The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Volleyball

  • Women’s volleyball club is being formed at Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Jake Knoeller and Dezmond Remington

    For the first time, a women’s club volleyball team is being formed at Cal Poly Humboldt.

    The idea was brought up when a large number of women were consistently attending the men’s practices, including student Sophie Collins. Collins has been playing volleyball for eight years, but stopped when she came to Humboldt. 

    “When I came here, I didn’t play on the school team,” said Collins. “But I really wanted to keep playing volleyball. And so when I was walking around [at] a table event, I saw [a sign that said] men’s and women’s club volleyball and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,  this is so awesome.’ So I talked to them, and I signed up.”

    Interest from athletes has been intense. 

    “Once we started getting more women who wanted to play, we figured we should make a club team,” said team staff advisor Marissa Holguin.

    Holguin is a former coach for the men’s club team. Now, she is going to help with the women’s team, which is still working on recruiting.

    “We started our process last fall, but during the first year it’s all probationary,” said team president Noelani Araujo. “This is just setting the foundation up for next year.”

    The team plans on getting more games and scrimmages set up during Fall 2023. To join any real tournaments, they need a bigger budget. According to members of the team, the process has been rocky. The nascent team has big dreams; they want to go south and compete with teams like UC Davis, Reno, and St. Mary’s, but they’re hamstrung by budget constraints. The club is currently on a probationary period, which prevents them from getting club funding. It also makes reserving the gym to practice difficult. 

    “We kind of had it going for a little bit and then it got kind of weird with getting the space to actually play and getting people who are interested to show up,” Collins said. “We’ve kind of decided to rethink our methods.”

    The team is open to every skill level. The club is looking to recruit lots of new members heading into fall if they are able to commit to practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. Their first season will be spring 2024. Interested athletes should contact @hsu_womensvolley on Instagram. Their email is wclubvolleyhsu@gmail.com.

    “We want to get started making a team and getting a sense of community,” said Araujo. “Not necessarily getting competitive, but building on that team feeling.”

  • Rivals Clash on the Volleyball Court

    Rivals Clash on the Volleyball Court

    Jacks play constant back and forth match against Chico, but drop final set

    The Humboldt State volleyball team rallied late in their Friday match against Chico State, but came up short in the final set.

    After dropping the first two sets to Chico, Humboldt battled to take the next pair of sets. The final set resulted in their second 2-3 loss in 10 days.

    Summer Hansen led the Jacks with 15 kills, followed by Lenox Loving with 11 and teammates Lexi Riggs and Emma Flewell, who both recorded six kills.

    • Emma Flewell serves the ball during the Jacks’ match against Chico State at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Summer Hansen shows her appreciation for the home crowd’s support after the Jacks’ match against Chico State at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Humboldt’s outside hitter Lenox Loving fights to keep the play alive during the Jacks’ match against Chico State at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    The first set started off well for the Jacks as Juliana Bertolucci opened up scoring with a service ace, meaning that Chico didn’t have a chance to touch the ball.

    The middle stages of the set were a constant back-and-forth with neither side able to find the definitive edge. During the closing minutes of the set, the Jacks found a five-point run to tie the set but conceded the next six to lose by 19-25.

    The second set was similar to the first as the Jacks scored before trading scoring runs with the Wildcats. Chico grabbed an advantage and took the set by a score of 21-25.

    Humboldt seemed to find another gear in their offensive strategy. From scoring the first point of the set to closing out the frame with a score of 25-16.

    Humboldt State’s Mailai Coyle jups up to hit the ball as her teammates on the sideline watch on during the Jacks’ match against Chico State at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Head Coach Kelly Wood attributed the turn around to well-executed play and a few changes made between sets.

    “We mixed it up a little bit with Lenox,” Wood said. “They were keying on her early and we just changed up the set location for her. It was working, so that allowed her to get going a little bit. And then Summer started going.”

    It wasn’t just the offensive side of the game that saw improvement for the Jacks. Wood was quick to point out how the strong defensive effort helped the shift in momentum from the team through the third and fourth sets.

    “Our defense was good,” Wood said. “Everything just tightened up a little bit, and it just shifted. The momentum shifted our way.”

    • Kelly Wood talks to her team in a timeout during the Jacks’ match against Chico State at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • HSU freshman Riley Tishlarich battles against Chico State’s players during the Jacks’ match on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Odelia Ryan makes a diving effort to keep the play alive during the Jacks’ match against Chico State on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • HSU’s Summer Hansen jumps up to hit the ball during the Jacks’ match against Chico State on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Humboldt State’s other athletes showed up loud and proud to support the volleyball team as they rallied back to take Chico State to the fifth set during their match at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 1. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    The Jacks rounded out the set putting together a seven-point run to finish off the set 25-17.

    The match culminated in the fifth and final set with Humboldt scoring first. Yet, Chico came back, pushing through a 13 point rally in a set that is only contested to 15. The Jacks came up short in another set loss of 4-15.

    Wood acknowledged that it was difficult to go through another loss but that there were still positives to be taken away from the team’s play. Wood said that is where the focus is for the remainder of the season.

    “It’s hard to have a lot of confidence in yourself when you’re having a losing season,” Wood said. “But we know that we can play well at times. We just have to believe in ourselves a little bit more and have that confidence when it gets down to crunch time.”

  • Volleyball Frustration Continues

    Volleyball Frustration Continues

    Jacks lose sixth straight game, this time against San Francisco State University

    The Jacks lost their sixth consecutive game Saturday night. With the 1-3 loss, Humboldt State moves to 1-6 in conference play which leaves them second to last in the CCAA standings as they approach the halfway point of conference competition.

    Summer Hansen led the team with 12 kills for the night while Lenox Loving found herself in the double digits again with 10. Odelia Ryan pulled out 30 digs during the match, followed by Loving who had 22.

    Riley Tishlarich sets the ball for her teammates during the Jacks’ match against San Francisco State on Oct. 12 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Humboldt State put themselves behind early on in the first set, giving up six straight points to the visitors allowing the score to stretch out to 12-7.

    Throughout the remainder of the set, the Jacks never managed to string together consecutive points. San Francisco took the opening set with a score of 25-13 as Humboldt did not respond fast enough to their defense.

    Not much changed for the Jacks as they started slow in the second set and conceded the first four points. Humboldt found their offensive groove result in an impressive eight-point run and the Jacks took the second set 25-21.

    Outside hitter Lexi Riggs jumps into the air to put the ball back over the net during Humboldt State’s match against San Francisco State on Oct. 12 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Humboldt changed things up and came out swinging hard at the start of the third set. The Jacks were able to hold their lead for much of the set. It wasn’t long before the Gators tied it up at 20-20.

    What followed was a blistering back and forth that saw the score at 24-23 in favor of the visitors with 25 points needed to take the set. In a moment that stunned the Humboldt State athletes and fans alike, outside hitter Lexi Riggs hit the ball over the net and was initially awarded a kill before the referee reversed the decision, calling the ball out of bounds and allowing San Francisco to take 2-1 lead over a now frustrated Jacks team.

    The home crowd reacts to an overturned call that led to the Jacks losing the second set during their match against San Francisco State on Oct. 12 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    The fourth and final set of the night saw an agitated Humboldt team consistently outplayed as the Gators capitalized on the home squad’s frustration to a much higher degree. In a quick series of plays, San Francisco built themselves an 11 point buffer that almost entirely neutralized any momentum that Humboldt may have established in the previous set. The Jacks only managed a few scoring runs, and the Gators finished off the set 25-14 and took their first win on the road for the season.

    After the game, Head Coach Kelly Wood was frustrated with her team’s performance, indicating that there wasn’t enough grit in their play during the match.

    “Overall, our team does not have enough of a competitive spirit,” Wood said. “We don’t play with toughness. We’re too nice out there on the court. Great group of girls, but we get out there, and we are just allowing teams to manhandle us basically, and I’m very frustrated right now with our performance.”

  • Lenox Loving Kills With Confidence

    Lenox Loving Kills With Confidence

    Humboldt State’s Lenox Loving establishes herself as a top volleyball player

    Watching the Humboldt State volleyball team this season, it’s impossible not to notice the Jacks’ breakout performer Lenox Loving.

    Standing at 5’9″, the sophomore from Fair Oaks, California isn’t the tallest player on her team in a sport that is often dominated by height. Loving makes up for that with pure athleticism and an unrelenting work effort noted by her teammates and coaches. In her second season at the collegiate level, Loving has found a regular home in the Jacks’ rotation and seems poised to solidify her place as one of the team’s top scorers.

    While fans of Humboldt State volleyball may find it difficult to imagine the women’s team without the offensive powerhouse of Loving, her decision to play the game in college wasn’t made easily. Her interest in the sport initially came from watching her sister play in tournaments, which made her want to try it out for herself.

    • With Loving in the center, the Humboldt State volleyball team encourages each other after being scored on in their match against Cal State Bernardino at Lumberjack Arena on Sept. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Loving waits to recieve a serve from Cal State San Bernardino while on the back row during their Sept. 21 match at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Loving takes a moment to prepare for a serve during the second set of the Jacks’ match against Cal State San Bernardino at Lumberjack Arena on Sept. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    “I also did soccer and track growing up,” Loving said. “So I didn’t know what sport I wanted to play in college. It wasn’t really until my sophomore year in high school that I really decided that I wanted to play in college.”

    Loving began establishing herself in a hitting role during her junior and senior year with Zara Budenbender, her coach at Bella Vista High School. Budenbender coached Loving from the time that she made varsity as a freshman and knew her from coaching Loving’s sister. Budenbender believes that Loving’s ability to adapt to the game situation and be effective from all areas of the court is what put her ahead in a highly competitive club volleyball environment.

    “Her senior year we also worked more on her hitting out of the back row,” Budenbender said. “So she was an attack front row or back row. She was just someone who was consistently putting the ball in the court and putting it away. So not just hitting it in, but with force that other teams couldn’t return.”

    “She’s a skilled player already. But she’s making big strides because of a combination of being very coachable and having a good skill set and great athletic ability.”

    Kelly Wood, Head Coach for HSU’s Volleyball Team

    Despite a freshman season for Loving which saw her with only 54 kills, she bounced back and worked hard over the summer and the weeks leading into the preseason. At the time of writing this article, Loving had 104 kills in just 29 sets played. Much of her work in the spring and summer revolved around playing doubles outdoors. Head Coach Kelly Wood feels that this is one area in particular that has proven to be a strength for Loving and allowed her to elevate her game.

    “She’s a skilled player already,” Wood said. “But she’s making big strides because of a combination of being very coachable and having a good skill set and great athletic ability.”

    Loving acknowledges that her opening season for Humboldt State was not the most successful. But she doesn’t seem overly concerned in hindsight now that she has more experience at the collegiate level.

    “I think last season just being a freshman,” Loving said. “I played like a typical freshman. I was just really nervous and I didn’t get a lot of exposure, so I wasn’t really confident in my play.”

    First-year struggles behind her, Loving has emerged this year as one of the key pieces for Jacks’ volleyball success in the early stages of the season. Even with the attention directed at her individual effort, Loving often refers to the team as a whole when it comes to finding ways to score. This has not gone unnoticed by teammates who share this sentiment and have nothing but good things to say about Loving.

    Lenox Loving passes a ball to her teammates during a scrimmage at practice on Sept. 25 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Junior Lexi Riggs has played with Loving the last two seasons and sees having her on the team as a benefit both in performance and in personality.

    “I think her athleticism is a huge advantage for our team,” Riggs said. “She just has a really good attitude and presence on the court. You never are down playing next to Lenox. She always is positive, good energy and she is just super athletic.”

    This sentiment is echoed by Loving’s teammate and roommate Juliana Bertolucci, who points to the difficult nature of the outside hitter position and how well Loving can handle the ball in tough situations.

    “She does well at bettering the ball,” Bertolucci said. “If there is someone that makes maybe not that great of a set or if there’s not that great of a pass she’s always ready to help out, and she’s always ready to make a better decision on the ball.”

    For Riggs, Loving’s athletic success this season is just one more reason why she’s special to the team.

    “I think she’s just such a great person,” Riggs said. “Everyone who knows Lenox knows she’s an awesome person and I think she’s a great athlete too. I mean, I can’t say enough. I love Lenox, she’s awesome. And we all do, It makes me super proud watching Lenox out there doing as great as she is.”

    • Lenox Loving waits for play to continue during a scrimmage at practice on Sept. 25 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Lenox Loving (center) stands with her teammates while listening to head coach Kelly Wood during practice on Sept. 25 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
    • Lenox Loving jumps up to spike a ball for a set play during a scrimmage at practice on September 25 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    For her coach and teammates, Loving’s current performance is one more step in what is possible for the sophomore with two full years of competition still ahead of her. With opponents beginning to try and lock her down more frequently, Wood remains confident that she will be able to grow even further as a player.

    “I’m so optimistic and hopeful to see what she’s able to do in these next couple of years,” Wood said. “Right now just all of a sudden, her confidence has appeared because she’s having the success she’s having, early on in our season.”

    With the team as such a big part of her life on and off the court, Loving attributes much of her personal achievement to the whole group showing how confidence in her teammates has allowed her to achieve such high point production on an individual level.

    “I wouldn’t have as many kills if weren’t for our defense and our setters,” Loving said. “Everyone on our team is so encouraging and I know that when I’m hitting, I feel confident that my back row can cover me. I’m confident that my setter is going to set me the sets that I need. It’s really nice having a team that I can just rely on so much and that has helped me succeed.”

  • Jacks Fall to Conference Leaders CSUSB

    Jacks Fall to Conference Leaders CSUSB

    HSU Volleyball hopes to rest up after losing to CSUSB 40-19

    The Humboldt State volleyball team saw their current homestand end Saturday night with a loss to the number-one-ranked team in the nation, Cal State San Bernardino.

    Outside hitter Summer Hansen knocks the ball across the net towards the opposition during Humboldt State’s match against CSUSB on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    The Jacks lost all three sets and were out-killed 40-19 by the Coyotes on a night where they struggled to find a way to crack CSUSB’s tall front line. Humboldt’s scoring leader for the night was sophomore Lenox Loving, who managed to put up eight kills. Loving was followed by Lexi Riggs and Summer Hansen who had four kills apiece.

    The Coyotes established the tempo of the match early on in the first set, scoring quickly and often. The Jacks were outworked on several occasions and were only able to score 10 points to CSUSB’s 25. Another contributing factor was a handful of unforced errors when it came to passing the ball, which resulted in giving up several scoring opportunities for the Jacks.

    Outside hitter Lenox Loving delivers a ball across the net during Humboldt State’s match against Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Coach Kelly Wood made some rotation adjustments throughout the second set. She hoped to help the team find a way past the Coyote’s tough defense. The changes had some success as the Jacks improved to 13 points but CSUSB still took the set with 25 points.

    In the final set of the evening, Humboldt State slightly improved as they moved up to 15 points, but CSUSB still took it with 25 points. The Jacks seemed determined to put up a fight, capitalizing on more scoring opportunities and maintaining a roughly five-point gap through the middle stages of the set before falling back.

    The Humboldt State volleyball team encourage each other after being scored on in their match against Cal State Bernardino at Lumberjack Arena on Sept. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Redshirt sophomore Carla Crespo recorded five digs for the Jacks. Crespo was disappointed that the Jacks didn’t perform better but made it clear that the team was strong enough to rebound from the loss.

    “I think our team is a really resilient team,” Crespo said. “We do whatever we can to try to support each other, we’re pretty close-knit. It can be hard when there’s a really good team, but I think we do a good job at playing together. We win together and we lose together.”

    Volleyball head coach Kelly wood talks with her players during a short time-out during Humboldt State’s match against Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    After the match Head Coach Kelly Wood felt that her team had been somewhat worn down by the Coyotes defense and she was slightly disappointed at the lack of change to effectively adapt to the pace of the game.

    “We were getting blocked a lot,” Wood said. “They were big, and they were a presence at the net. Our girls were kind of scratching their heads a little bit trying to figure out how to put balls away against them. It tends to wear on you a little bit when you’re getting blocked over and over, but I just want to see them stay aggressive, keep swinging high and mixing up shots here and there.”

    Outside hitter Lenox Love serves the ball during the third and final set during Humboldt State’s match against CSUSB on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    After a lengthy stint of games that saw the Jacks compete in four matches over seven days, Coach Wood hopes to use the week in between their next game to allow athletes to recover.

    “We haven’t had an opportunity to heal or just get through
    soreness because we’ve been on such a marathon of matches,” Wood said. “I’m
    excited for the girls to get some rest and come back strong next week.”

  • Q&A Meet the Athlete: Lauren Reid

    Q&A Meet the Athlete: Lauren Reid

    The Lumberjack catches up with Women’s Volleyball star Lauren Reid

    Lauren Reid is a 20 year old, third year volleyball player leading the Lady Jacks in kills this season. She is from Riverside, California and is majoring in Elementary Education here at Humboldt State.

    Q: Why did you choose that major?

    A: I was kind of torn actually between that and kinesiology, but I’ve been surrounded by kids my whole life. My mom runs her own daycare out of our home and she’s been doing that my whole life. I grew up around kids and I coached over the summer. Helping and learning is what I love to do, so I just took that into teaching in the classroom.

    Q: What grade would you teach?

    A: I wanted to do younger kids until last summer when some of the kids I was coaching had a little impact on that! It’s the attention span. I want to be able to get to know their personalities. It was kindergarten. But now it’s fourth grade, fifth grade, but for sure elementary.

    Q: What do you miss most about home?

    A: I miss the sun. I’ll take any sunny day any chance I get up here. I miss feeling like I’m at home. I miss the smell of pollution to be honest, and the sun. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. I miss my family for sure.

    Q: What restaurant would you bring up here to Humboldt from home?

    A: Ohhhh, only one? “B-Dubs,” I miss “B-Dubs” a lot. I could go “hammy” on some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings.

    Q: Is it just the wings? Or do you like hanging out with your friends?

    A: It was always just fun to eat there and we’ve had a few parties there too. It’s just an overall good place to have fun and get good food especially if you like sports. I would bring the whole environment up here to NorCal and bless them.

    Q: What do you like most about being here in Humboldt?

    A: I like that I can be independent. Granted, I love my family to death and love all my friends but I like living under my own roof and having my own rules has been a real go-taker for me. One of the reasons I wanted to move away from home was because I wanted to grow up and learn to do things on my own. Grocery shopping for yourself and paying bills or whatever it may be.

    Q: What do you dislike most about Humboldt?

    A: I dislike the weather. Extremely. It gets really, I don’t want to be dramatic, but it gets really depressing. When it gets cloudy and rainy for weeks at a time I get so depressed. The sun literally brings me joy. That and the distance. We’re kind of by ourselves and lonesome up here. I want to get out of here but I don’t want to have to drive five hours to do that. We’re on an island! We’re trapped!

    Q: What position do you play in volleyball?

    A: I’ve played right side for the last two years. I originally played left side in high school. But this year I finally get to play left side again and I’m really happy about that!

    Q: Did you come here to play volleyball?

    A: Yes, I did. I wouldn’t be here without volleyball. I actually didn’t even know Humboldt was a school until I heard that a Humboldt coach was recruiting me. In these last three years it’s taught me more than anything did in high school. I’m grateful that it brought me up here because I’ve met some of my best friends that will last a lifetime.

    Q: Are you a competitive player or an emotional player?

    A: People actually think I look really pissed off when I’m playing or unmotivated, but I’m actually very, very competitive. I just stay to myself and stay very focused.

    Q: You’re killing it on the court, but the team hasn’t won a game yet this season. How do you deal with personal success when the team isn’t excelling in the same ways?

    A: It’s tough when you’re doing your job and doing really well, but your team isn’t winning. You get to the end of the game and you’re like, damn, the team lost but I got this many kills or whatever. I guess I’ve been torn a few times this season. If we can get a couple people getting 10 to 15 kills per game, then we’ll be winning. It would be a game changer.

    Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

    A: I see myself done with college. I better be! Back home, for sure. And honestly hopefully teaching at the elementary school that I went to. I live half a mile from my elementary school. I mean, I won’t be living there anymore, hopefully I’ll be moved out by then! But I do love kids. So I hope that I can have a little baby bump or something, ya know? I really love kids and want to have them myself.

    Q: It’s time for my favorite question, who is your celebrity crush?

    A: I feel like I can’t just have one, but every time I see him on TV and in his music videos, I’m like, yeah, that’s the one. Maybe Drake!

    Q: Who is his competition?

    A: I only know their names in the show. Stefan and Damon from Vampire Diaries. But I don’t know their names, so I guess it goes to Drake!

     

  • Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Football

    No. 16-ranked Humboldt State was unable to overcome a 28-point deficit as it fell to No. 7 Central Washington 42-28 Saturday in Redwood Bowl.

    The Lumberjacks finish the season with a 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

    “Let’s give credit to Central Washington, they are the best team in the GNAC – that’s clear,” said Head Coach Rob Smith. “Today they were much better than we were, much better prepared and much better coached.”

    Senior running back Ja’Quan Gardner got the Jacks on the board before halftime with a run that found the end zone from three yards out with 14 seconds on the clock. Gardner was stiffled by the Central Washington defensed, he finished the game with 11 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown.

    HSU fought back in the second half. Davaeon Johnson picked off Central Washington QB Reilly Hennessey on the first drive of the half, he returned the pick 77 yards for a touchdown. Next possession a double pass with senior Chase Krivashei caught the Wildcats off guard. A 37 yards to a wide open Jamere Austin brought the game within 14 points.

    “Our kids weren’t going to roll over,” said Smith. “I told them at halftime we have two choices, respond or roll over, and we responded in that third quarter.”

    JacksBall got one more score with its senior led duo of Webber and Gardner. A 19-yard touchdown pass from Webber to Gardner brought the score to 42-28. Webber threw for 300-yards.

    “We are 8-2 and that is a very successful season,” said Smith. “These 24 seniors that end their career today – what a special group they are.”

    The Jacks honored their 24 seniors during pregame ceremonies, and 5,467 fans were on hand for the regular season finale.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball ended the West Region Crossover Classic play at 0-2 with a 54-50 loss to Western Washington Saturday afternoon.

    Jovanah Arrington led the Jacks with 13 points off the bench. Sophomore Tyla Turner like Arrington had double digit points with 11 and a team-high six rebounds and three assists.

    HSU returns to Lumberjack Arena Wednesday to play Notre Dame de Namur in a non – conference game, tipoff is at 7 p.m.

    Saturday they play on ESPN3 facing archrival Chico State.

    Men’s Basketball

    Humboldt State’s men’s basketball team will host its 2017-18 home opener Monday night against Pacific Union at 6 p.m. at Lumberjack Arena.

    The Jacks won its first game of the year, a 90-81 win over Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) this past weekend, the team dropped it’s two next games in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic, falling to Saint Leo 66-65 and Upper Iowa 60-55.

    Tyras Rattler Jr. led the Jacks with 22 points against Palm Beach Atlantic. He scored 14 points against Saint Leo.. Colin Caslick scored 11 points to lead the Jacks versus Upper Iowa.

    “The most positive thing about our basketball team right now is our depth,” said the coach. “We played every guy in every game and everybody had a contribution. Outside of Tyras, we don’t have one particular player who’s scoring a lot of points. It’s spread-out and we’re sharing the ball well.”

    Cross Country

    Junior Tatiana Gillick has earned an at-large bid to represent Humboldt State at the 2017 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

    This will be Gillick’s first NCAA DII Cross Country Championships appearance.

    The championship will be at the Angel’s Mound in Evansville, Ind., on Sat., Nov. 18. She finished in eighth place at regionals, and she completed the 6k race with a time of 21:30.0.

    Gillick helped the Jacks to a ninth place finish at regionals in Monmouth, Ore, two weekends ago and was awarded All-Region honors for her performance.

    Volleyball

    On senior night where the jacks honored their six seniors prior to the game,

    Humboldt State volleyball lost to Cal Poly Pomona in straight sets Saturday night in Lumberjack Arena.

    The loss moves the Green and Gold to 3-21 overall and 2-16 in conference play to end the 2017 campaign.

    Freshman Lauren Reid led the Jacks with seven kills. Redshirt Freshman Kayla Costello had a season-high 14 assists. Junior Sarah Shively finished with a team-high 15 digs and two aces.

  • Jacks Sports

    Jacks Sports

    By | Keaundrey Clark

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    Football

    After a season that saw Humboldt State Football go 6-5, the Jacks have rebounded and are sitting in second place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and 4-1 overall. Even with a recent loss to Central Washington, the Jacks boast the conference’s best offense averaging close to 47 points per game and over 500-yards a game.

    In the backfield All-American, running back Ja’Quan Murphy is having another strong season with 664-yards and seven touchdowns. His 132-yards a game is top 10 in Division Two.

    Quarterback Robert Webber leads the conference in passing with 17 touchdowns and 70 percent completion percentage.

    It’s been a season of greatness for the Jacks. Players like sophomore Davaeon Johnson have a night to remember with a three interception game versus Chadron State. He took one back for a touchdown. Johnson’s three interceptions tied a Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-game record. Wide receiver John Todd had a 225-yard performance against Western Oregon. He has a 90-yard catch and run which is the second longest play in school history.

    LSMensSoccer1.jpg

    Men’s Soccer

    After starting 6-1 and scoring at a torrant pace, the Jacks have gone on a four game losing streak.

    Leading this team in points is Junior, Francisco Caldron. He has 4 goals on the year. Junior Christopher Cherms has done well in the net with 46 saves

    Women’s Soccer

    Humboldt State women’s soccer has bounced back from last season where they won four games total. Sitting at 6-5-1 and 2-4-1 in conference, the Jacks have been led by Junior Alex Jenkins who has six goals on the year. Sophomore, Katelin Talbert has done a great job in the net with 51 saves so far this year.

    This week the Jacks host UC San Diego at 12:30 p.m. on Friday and Cal State San Marcos at 11:30 a.m.

    Cross Country

    The Humboldt State men’s and women’s cross country teams have been dominating so far this year.

    The men’s team finishing in second place in the Humboldt State Invitational. A trip to San Francisco for the Gator Invite saw the Jacks get a top five finish. In Salem, Oregon for the Charles Bowles/Willamette Invite the Jacks got a 10th place finish. Down south in San Diego the Jacks got a fourth place finish at the Triton Classic.

    The women’s team is one of the best in the west coast. They started the season with a first place win in the Humboldt State Invitational. A trip to San Francisco for the Gator Invite saw the Jacks get a second place finish. In Salem, Oregon for the Charles Bowles/Willamette Invite the Jacks got a first place victory. Down South in San Diego the Jacks got a fourth place finish at the Triton Classic.

    The Jacks have been led by Annie Roberts. She was named the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s Runner of the Week earlier in the season.

    They have received national attention for its success this season. The Lumberjacks are currently ranked seventh in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association West Region Rankings and are receiving votes in the national poll.

    Volleyball

    When a team is on a losing streak, team cohesion and chemistry can be lost. The Lumberjacks volleyball squad is not one of those teams.

    Sophomore, outside hitter, Lauren Reid has been incredible for the Jacks. With 175 kills, that lands her in the top 10 in the conference. She averages almost three kills per set. Senior Alex Lolland has 155 kills second on the team for the Jacks.

    Senior middle blocker Janelle Ayala is top 10 in the conference in blocks with 55.

  • Lumberjacks early-season struggles continue

    Lumberjacks early-season struggles continue

    When a team is on a losing streak, team cohesion and chemistry can be lost. The Lumberjacks volleyball squad is not one of those teams.

    Despite losing their eighth straight game to the Sonoma State Seawolves at Lumberjack Arena on Friday night 3-1, team morale remained high. Senior setter Jessi Lammers led the team with 28 assists and feels the team has remained focused during these rough times._MG_4419

    “We really depend on looking inward toward each other,” Lammers said. “We ignore the crowd and ignore the other side of the net and just look to the girls that play next to you.”

    The first set of the match was the most competitive, with each team going on big runs. The Jacks held the lead throughout but lost control of the set when the Seawolves tied it up at 24 and proceeded to score four of the next five points.

    HSU exhibited their true potential in the second set by going on four, five, and seven point runs, dominating the set and winning 25-13. Jacks senior middle blocker Janelle Ayala showed why she should be on the court as much as possible by making several smart plays in the team’s only set won.

    The Jacks starting lineup is not yet set in stone, but assistant coach Greg Railsback believes they are close to finding the right mix for team success.

    “Our last two games, we’ve been playing with more mental intensity and energy,” Railsback said. “We’ve been starting to play with a little more belief.”_MG_4326

    The road is a long one but the team and coaches have faith that they can still turn this season around. The team must cut down on costly mistakes and mental blunders. Jacks head coach Kelly Wood wants the team to have stronger finishes in their later sets.

    “We have this tendency to just drop off and play really inconsistently in the fourth set,” Wood said. “We had 14 errors between hitting and serving. We’re not gonna beat anybody making 14 errors.”

    The Jacks look to get back in the win column against San Francisco State Saturday, Sep. 23. First serve is at 7 p.m. at Lumberjack Arena. HSU students, faculty, and staff get in free with campus ID.

     

  • Jacks win big in home opener

    Jacks win big in home opener

    The Lumberjacks’ women’s volleyball team opened its season at home with a bang on Thursday, Aug. 31, handling the Academy of Art Urban Knights 3-1(25-17, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21).

    Alex Lolland, senior and outside hitter, had a night to remember on what was also her 21st birthday. Lolland had a team high 16 kills. Six of them came in a crucial period when the Lumberjacks were in danger of losing a second straight set.

    LSvolleyball1
    Alex Lolland going towards the ball in the HSU Lumberjacks Arena on Thursday, August 31st. | Photo by Lauren Shea

    Humboldt’s use of the drop shot was evident in the first two sets as they repeatedly were able to fool the opposing teams blockers with smart plays, great digs and teamwork. The team won by a combined 18 points in overall set play.

    “I used to be a big hitter that used to go up and swing at everyone, but you have to realize between a big fancy swing versus an easy tip is a point-to-point,” Lolland said. “Coach Kelly and Greg have definitely been implementing that in me to be a wiser player.”

    The Academy of Art settled down in the third set from what looked like early game jitters and rallied behind strong serving and defense at the net. The Lumberjacks were able to keep the set competitive and went up 20-18, but the Urban Knights held their composure and closed it out on a 7-2 run, winning the third set 25-22.

    LSvolleyball2
    Lauren Reid and Savannah Horton block a spike from Academy of Art in the HSU Lumberjacks Arena on Thursday, August 31st. | Photo by Lauren Shea

    Knights head coach, Ray Batalon wants his team to start doing the small things right early in the season.

    “We were pretty tentative in the first two sets,” Batalon said. “Once we started to serve a little more aggressively and force Humboldt into some bad situations it gave us a few more opportunities.”

    The fourth set remained a competitive one as both teams were fighting to keep their record clean in the first game of the season. The Lumberjacks rallied with a 7-1 run but the Knights quickly responded with a 6-1 run of their own. Tied 19-19, HSU was able to close out the set on a 6-2 run giving the team (1-0) its first victory of the season.

    Senior setter, Jessica Lammers, and junior setter, Taylor Yancey, each finished with over 20 assists on the night. Lammers and senior libero, Nicole Bianchi, had 13 digs a piece.

    HSU head coach, Kelly Wood, is happy with the result of the home opener but knows there is still work to be done.

    “In those first two sets we played really well but Academy of Art gave us a lot of our points in those first two sets but we were playing very well on our side of the net,” Wood said. “Playing at a consistent level throughout every set is something that will make us very hard to beat.”

    LSVolleyball4
    Alex Lolland spikes the ball to the other team Academy of Art in the HSU Lumberjacks Arena on Thursday, August 31st. | Photo by Lauren Shea

    HSU and Academy of Art meet up for the rematch Friday Sep. 1 at Lumberjack Arena. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. and HSU students, faculty and staff receive free admission with campus ID.