Oct. 4, 2007

Overall: 7-7
Big West: 2-1
Last Five: 2-3
Last 10: 5-5
3-game: 3-4
4-game: 4-0
5-game: 0-3
At Titan Gym: 4-2
Away From Home: 3-5
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-1 (No. 24 Santa Clara)
Longest Winning Streak: 2 (three times)
Longest Losing Streak: 2 (two times)
Current Streak: Lost 2

SERVICE! Titans are amidst one of their busiest weeks of the year, with three Big West Conference matches on tap. The Titans lost a thrilling five-gamer in Northridge and are set to head north to face defending league champs No. 24 Cal Poly (ranked by the AVCA) and UC Santa Barbara on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively.

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ON TUESDAY: Despite a career-high 28 kills by Jennifer Francisco, Cal State Fullerton dropped its first Big West Conference match to Cal State Northridge, 3-2, in a thrilling five-game tilt that saw two of the final three games go into overtime Tuesday night at the Matadome. Fullerton evened its record at 7-7 on the year and fell to 2-1 in league action with the 30-26, 24-30, 36-34, 25-30, 18-20 defeat.

The Titans took an 8-7 lead at the switch over in game five, but the game that produced 11 tie scores and seven lead changes finished in the Matadors favor when Harmony Burdine landed back-to-back aces to end the match. It was the fourth straight victory for the Matadors over the Titans and seventh in a row at the Matadome.

Francisco's 28 kills (.324) led all players and set a season-high for the Titans, whose previous high was set by the team's captain Brittany Moore with 25. Moore sat out Tuesday night's match, nursing a leg injury. Sophomore Deven Bukoski also blasted 17 kills while hitting .258 on the night.

VERSUS CAL POLY: Fullerton has dropped its last 5 meetings against the Mustangs and have a 3-39 all-time record against the foes from the north dating back to their first meeting in 1981. The Titans' last win against the Mustangs came in 2004 at home.

VERSUS UC SANTA BARBARA: Since 1982 Cal State Fullerton has an all-time record of 1-52 against UC Santa Barbara with their only win coming last year on Nov. 4, 2006 in a 23-30, 30-25, 30-22, 19-30, 15-10 win at Titan Gym.

CONFERENCE OPENERS: The Titans are 3-0 in their last three Big West Conference openers with a win over UC Davis on Sept. 21 of this year, and wins in each of the last two seasons over Pacific. Prior to that, Fullerton was winless dating back to 1980, going 0-25, until its first conference-opening win against the Pacific on Sept. 23, 2005.

GAMETRACKER: UC Santa Barbara will be providing GameTracker for the Oct. 6 Big West Conference match from the Thunderdome. Follow the GameTracker link on the "schedule/results" area on the volleyball page at fullertontitans.com.

FRANCISCO, THAT'S FUN TO SAY: After spending the majority of her first three seasons in a Titan uniform dealing with injuries, Jennifer Francisco is finally able to show what she is made of. The Junior posted a career-high 28 kills and and hit .324 with 14 digs in the Titans' 3-2 loss to Cal State Northridge on Oct. 2. The 28-kill performance was the best tally for any Titan player since Megan Sabo's 35-kill night on Sept. 16, 2000 against TCU. It was Francisco's third double-double of the year. Over her last five matches, the San Diego native is tied for the lead in total kills (66) and ranks second in kills per game with 3.47 and from the defensive side, Francisco has posted the second-most digs (52) from the back court, behind Cami Croteau's 84.

THE ROOF IS ON FIRE: The Titans put up a whopping 20.0 team blocks on Oct. 2 against Cal State Northridge, led by middle blocker Alex Wolnisty. The 20.0 team blocks, doubled the Titans prior best outing when they posted 10.0 against Stony Brook on Sept. 1. Wolnisty set a career high with 12 total blocks on the night and jumped into the record book as being one of only 10 Titans to ever collect nine or more block assists in a night. Setter Julie Geissert also got into the mix on Tuesday, stuffing seven blocks of her own, the second-highest figure for any Titan player this year. Freshman Erin Saddler also provided support at the net, tallying six blocks including two solos I the losing effort.

SERVING UP ACES: Coming into the week the Titans are leading the Big West Conference from the service line, posting 1.88 aces per game and now have four players in the league's individual Top 10. Cari Bailey (22 aces, 0.49 apg) ranks second in the league with Erin Saddler (19 aces, 0.37 apg) and Brittany Moore (14 aces, 0.37 apg) ranking fourth and fifth, respectively. Setter Julie Geissert broke into the Big West Top 10 this week at No. 9 with 17 total aces and 0.33 per game.

WOLNISTY BREAKS OUT: Sophomore Alex Wolnisty is second on the team in kills and kills per game while continuing to hold down the fort at the net as a middle blocker. Wolnisty has put up 161 total kills and 3.10 per game placing four behind teammate Brittany Moore for the team lead. On Sept. 11, the Riverside native had a career night against San Diego State, blasting a career-high 18 kills (without an error) and hit a whopping .720 on the match without committing an error. That .720 mark is the best this season by anyone in the Big West Conference. She also added three blocks on the night.

3,200 AND CLIIMBING: Junior Julie Geissert is five assists away from surpassing the 3,300 mark and is coming off her second 60-assist night of the year in the Titans five-game loss on Tuesday night at Cal State Northridge. By week's end, Geissert has a chance to move up one more notch in the Titan record book to the No. 2 spot where she can pass Stephanie Schrieve (1988-91) at 3,388 career assists. The Fresno native, Geissert is now within 326 assists of Kim Levey's (1999-2002) school record of 3,621 career assists. Geissert, Levey, Schrieve (1988-91) and Melissa Blackler (1995-97) are the only Titans Titans to ever amass more than 3,000 assists in a career at Cal State Fullerton. Geissert has posted 10.84 apg over her four seasons in a Titan uniform and currently ranks third all-time at CSF in assists per game. So far this year, the setter has posted two 60+ assist night and five matches with 50-or-more assists.

CSF CAREER ASSISTS
1. 3,621 - Kim Levey (99-02)
2. 3,388 - Stephanie Shrieve (88-91)
3. 3,295 - Julie Geissert (04-present)

HONOR ROLL:
CENTURYTEL PREMIER
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Brittany Moore
Erin Saddler

BRONCO INVITATIONAL
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Brittany Moore
Sarah Day

HOLIDAY INN BUENA PARK
TITAN CLASSIC
Erin Saddler (MVP)
Sarah Day
Alex Wolnisty

UNIVERSITY VILLIAGE
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Erin Saddler (Sept. 4)
Brittany Moore (Sept. 11)