Women's Volleyball 8/30/2021 1:00:00 PM

Women's Volleyball Notes -- Week 2

WEEK 2
After a busy opening weekend and ten days off, OUAZ (3-0, 0-0 GSAC) will get into action with three matches this week. The Spirit starts the week with a trip across town to face Park Gilbert (0-1) at the Arizona Region Volleyball Center on Tuesday at 6 p.m. They will then host Benedictine Mesa (0-6) in Faith Arena at 6 p.m. on Friday and Trinity International (0-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

TICKETS AVAILABLE
Tickets for both home matches are available now by visiting OUAZSpirit.com/tickets or by downloading the HomeTown Ticketing Fan App and searching OUAZ. As a reminder, masks are required when inside Faith Arena, per OUAZ policies.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Tuesday's match at Park will be broadcast live on the Buccaneers YouTube channel. The two home matches will be broadcast live on the OUAZ Digital Network and the GSAC Sports Network. The OUAZ Network is available at OUAZSpirit.com/watch. Watch on your Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku devices by downloading the GSAC Sports Network app.

ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ went undefeated during the opening weekend to win the OUAZ Invitational. In all three matches, the Spirit jumped out to a 2-0 lead before needing four sets to defeat Wayland Baptist and five sets to overcome both Montana State-Northern and Embry-Riddle.

With that 3-0 start, OUAZ received votes in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on August 25. The Spirit was awarded 42 points in the survey to place just outside the top 25 in the 28th position. Only Westmont at No. 15 is ranked higher among teams from the GSAC.

With the two five-set wins during the OUAZ Invitational, the Spirit has now won seven straight matches that have gone the distance dating back to the 2019 season. OUAZ was 4-0 in five-set matches last season and hasn't lost a five-setter since September 28, 2019, at Menlo.

During the Invitational, OUAZ averaged 12.64 kills per set on .178 hitting. The team currently leads the GSAC in kills per set, and they rank 39th in the NAIA.

The Spirit was also solid defensively, where they averaged 20.57 digs per set. That average currently tops the GSAC and ranks fifth in the nation. In addition, the team averaged 1.86 blocks per set to have them third in the GSAC.

Kate Pestova recorded 68 kills in the three matches, and she currently sits first in the conference and fifth in the NAIA with an average of 4.86 kills per set.
• With three matches in double figures to start the season, Pestova has now reached double figures in all 19 matches she has played at OUAZ.
• Pestova also leads the conference and ranks fifth in the NAIA by averaging 5.3 points per set.

Avie Butsko is hitting a team-best .349 to rank third in the conference and 24th nationally.
• Butsko is eighth in the GSAC by averaging 2.70 kills per set, and she is fourth with an average of 3.8 points per set.
• At 1.20 blocks per set, Butsko leads the GSAC and sits at 24th in the country.

Valentina Trovato totaled 83 digs during the first three matches to currently place fourth in the GSAC in total digs.
• Her 5.93 digs per set are currently the tops in the conference and have her ninth in the NAIA.
• Trovato reached double figures in digs during all three matches, and she has now hit the mark in 14 straight matches dating back to last season.

Cristal Carrizoza took over setting duties during the opening weekend and distributed 140 assists in the three matches. That total is good for second in the conference at this point.
• Carrizoza is the GSAC leader with an average of 10.00 assists per set, ranking 17th in the NAIA.
• She also posted 0.43 service aces per set at the Invitational, where she now ranks 10th in the conference.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Avie Butsko: MB; 5' 11"; Senior

#17 Cristal Carrizoza: S; 5' 9"; Junior

#13 Kate Pestova: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

#2 Valentina Trovato: L; 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#14 Avie Butsko
: 5' 11"; Senior
: MB

#17 Cristal Carrizoza
: 5' 9"; Junior
: S

#13 Kate Pestova
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH

#2 Valentina Trovato
: 5' 6"; Senior
: L