The Beach down 2 sets to Cal Poly.

The Aggies take 3 straight from the Anteaters in Irvine. Tonight's Long Beach-Cal Poly match in SLO sure to be of interest to Coach Dan Connors and his team.

Sort of pulling for The Beach, since Cal Poly holds the tie-breakers over Davis. Either way, the tie for 2nd place will broken.

I couldn't go to today's game due to previous appointments. It was great to come out of lunch and see the final score.

Looks from the box score that the starters were lights out and that Lender and Ersdala did just enough. Hope we get some of the walking wounded back soon, or that Davis and Tsami get to the point where Gross feel they can play more minutes.

HUGE weekend for the Aggies. UCD needs to take care of business at UC Irvine on Friday and at Fullerton on Saturday. Long Beach travels to Cal Poly on Friday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. Davis winning both road matches could solidify possession of 1st place.

Idaho's win over Washington State looks like a very physical game - 53 called fouls, evenly divided. And Idaho went hard to the offensive glass - 20 boards there. The Vandals won it at the line: +4 there to offset -1 from 2 pt range. Not much D by either team - both were 40% or better both overall and from beyond the arc.

I think we'll play better team defense, - we defended them well last year, even though Mazzie missed the game. And we'll need to protect our defensive glass - again, we did last year. Beyond that, Norris needs to stay out of foul trouble, especially early. Finally, the bench is a question mark...beginning with who'll be available, and how healthy they'll be. Losing Sahana really hurts the rotation, especially if we're still short-handed. Our bench out-scored theirs 23-4 last year.

Worst case scenario, we soundly lose a game that, if healthy, would have been winnable, but the freshmen and Tsami get lots of minutes, which should be a plus in the long run, this season and beyond.

Thank you! Very kind!
However, I already spend too much time on my computer, like another contributor said on a different thread recently. As a retired AP Lit & Comp teacher, I tend to go down the rabbit hole with my posts. :>(

Also, we have grandkids spread out from Foresthill to Alameda (grades 4 - 12). Most have 1 or more activities or sports, and we try to attend as many as possible. That takes up much time. At least, Davis is pretty centrally located. For most it's admittedly just being present. But a couple seem to be pretty talented - one 9th grade granddaughter does theatre and is in the ACT youth program and the Lesher Center rep company. A 7th grade granddaughter plays soccer and is going to Spain with a travel club over Thanksgiving to play in Surf Cup International - Salou 2025.

Plus my wife actually expects me to interact with her and do things around the house! Imagine that! LOL. Best part of my day, actually.

So gotta pick my spots with AST. I finished my HS coaching with girls teams, and it was lots of fun. So gravitated there with Aggie teams.

Post mortem -

Overall, except for the injury a good opener against a weak opponent. Got to go against players who didn't know them and the scheme. Freshmen and transfers got to see where they need to grow. Gonna get tougher quickly vs. Idaho, which beat Washington State yesterday.

1 ) The DNP's - Apparently Vic Baker injured an ankle; hopefully back soon. Ally Fitzgerald apparently was an active participant during the scrimmage at the Kick-Off event on Sunday, so maybe a precaution in a meaningless game, or her back acting up? Helen Matthews was All Defensive team as junior in the SoCon, sat out a year with injury and came back last season. Made the SoCon All Tournament team. Injured her shoulder during the finals of the SoCon tournament. So yes, good!! Hopefully all back soon.

2) Sahana Kanagasabay looked pretty good prior to her injury - like she would be a definite contributor off the bench, especially on defense. Quick, fast and aggressive. I think she re-injured the same knee she hurt as a freshman at Providence. Looked like it went out as she went up for a layup in the first half. Was sitting on the end of the bench for awhile in the early 2nd half. Pretty sure she's done. Just crushed watching it unfold.

3) Teoni Tsami seems to be on a minutes restriction as she works back from her knee surgery. Looked rusty and not confident of her knee, especially after Sahana went down. Understandable.

4) Ryann Bennett looks ready to be a force, both offensively and defensively. Obvious time spent on her body as well as her game. Physically a whole new look. Agree with Oldbandalum that she takes the offense to a different level.

5) Megan Norris is another who looks a little more muscular. After one dumb foul, had a solid game and stopped swinging at shots trying to block them.. Just went straight up and rejected a bunch. Missed some layups, or would have hade 20+.

6) Nya Epps was her usual dominant defensive player. Offense is still looks like it will be streaky. Wish Nya would more consistently finish at the basket. But looking to contribute more at that end.

7) Avery Sussex is another who looks like she worked on her conditioning in the off season. Moved much better on defense than at anytime last year. Seemed very focused on taking care of the ball (didn't force passes), executing what Jen Gross wanted on the offensive end and playing within the offense. As that becomes more instinctive, I think she'll play more in rhythm. Showed more comfort directing teammates and and "being in charge" than last season. She and Bennett obviously like playing together and seem to be building a rapport. Huge going forward.

8) Tegan Young was solid, and like Sussex will be even better once the Aggie offensivee and defensive schemes become more instinctive. She rebounds and looked for her shot more as the game went on.

9) With Sahana going down, Tsami being on a minutes restriction, and depending on the injury situation with Baker, Fitzgerald and Matthews, the freshman will need to contribute immediately. Again I agree with Oldbandalum that Emmy Ersdala and Sophie Lentfer impressed, albeit against weak competition - 10 pts, 9 boards, 4 assists between them. Both had time in both front and backcourt. Obviously still thinking through situations, but generally good decision-making. Lenfer especially looks like a young filly still figuring out movement.
Carrington Davis was surprisingly the last player off the bench - considering that her HS pedigree tracked Ryann Bennet's very closely. She does play behind Bennett, Epps and Sussex, while Ersdala and Lentfer can also play up front due to size. Still Lentfer was the first freshman guard off the bench. Showed more her second shift.

In related news, Bria Shine started for UC Riverside vs. Cal Baptist - 28 minutes, 7 boards, 3 assists in a losing cause. Getting to play and have her master's degree paid for. Go Bria!!
Clara Glad started for Eastern Illinois vs. Drake, also a loss - 30 minutes, 11 points 3 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals.

The Aggies closed the book on a tough debut season for Coach Kat Mertz with a 1-nil victory over UC Riverside. Inheriting a seriously depleted squad following the departure of previous coach, Traci Joyner, who several key players and recruits with her to Oregon, Davis was never able to kick-start the offense. Further hampering Mertz's efforts was the lack of experience of those players who did return from the 2024 squad.

With 8 recruits currently in the 2026 class - hopefully a strong group despite a late start in that regard - and the experience gained this season by most of the squad - kudos to Mertz for giving almost everyone significant minutes - the rebuild can start in earnest next season.

After a loss to Cal Poly ended one winning streak, the Aggies started a new one with an emphatic sweep of UC Riverside on Tuesday, followed by a tougher 3-1 match against Hawaii. Coach Dan Connors squad now has a 10-day break to rest and prepare for the stretch run. Davis is a game ahead of both Val Poly and The Beach, and 2 up on Santa Barbara.

Go Ags!

If the Griz were "Pandas", what will the Age be called?

Outstanding!

This guy has been pretty realistic about Sac State's FBS ambitions from the beginning, and I usually agree with his take. But I really doubt that going FBS would add value to a CSUS degree, particularly outside CA. For either a prospective student, or for a CSUS graduate. Especially in the short run.

I can see that SUCCESSFULLY going FBS - which means:

• winning seasons year after year,

• being competitive in bowl game appearances

• seeing on TV an enthusiastic student body attending football and basketball games

would eventually raise Sac State's visibility and encourage out-of-state students to look at the school's academic programs. Especially those that are really good, like the jazz degree. But the out of state tuition would still discourage many from following through.

Maybet his source was a guy named 'Wood'?

Yeah…that would’ve been a bad fashion statement when playing a school from an actual cowboy state.

100%. Joe Davidson seems to have hopped on the GO-GO bandwagon.

I didn’t watch the game, but I’m curious if Brennan wore his cowboy hat?

Everything out of Sacramento recently leans heavily into some version of “…it takes time to get 71 new players on the same page…” refrain. Sure a different tune than what was being played earlier. Maybe up through the Nevada loss?

[Edit] Isn’t getting all your players why Sac pays their SEC-sized coaching staff all that money? Wonder how many of those heads roll at the end of the season?

UCD takes down Santa Barbara in 5 sets. Davis came back from a set down (twice), fighting off 4 match points in the 4th set.

Also got an assist from CSUN, who defeated 2nd place Long Beach, also in 5 sets.

UCD as a Buick turnaround for the next game, traveling to Cal Poly for a Saturday afternoon contest.

GO AGS!!

Big match at home on Thursday vs. Santa Barbara, currently tied with Cal Poly for 3rd (6-2 BW, 14-6 overall).

UCD takes down CSU Bakersfield in straight sets to improve to 7-0 in conference, 11-4 overall. Quick turnaround for a 6PM start tomorrow night at CSUN. The Matadors are currently 5th in the Big West at 3-3, 10-7 overall. Definitely a tougher matchup than the last place Roadrunners (1-6 BW, 4-15 overall).

GO AGS!!