Top-Seeded Fresno Pacific Cruises in Pool A on Opening Day

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Top-seeded and top-ranked Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) posted two convincing victories in Pool A on opening day at the 26th Annual NAIA Volleyball National Championship. Hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University, the tournament is being played on campus in Golden Gymnasium November 30-December 3.

Fresno Pacific jumped to an early lead, besting Albertson College (Idaho) 30-21, 30-18, 30-21.  Thais Julio led the way for the Sunbirds with 15kills and 15 digs as the only player with a double-double.  The duo of Katie Hoque and Anne Parker led Albertson with six kills apiece.  Charity Gaston had 12 digs for the `Yotes.

No. 8-seed Georgetown College (Ky.) squeaked by Lee University (Tenn.), 3-2, after losing the first two games.  Game scores were 23-30, 27-30, 30-27, 33-31, 16-14.  Georgetown took advantage of a few key errors to grab the last three games.  Carolyn Schnurr led the Tigers with 21 kills.  Erin Teaford and Jessica Hoeh had 25 and 24 digs respectively in the comeback.  Daisy Varbanova had an outstanding day for Lee, recording 24 kills and 19 digs in the losing effort.

Houston Baptist University (Texas) handed Albertson its second loss in pool play, winning in three (30-21, 30-25, 30-19).  HBU used two key players in Nicole Westerterp and Jessica Barrera, who had 14 and 10 kills apiece. Barrera added 12 digs for a double-double.  With only the one match today, Houston Baptist stands at 37-4.  Albertson drops to 25-7 with the loss.  The `Yotes struggled connecting on attacks and had only one player in double figures, Fran Hartman with 11.  Gaston had 17 digs in the losing effort.

Fresno Pacific blanked Lee 3-0 in the night cap with 30-19, 30-20 and 30-21 game wins.  FPU outhit the Lady Flames, .359 to .134.  Julio recorded 15 kills and 12 digs in the match while Lorena Zuleta added 14 kills as the Sunbirds improved to 35-0.  With the loss, Lee dropped to 27-12.  Varbanova had eight kills in the loss.

POOL A Results

Fresno Pacific (Calif.) def. Albertson (Idaho), 3-0 (30-21, 30-18, 30-21)
Georgetown (Ky.) def. Lee (Tenn.), 3-2 (23-30, 27-30, 30-27, 33-31, 16-14)

Houston Baptist (Texas) def. Albertson, 3-0 (30-21, 30-25, 30-19)

Fresno Pacific def. Lee, 3-0 (30-19, 30-20, 30-21)

Pool A Thursday Schedule (All Times Pacific)

Albertson vs. Georgetown, 9 a.m.

Fresno Pacific vs. Houston Baptist, 11:15 a.m.

Lee vs. Albertson, 3:45 p.m.

Houston Baptist vs. Georgetown, 6 p.m.

Pool A Standings

Fresno Pacific 2-0

Georgetown 1-0

Houston Baptist 1-0

Albertson 0-2

Lee 0-2