Volleyball jumps back on the winning track

By Darrell Copeland

It was a case of home sweet home for the Fresno State volleyball team Thursday night.

After dropping two matches on the road to Boise State and UTEP, the Bulldogs had fallen below .500 for the season and looked to bounce back Thursday night.

The Bulldogs, who were swept in each of their last two matches, were able to turn the tables on their opponent.

A 5-15 Louisiana Tech team was the perfect prescription for the Bulldogs (10-10, 3-5), who beat the Lady Techsters (5-16, 1-7) 30-22, 30-28 and 31-29.

Fresno State freshman outside hitter Mounia Nihipali led a .267 attack, hitting .407 with 12 kills and 16 digs.

Nihipali, along with the rest of the Bulldogs, was recharged after returning home, playing with an energy rarely seen so far this season.

“We just needed the energy back,” Nihipali said. “We lost the energy along the way.”

Fresno State head coach Lindy Vivas agreed that the energy was back, and the home crowd was a big reason the Bulldogs were able to add one to the win column.

“This is what a home match does,” Vivas said. “It helps with the energy.”

But Vivas said that the energy was only part of the Bulldogs’ turnaround, saying hard work by the Bulldogs in practice the past week paid dividends.

“We had three hard practices this week,” Vivas said.

The hard practices of late have led to Nihipali contributing more and more to Fresno State’s attack.
“She’s been playing better each match,” Vivas said. “This was her best match.”

Nihipali said the coaches have been telling the players how to rebound, but it was up to the players to take that information and turn things around.

“It was just up to us to embrace it,” Nihipali said.

Despite being outhit in the final game .348 to .281, the Bulldogs rallied at key points something they hadn’t done at all of late.

“Tonight, our game turned around,” Nihipali said.

One player who turned her game around during the match was freshman Christianna Reneau.

After hitting -.050 in game one with three kills, Reneau responded by finishing the match with a team-high 16 kills to finish with a .146 hitting percentage.

With her efforts Thursday night, Reneau now moves into second place all-time in kills by a freshman at Fresno State, with 294.

In addition to her play, Reneau has had to take on a leadership role as well, something Vivas is glad to see following the departure of former team leader Kristen Fenton.

“Right now, she’s helping lead the team,” Vivas said.

Reneau is not just helping lead any team; she is helping lead an extremely young team. Thursday night, four freshman started, and many of them have started matches throughout the season.

Vivas said the experience the youth on the team is getting will be helpful for the future.

“Huge. Huge,” Vivas said. “It’s great.”

Fresno State junior setter Robyn Keune came into the match as a substitute early in the first game but played from then on, contributing 46 assists.

Keune, who has shared time with freshman Ilima Sam Fong all season, is close to reaching a milestone of her own in her Bulldogs career.

Only six assists by Keune will give her 2,000 for her career, a feat that can easily be accomplished by the end of Saturday’s match.

The Bulldogs’ next opponent, Southern Methodist, comes into town Saturday for a 7 p.m. match.

The Bulldogs will look to continue their renewed energy and game play and use it to defeat the Mustangs (9-9, 3-5) while continuing their efforts to turn the corner on the season.

Nihipali said the Bulldogs are looking to start fresh from this point and put everything else in the past.
“This is our turning point, you know.”