THE AGENDA
The OUAZ men's volleyball team will begin a five-match homestand with three matches this week. They welcome Menlo for a non-conference match on Friday at 3:30 p.m. before facing Westcliff in another non-conference match that night at 7 p.m. The week concludes on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a Golden State Athletic Conference match against UC Merced.
 
All three matches will be played at Willow Canyon High School. Admission is free to all OUAZ home volleyball matches this season. Fans attending the games are encouraged to park on the south side of the gymnasium and enter the building through the west doors.
 
OUAZ Live will provide live video of the matches on the NAIA Network and the OUAZ Game Central portal. The NAIA Network is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices by searching NAIA. OUAZ Live has links for all live coverage at OUAZSpirit.com/live.
 
ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ returns home with a 10-6 overall record and riding a four-match winning streak. They are 3-4 in GSAC play where they sit tied for third with three conference matches remaining. The Spirit are 3-1 at home this season.
 
The Spirit start the week hitting .204 while averaging 11.2 kills per set. OUAZ ranks second in the GSAC with an average of 1.53 service aces per set while allowing 1.0 aces per set to the opposition.
 
OUAZ leads the GSAC in holding opponents to .144 hitting and they are allowing the opposition 9.6 kills per set. The Spirit also lead the conference by getting 9.76 digs pet set and they are averaging 1.84 blocks per set.
 
Jacob Smith leads the team by averaging 3.13 kills per set and he is hitting .156. Jacob Vander Beek adds 3.03 kills per set and .203 hitting. James Yahner is hitting .218 with a team-high 110 kills. Yahner also leads the team with 17 service aces.
 
Andrew de'Leon averages 8.57 assists and 1.38 digs per set this season. His 360 assists are tops on the club. Ian Fields has 118 assists and averages 5.62 assists per set.
 
Joaquin Santa Cruz currently leads the Spirit with 136 digs and with an average of 2.78 digs per set. Colin Donisthorpe has a team-bets 40 blocks to average 0.80 blocks per set.
 
SERIES NOTES
OUAZ leads the all-time series against Menlo, 4-1. The team have split two meetings this season with each winning on their home floor.
 
The Spirit lead the series against Westcliff 1-0 after earning a 3-set win over the Warriors earlier this season.
 
UC Merced holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series with the Spirit lone win coming at home last season. Both Spirit losses have come in five sets, including earlier this season on the road.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
OUAZ remains at home for two matches next week. They host Benedictine Mesa on March 20 at 7 p.m. before a home match against Concordia (Calif.) on March 23 at noon.