CSUN Sweeps 19th-Ranked Fresno State

Dawn Krenik cannot help but look up when she peers across the net--it goes with the territory when you are a 5-foot-7 outside hitter playing Division I volleyball.

But what the Cal State Northridge junior lacks in height, she more than makes up in hang time. Tuesday night at CSUN, Krenik and the rest of the Matador women’s volleyball team soared to a convincing 16-14, 15-7, 15-13 nonconference sweep of 19th-ranked Fresno State.

Krenik, the smallest player on the court, led all players with 10 kills as Northridge improved to 10-8 and kept its playoff hopes alive.

“We just ran our basic offense and it seemed to work,” said Krenik, who finished with seven digs and two aces. “I’ve been playing back row for a long time and I just love the opportunity (to play outside hitter).”

Krenik was supported by teammates Patty Fitzsimmons (nine kills, eight digs), Karen Scholl (seven kills, 20 digs) and Nancy Nicholls (six kills, seven blocks) as CSUN held the injury-plagued Bulldogs to a .090 hitting percentage.

The loss dropped Fresno State to 15-6, but the Bulldogs might want to attach an asterisk to this one.

Both freshman outside hitter Paola Paz Soldan, the leading hitter in the nation with a 5.9 kills-per-game average, and starting setter Jenny Streltzoff did not play because of an illness and a sprained ankle, respectively. Both are expected to return later this week.

“That’s a very significant handicap for them,” Northridge Coach Walt Ker said. “(But) we’ll take a win over a 19th-ranked team regardless of who’s playing.”

In the first game, Northridge squandered an early lead only to rally in the face of game point behind the inspired play of Krenik.

With Fresno State leading, 14-13, Krenik capped a furious exchange by both teams with a kill to give Northridge the sideout.

After serving, she provided a clutch dig to set up a score-tying kill by Fitzsimmons. Seizing the momentum, Krenik gave Northridge the lead with an ace serve and Fitzsimmons followed moments later with a block on game point.

“She attacks the ball with a lot of vigor,” Ker said of Krenik. “She’s very explosive.”

In the second game, Northridge continued to apply the pressure on offense as Krenik and Nicholls helped CSUN build a comfortable 10-1 lead en route to the win.

CSUN, which dropped all three games in last week’s Maryland Invitational tournament because of inconsistent play, appeared to let up momentarily in game three before Ker called a rare timeout after a Northridge point put the Matadors ahead, 9-7.

“We can look really good at times, but that’s not consistent enough,” Ker said.

Fresno State managed to tie the score, 11-11, and, 13-13, but Nicholls followed a sideout point with a block and Scholl recorded an ace on match point.