Sept. 9, 2007

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's volleyball team had two players honored at the 2007 Golden Bear Invitational hosted by the University of California this past weekend as senior Amanda Nielson was named to the all-tournament team and freshman Christine Morrill was named the tournament's Defensive Standout.

Utah State finished in third-place during the two-day event as it lost a pair of three-game matches to 15th-ranked California and 12th-ranked Minnesota before defeating Eastern Kentucky in three games.

Nielson, a senior opposite side hitter from West Valley City, Utah (Granger HS) was named to her third all-tournament team in as many weeks after hitting .217 (39-19-92) and averaging 5.88 points, 4.88 kills, 1.38 digs, 0.75 service aces and 0.50 blocks per game. Her best match of the tournament was against Eastern Kentucky as she hit a career-high .609 (15-1-23) to go along with four service aces and two digs.

Morrill, a freshman libero from Neola, Utah (Union HS) saw her first action of the season and responded by averaging 3.67 digs per game, including a match-high 14 digs against Eastern Kentucky. Morrill had missed the first six matches of the year with an injury.

Joining Nielson on the all-tournament team was Lauren Gibbemeyer and Jessy Jones of Minnesota and Morgan Beck, Ellen Orchard and Angie Pressey of California. The Most Valuable Player of the tournament was Orchard, while California's Carli Lloyd was named the tournament's Outstanding Setter.

Utah State will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 13 when it begins Western Athletic Conference play against Boise State in its home opener at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.