STOCKTON, Calif. - The University of the Pacific volleyball team will take part in its final regular in-season tournament before taking on the rigorous West Coast Conference schedule with a trip to Arizona State and Tempe, Arizona for the Sparky Volleyball Invitational. 

MATCH INFORMATION:
Teams: Pacific (3-6) at Arizona State (6-3)
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2021
Time: 6 p.m. (PT)
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=364247
Live Video: https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university

Teams: Pacific (3-6) vs. UNLV (7-2)
Date: Friday, September 17, 2021
Time: 1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Live Stats:  http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=364248 
Live Video: Not available

A Look at the Opponents: 

Arizona State Quick Facts
• Name: Arizona State University
• Location: Tempe, Arizona
• Nickname: Sun Devils
• Conference: Pac 12
• Head Coach: Sanja Tomasevic

UNLV Quick Facts
• Name: University of Nevada at Las Vegas
• Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Nickname: Rebels
• Conference: Big West
• Head Coach: Dawn Sullivan

Bringing the Hammer
In the five-set loss to Sacramento State, the Tigers put down a season-high 66 kills. The 66 kills are the most since a 71-kill effort against Santa Clark on Feb. 23, 2021.

All-Tournament Honors
• Most recently, Ramonni Cook (Elk Grove, Calif.) was named to the Sacramento State All-Tournament Team. Cook averaged 2.67 kills per set and a .197 hitting percentage, plus she also averaged 0.67 blocks. In the Tigers' four-set win over CSUN, she had 10 kills en route to a .304 hitting percentage to go along with four blocks. The night before in a five-set loss to Sacramento State, she had 13 kills and three blocks.

• Alexa Edwards (Sacramento, Calif.), Darina Kumanova (Sofia, Bulgaria) and Jadyn Tubbs (Turlock, Calif.) were named to the Pacific Community Classic All-Tournament Team. Edwards, a sophomore outside hitter from Sacramento, had 50 kills and a .252 hitting percentage to go along with six blocks in the three matches to lead Pacific. She recorded a season-high 21 kills in the five-set loss to Pacvific. She started the tournament with an 18-kill performance in the straight-set win over Tarleton State. Kumanova, a sophomore outside hitter from Sofia, Bulgaria has made an immediate impact after transferring in from UMBC. Last weekend, she 31 kills and a .194 hitting percentage and a team-best 10 service aces. Kumanova had five of them in the straight-set win over UC San Diego. Tubbs, a senior libero from Turlock, had a team-best 56 digs and five service aces in the three matches. All five of her service aces came in the straight-set win over Tarleton State.

Serving Up Aces
Pacific has had 12 service aces - Tarleton (Sept. 3) and CSUN (Sept. 11) , the most by a Pacific squad since they also had 12 aces against Alabama State on Sept. 7, 2018. Of note, Pacific had 13 service aces against the University of San Francisco on October 21, 2017.

No Sophomore Jinx
Sophomore Alexa Edwards is off to a strong second season in the black and orange with a team-high 142 kills. Her 142 kills rank second – just seven behind the leader – in the West Coast Conference. She is also third with 4.18 kills per set.

Just Diggin It
Tigers' libero Jadyn Tubbs leads the WCC with 167 digs / 4.91 digs per set. Last spring, she broke the 1,000 career dig plateau. 

Setting Up for Success
Pacific is using a pair of setters – Jenna Heller and Gabby Leo – to set up its attack. Heller leads the Tigers with 224 assists and Leo has 128.

Family Tree
Alexa Edwards (Sacramento, Calif.) and Jenna Heller (Gilbert, Ariz.) are second generation members of the Tigers. Cathy Lumb-Edwards, the mother of Alexa Edwards, played on the 1986 national championship team and also went on to serve as a graduate assistant coach for the Tigers. Heller is the third member of her family to attend Pacific, as her father DJ (1989-90) played baseball while her mother Melanie (1988-91) was a two-time All-American on the volleyball team herself.
 
Classroom Success
The Tigers' Gabby Leo was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team for a second-straight year for her efforts in the classroom. At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, while also being a significant contributor to her team. Plus, Tubbs received honorable mention recognition.