sets last season and 946 for their entire careers.
HER TIME TO SHINE
- After sitting on the bench for three seasons, redshirt junior Jade Turner has worked her way into the starting lineup for the Wildcats in 2017. Turner saw action in 69 total sets in 2015 and 2016, used primarily as a blocker situationally. This year, Turner has started 13 of 15 matches for Arizona and been one of UA's most consistent performers, on both sides of the ball. Turner is averaging 1.48 kills/set on .289 hitting to go along with 0.85 blocks/set.
- Turner is the daughter of former Wildcat basketball player Joe Turner (1985-88), who, along with Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, led Arizona to its first Final Four in 1988 under head coach Lute Olson.
UP NEXT
- Arizona will return to the road next week. The Cats head to Oregon State (10/18) and Oregon (10/20) in a pair of matches on the Pac-12 Network.
