Cowgirls open four-match homestand this week

* University of Wyoming athletics media relations release

LARAMIE -- The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team begins a four-match homestand this week as the Cowgirls welcome San Jose State and Nevada to town November 4 and 6, respectively. Both matches are slated for a 6:30 p.m., first serve.

Wyoming (13-11, 5-7 MW) is coming off a pair of road losses last week, falling at New Mexico in three and Air Force in four sets. Naya Shimé and Hailey Zuroske both led the Cowgirl offense in the two matches with 19 kills each. Meanwhile defensively, Jackie McBride tallied eight total blocks to lead UW in that category while Erika Jones averaged five digs per set.

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During league play this season, McBride ranks fifth in the Mountain West with a .368 hitting percentage and is hitting .333 overall for the season. McBride is also on the verge of Cowgirl history as she is just two sets away from surpassing Erin Kirby (2011-14) for the most sets played in program history. McBride has currently appeared in 477 career sets.

In league-only matches this season, Shimé ranks third in the league in kills per set (3.68) and fifth in points per (3.99). In the back row, Jones currently ranks third-best in the MW averaging 4.09 digs per set and is 10^th averaging .33 service aces per on the season.

San Jose State enters Thursday's match having won six consecutive matches. The Spartans have a trio of student-athletes that rank 5th-7th in the league in kills per set as Latahevai Lousi (3.47, 5th), Haylee Nelson (3.42, 6th) and Amethyst Harper (3.37, 7th) are all in the top 10. That trio also rank 5th-7th, respectively in points per set as well.

Two Spartans lead the league in their respective statistical categories as Mia Schafer leads the Mountain West in assists per set at 10.58 per. Sarah Smevog leads the league in digs this season at 4.47 per set. SJSU leads the league in service aces per set at 1.90 and is second in the conference overall in both assists (12.21) and digs (15.01) per set.

Sydney Petersen ranks eighth-best in the conference in hitting percentage with a .340 clip. Andrea Alcaraz ranks fifth in the league in assists per set at 7.57 and Kaila Spevak ranks fifth in digs per set with 3.62.

Nevada ranks sixth in the league in total digs at 12.78 per set, while its 1.38 service aces per is eighth-best in the Mountain West.

The Cowgirls defeated both San Jose and Nevada on the road back in early October. UW rallied to win a five-set thriller over the Spartans and swept the Wolf Pack.

Thursday night against SJSU will feature a UW knit beanie giveaway to fans in attendance while supplies last. The match will also be Youth Volleyball Night at the UniWyo, as kids and parents can get into the match for $5.

Saturday’s match will once again feature the $5 ticket promotion for fans that attend both the UW football game and UW volleyball match. Fans that present their football ticket at the door can attend the volleyball match for just $5.