Oct. 15, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's women's volleyball team continues Western Athletic Conference play this week as it hosts ninth-ranked Hawai'i at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Utah State is 6-12 on the season and in fourth-place in the WAC with a 4-3 league record following a three-set win at Boise State (25-10, 25-20, 26-24) and a four-set loss at Idaho (25-22, 8-25, 24-26, 16-25) last weekend. USU is led by senior outside hitter Melissa Osterloh who is averaging 4.25 points, 3.60 kills, 1.84 digs, 0.57 blocks and 0.37 service aces per set, while sophomore middle blocker Katie Astle is hitting .330 and averaging 1.66 kills and 0.91 blocks per set. Sophomore setter Chelsea Fowles is also playing well for USU as she is hitting .358 and averaging 9.60 assists, 1.67 digs and 0.54 blocks per set. As a team, Utah State is hitting .169 on the season as compared to a .222 hitting percentage for its opponents.

Hawai'i is 13-3 on the season and tied for first-place in the WAC with a 6-1 league record following a three-set win against Louisiana Tech and a three-set loss to New Mexico State at home last weekend. Hawai'i, who is ranked ninth in the nation, is led by senior outside hitter Jamie Houston who is hitting .220 and averaging 4.18 kills and 1.55 digs per set. As a team, UH is hitting .279 on the season as compared to a .190 hitting percentage for its opponents. Hawai'i returns six starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's team that went 27-6 overall and finished in first-place in the WAC with a 15-1 league record.

Utah State is 8-34 all-time against Hawai'i, which includes a 4-11 record at home. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 11, 2007 in Honolulu as the Aggies shocked then No. 10 Hawai'i in three sets (30-28, 31-29, 30-27) to snap a 108-conference match home winning streak for the Rainbow Wahine. It was also the first win for USU against UH in its last 20 meetings overall. The last time the Aggies defeated the Rainbow Wahine at home was on Nov. 12, 1981 in Logan in five games.

Over the last nine years, Utah State is 71-31 (.696) in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, which includes a 54-26 (.675) record against conference opponents. During the last four years, USU is 20-8 (.714) at home against WAC opponents.

Against ranked opponents, Utah State is 10-48 (.172) over the last nine years, which includes a 1-1 record this season as it lost at No. 20 BYU (3-0) and defeated No. 15 Purdue (3-2). Overall, USU has won two of its last three matches against ranked teams dating back to last season.

Following its match against Hawai'i, Utah State will play at Fresno State (5-11, 2-5) on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated the Aggies in five games earlier this year in Logan.