The Tampa Bay Rays’ path into the 2011 MLB playoffs was one of the most exciting runs baseball fans ever witnessed. Erasing a nine-game deficit in the standings in less than a month to storm into the postseason, the Rays’ comeback won over haters while breaking the collapsing Red Sox fans’ hearts into pieces. A marathon of 162 games. A rally for the ages. The biggest storyline of the regular season fulfilled. But a couple days later, the Rays were… Read more

Sets No. 2 and 3 of Saturday night’s Big West Conference match between CSUN and UC Davis were very similar: the Matadors got behind early, then, carried by opposite hitter Mahina Haina, chopped at the Aggies’ lead little by little until the game became a matter of wills into the 20′s. Unfortunately for CSUN, which had lost at Pacific a night before, the Aggies came out winners in both occasions, sealing a 3-0 win at Hickey Gym that sent the… Read more

The CSUN women’s volleyball team (8-8, 2-2 Big West) responded strongly following a first-set loss and looked like it’d take the lead in the third against Pacific at the Spanos Center, but a furious comeback by the Tigers (11-7, 2-3) proved to be too much as the Matadors dropped a 3-1 Big West Conference decision Friday night. Following a 25-22 loss in the first set, Northridge answered with a determined second set and won 25-17 to even up the match…. Read more

When asked about the Matadors’ chances for their next game, Friday at Pacific, CSUN middle blocker Casey Hinger gave her usual self-assured forecast. “I have total confidence in our team’s ability to take down (Pacific),” Hinger said. The statement was no shocker. Confidence is one thing Hinger’s never lacked, and if anyone in the Matador locker room was ever short in team belief, CSUN’s Saturday win over defending Big West Conference champion Cal State Fullerton in straight sets should have… Read more

It had been three times this season the Matadors had partly looked like a championship-contending team at home only to end up crumbling under the pressure and superior play of their opponents. It was beginning to look like that again on Saturday night at the Matadome against the defending Big West Conference champion Titans. This time, however, CSUN (8-7, 2-1 Big West) “rose to the occasion.” “It’s the greatest feeling, being the underdog, people aren’t expecting that from you,” CSUN… Read more

Before the Matadors headed to Riverside for their Big West Conference opening game against the Highanders, CSUN freshman Casey Hinger did some mild smack talk. “I can’t wait to go beat them,” she said. Hinger backed up her talk by putting down eight kills to help CSUN (7-6, 1-0 Big West) sweep UC Riverside on Saturday at the UCR Student Recreation Center. It was the Matadors’ third consecutive win overall against the Highlanders. Still a Valencia-High star last year, Hinger… Read more

Having lost two straight games heading into Big-West-Conference play does not seem to faze the Matadors (6-6). CSUN dropped games to UCLA and BYU last week, but the setbacks apparently didn’t do much to diminish its players’ confidence. Freshman middle blocker Casey Hinger is actually quite certain their next game, on the road against UC Riverside, will be a win. “We’re fighting hard and that’s what counts,” Hinger said following CSUN’s 3-1 home loss to BYU on Saturday. “I can’t… Read more