Colton Yack, Sports Information Director

Volleyball:

No. 8 SLCC play host to top NJCAA teams

SALT LAKE CITY – With a perfect 4-0 record, the No. 8 SLCC volleyball team will put that on the line as they host the Crystal "Inn"vitational Friday and Saturday, August 29-30.

SO FAR IN 2014

Last weekend Head Coach Sue Dulaney and the Lady Bruins traveled to Rock Springs, Wyo. to open up the 2014 season in the Region 18-Region 9 Clash. Faring well against top competition, SLCC won set one in three of the four matches played.

Led by reigning All-American Carol Grasso (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Grasso averaged well over a double-double with 13.25 kills per match (KPM) and 22.25 digs per match (DPM). Freshman Kallie Schmit (Kalama, WA) is also averaging a double-double with 10 KPM and 10 DPM.

The setting duo of Ailin Donati (Rome, Italy) and Rachel Davis (Riverton, UT) have combined for 160 of the team's 180 total assists.

Defensively Mariana Pilon (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Sequoia Lofton (Spokane, WA) have been spectacular as Pilon has cashed in 122 digs and Lofton has 15 blocks including 3 solo.

"INN"VITATIONAL DETAILS

With nine of the 11 participants nationally ranked, volleyball fans will have a front row seat to some of the nation's top junior college programs and to see your Lady Bruins live for the first time in 2014. All matches inside the Lifetime Activities Center located at the SLCC Redwood Campus with match times being at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday on four different courts.

All SLCC matches will take place on court one inside the main gym at the LAC with their first match taking place on Friday at 10 a.m. as they will tangle against No. 2 Iowa Western Community College. Other SLCC matches will be Friday at 2 p.m. against Northeastern Junior College, Saturday at 9 a.m. against Western Nebraska Community College, and Saturday at 1 p.m. against Casper College. All SLCC matches will be streamed online under the "For Fans" tab on slccbruins.com.

A LOOK AT THE PLAYING FIELD

Snow College: Like SLCC, fellow Region 18 foe Snow College participated in the Region 18-Region 9 Clash and earned two victories giving first year Head Coach Craig Choate a great start to his tenure. The Lady Badgers closed out their 2013 season with a fourth place finish in Region 18 with a 20-10 overall record, 5-5 in region play. Despite losing two All-Region 18 picks including NJCAA First Team All-American Madison Packard, Choate returns All-Region 18 Second Team setter Magen Hunter. Snow will open up play on Friday at 10 a.m. on court three as they will take on Casper College.

Arizona Western College: Fresh off of a District C Championship and a NJCAA National Tournament appearance in 2013, Head Coach Jason Smith and the No. 4 ranked Lady Matadors of Arizona Western College opened up their 2014 campaign last weekend with a pair of Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) matches. Earning a split with a 1-3 loss to Central Arizona College and a 3-1 win over Scottsdale Community College, AWC will look to right the path and get above the .500 mark. AWC also opens up at 10 a.m. Friday against Western Wyoming Community College on court two.

North Idaho College: Always near the top in Region 18, North Idaho College closed out the 2013 season with a 16-10 overall mark including a Region 18 runner-up finish and four All-Region 18 picks. Coming into the 2014 season first year head coach Kelsey Stanley and the Lady Cardinals come to Salt Lake City with three matches against four year institutions last weekend in Spokane, Wash. NIC will first take on Western Nebraska Community College Friday at 10 a.m. on court four.

Western Nebraska Community College: Following a rough weekend in the Reiver Classic at the campus of Iowa Western Community College where the No. 7 Western Nebraska Community College dropped three of four matches, the Lady Cougars will look to bounce back and return to national prominence. With two NJCAA national championships under their belt, with the latest coming in 2010, WNCC will open up play Friday at 10 a.m. on court four against North Idaho College.

Northeastern Junior College: Following a solid 2013 season where the Plainswomen came up a few matches short of a national tournament appearance, the No. 16 Northeastern Junior College come to Salt Lake City with an even 2-2 record. Facing the task of replacing NJCAA Second Team All- American Caroline Siqueira, NJC opens up play at the "Inn"vitational Friday at noon against the College of Southern Idaho on court one.

College of Southern Idaho: Like SLCC, the No. 3 College of Southern Idaho traveled to Rock Springs, Wyo. and opened up the 2014 season in the Region 18-Region 9 Clash. Coming away with an unblemished 3-0 record, the Lady Golden Eagles do return three All-Region 18 picks in outside hitter Natasa Savovic, setter Katarina Kojic and middle blockerJessi Seumalo. CSI will take on Northeastern Junior College on court one Friday at noon.

Western Wyoming Community College: After hosting the Region 18-Region 9 Clash last weekend, No. 6 Western Wyoming College came away with a 3-1 record with the lone loss coming from Snow College. A frequent in the national rankings, the Lady Mustangs are led by the trio of outside hitters of Lauryn Dela Cruz, Dunja Sobot and Cassidee Lish. WWCC's first match inside the LAC will be Friday at 10 a.m. against Arizona Western College on court two.

Missouri State University-West Plains: The No. 12 Missouri State University-West Plains traveled to Tyler, Texas and walked away with a 2-2 record. Facing two of the top five nationally ranked teams, the Lady Grizzlies should come to Salt Lake City with the confidence that they can play with anybody. Last season, MSU-WP earned a trip to the national tournament by sweeping Harford. The Lady Grizzlies will tangle against Western Wyoming Community College Friday at noon on court three.  

Iowa Western Community College: The No. 2 Lady Reivers of Iowa Western Community College hosted the Reiver Classic last weekend and were impressive to say the least. Victorious in all four matches played including three sweeps, IWCC are continuing to roll even after a national tournament appearance in 2013. With the return of two NJCAA First Team All-Americans in Alyson Dawson and Kathia Sanchez, the Lady Reivers should be difficult to defeat no matter the opponent. IWCC opens up play Friday at 10 a.m. against host Salt Lake Community College on court one.

Casper College: Coming to Salt Lake City just outside the top 20 NJCAA rankings, the Lady Thunderbirds of Casper College played some impressive volleyball last weekend to earn a perfect 4-0 record with three 3-0 sweeps and the other final score being 3-1. Having a duo of outside hitters in Madison Legerski and Ashley Seiler who are both averaging over three kills per set, Casper could crack the national rankings in the next poll. The Lady Thunderbirds will begin play at the "Inn"vitational Friday at 10 a.m. as they take on Snow College.