Volleyball Opens 2023 Season at UCI/Adidas Invitational

IRVINE, Calif. – The University of San Francisco volleyball team opens the 2023 season on the road when it heads to Southern California to compete in the UCI/Adidas Invitational at the Bren Events Center.

San Francisco opens the tournament with two neutral-site contests, starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 25, against Seton Hall. The Dons follow with a matchup against New Mexico at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 26 and close out the tournament against host UC Irvine at noon on Sunday, August 27.

MATCH 1 DETAILS:
Date: Friday, August 25
Time: 3 p.m.
Opponent: Seton Hall
Site: Bren Events Center
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Live Stats: SIDEARM

MATCH 2 DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, August 26
Time: 1 p.m.
Opponent: New Mexico
Site: Bren Events Center
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Live Stats: SIDEARM

MATCH 3 DETAILS:
Date: Sunday, August 27
Time: Noon
Opponent: UC Irvine
Site: Bren Events Center
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM

DONS AT A GLANCE:

San Francisco is coming off a successful 2022 season where the team earned the most wins in a season since recording 17 in 2015.
The Dons kick off the 2023 campaign with 10 returning players from a season ago while also welcoming eight newcomers who look to propel the Dons to another strong season.
2022 WCC Honorable Mention and All-Freshman honoree Abby Wadas returns after leading the Dons defensively last season. Leading the team and ranking third in the league last season with 414 total digs, Wadas became the first Don to compile at least 400 digs in a season since Anna Dalla Vecchia in 2019.
Maria Petkova, who finished second on the team with 317.0 total points and 270 total kills, and Aylen Ayub, who led the Dons with 656 total assists, will also return to the Hilltop.

SCOUTING THE PIRATES:

Members of the Big East Conference, Seton Hall earned a seventh-place finish in the conference standings with a 15-15 record while recording six league wins a season ago.
Jenna Walsh, entering her third season with the team, led the Pirates offensively during the 2022 season, compiling 345 kills. Walsh earned the team's first weekly award since 2016, when she was named Big East Offensive Player of the Week on October 3 after registering 46 total kills against Georgetown and Villanova.
As a team, the Pirates ranked fourth in the Big East with 1.55 aces per set last season. Asli Subasili led the team and ranked fourth in the conference with 42 service aces.

SCOUTING THE LOBOS:

Recording a winning season for the second-consecutive season, New Mexico accumulated a 17-12 record and finished in fifth place in the Mountain West Conference standings at the conclusion of the 2022 season.
A solid defensive team last season, the Lobos ranked fourth in the Mountain West in total blocks with 266.5 while holding opponents to just a .171 hitting percentage.
Despite the strong defensive season, New Mexico lost its two best defenders to graduation. Avital Jaloba, a graduate student middle blocker, led the league in blocks per set (1.26), while Alena Moldan, a senior libero, led the conference in total digs (502) and digs per set (4.29).

SCOUTING THE ANTEATERS:

UC Irvine posted a 20-10 record during the 2022 season, earning a fifth-place finish in the Big West Conference standings.
Marianna Bertolone returns as the Anteater's top offensive weapon from a season ago, averaging 2.15 kills per set while playing in 111 sets.
Coming off an impressive freshman campaign, Campbell Jensen was named to the Big West All-Freshman team and earned Freshman of the Week accolades three times last season.

TRACK THE ACTION:
Sunday's match against UC Irvine will air live on ESPN+ at game time. San Francisco's match against Seton Hall and New Mexico will not be broadcasted. Live streaming and live statistics links are available above and via the team's schedule page.

SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor - Provident Credit Union - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.

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Players Mentioned

Aylen Ayub

Maria Petkova

Abby Wadas

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