SAN JOSE, Calif. – Looking to build on a 2-1 start to the season, Pacific women's volleyball continues the non-conference schedule with a three-day showcase at San Jose State, where the team opens against UC Riverside on Thursday at 6 p.m. with games to follow against the host Spartans, and LSU New Orleans inside Spartan Gym.

Much like last weekend, the historical series belongs to the Tigers (2-1) as the team carries a 24-1 record against the Highlanders (1-1) and are meeting on the court for the first time since 2013. Six of the last seven meetings resulted in three-set sweeps for Pacific.

In the present, the team is led offensively by junior outside hitter Nicole Zake. At the Gael-Bear Classic, Zake paced the team with 33 kills and a 2.83/set average – highlighted by 13 and 14 kill performances against Gonzaga and Southern Utah. She also contributed defensively with over ten digs in each win, giving her a two-match double-double streak.

The junior, who transferred in from CSU Bakersfield, twice met UC Riverside on the court and contributed 19 total kills.

Sophomores Julia Porath and Hanah Koester each played solid complimentary roles to Zake over the weekend, going for 20 or more kills. The former is coming off a match in which she set a new personal best 16 kills.

Prior to this weekend, Pacific had not visited San Jose State (1-2) since 2012 – a match the Tigers handily took 3-0 and are facing off for the first time overall since 2019 (also a win for Pacific). The Spartans' lone win of the season came against WCC member San Francisco.

On the court this weekend for the team will be sophomore libero Bella Gutierrez, the reigning WCC Defensive Player of the Week. Her award was Pacific's first POTW honor since 2024 and came on the back of consecutive 20-plus dig performances, each of which led to a Tigers victory. Gutierrez' 27-dig outing against Gonzaga was the program's single match high since 2024 and made her the fifth Tiger since 2017 to reach 25 digs in a match.

For the weekend finale, LSU New Orleans (1-2) and Pacific meet for the first time in program history. Sophomore setter Alessia Couchond is off to a well-rounded start for the Tigers, leading the team in both assists per set and aces per set.  

Similar to last weekend, only the match against the host will be televised and fans will need a Mountain West Plus subscription to watch the match versus San Jose State while the meetings with UCR and LSU New Orleans will need to be followed via live stats and social media.

Tigers Tickets
Tickets for upcoming events can be purchased through the PacificTigers.com tickets tab, or by calling the Box Office at 209-946-2474.  Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a group discount and exclusive fan experiences.
 
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