The Matadors (16-13) wrapped up their best season in seven years with a non-conference sweep over visiting Air Force (3-27) Friday afternoon at the Matadome. CSUN, for the most part, made quick work of the Falcons in the first two sets before having to rally back in the third to get its sixth home sweep of the season. The Matadors were up 9-5 in the final frame before Air Force turned the tables on them and outscored them 18-11 to… Read more

With the game already in the bag Saturday night, the Matadors’ focus shifted from “let’s get this over with” to “let’s have our seniors get this over with.” Ahead 24-19 in the third set of its last Big West Conference game of the year against Cal Poly and having had its prior two kill attempts blocked, CSUN took a timeout to set up a definitive senior-to-senior game-winner. Setter Sam Orlandini lobbed it up. Outside hitter Una Siljegovic put it down,… Read more

CSUN setter Sydney Gedryn declined comment as she was consoled by her parents outside the Matadome. Casey Hinger, the vocal CSUN middle blocker, also passed on sharing her postgame thoughts. It was all very understandable Friday, a night that started out like a Jason Vorhees movie and began to turn into a Katy Perry song right before UC Santa Barbara proceeded to rip the Matadors’ hearts out with a 3-2 win. The Matadors (14-13, 8-7 Big West) fought back from… Read more

The Matadors (14-12, 8-6 Big West) plan to keep their hopes of finishing in second place in the Big West Conference alive as they once again face the Gauchos (16-11, 9-5) Friday night at the Matadome. The teams faced off on Nov. 9 with UC Santa Barbara coming up with the 3-0 victory and knocking CSUN a game back in the standings. While Long Beach State (19-6, 13-2) has first place locked up, the Matadors could finish alone in second… Read more

Santa Barbara – Trailing 1-0 and down 23-17 in the second set, CSUN decided it was time to make its move Wednesday night at the Thunderdome.The Matadors scored four of the next five points, drawing them within 24-21 of UC Santa Barbara. Then they got a block, making the Gauchos cringe on the floor at the thought of a possible collapse. The cringing didn’t last long, however. The block was waved off almost immediately due to a touch of the net… Read more

CSUN outside hitter Mahina Haina was having one miserable game and referee Rick Olmstead wasn’t helping her state of mind. With the Matadors leading 1-0 and ahead 26-25 in the second set of their Saturday night match-up against Pacific, CSUN setter Sydney Gedryn put down an apparent set-winning point to the opposite side’s deep corner. Haina, her teammates and most of the Matadome started to celebrate. Olmstead, however, blew his whistle, called the hit out of bounds and overturned the… Read more

Following the Matadors’ 3-0 dismantling of 20-win Big West Conference rival UC Davis at the Matadome, CSUN head coach Jeff Stork was asked about the ease with which the his team repelled the Aggies Friday night. His response made it seem like the remarkable night was just another day at the office for CSUN (12-11, 6-5 Big West). “Not surprised at all,” Stork said of his Matadors hitting a blistering season-high .465 and dominating UC Davis thoroughly. CSUN blasted the… Read more

With only six league games left in the season, the Matadors are part of a clump of teams fighting behind Long Beach State to earn a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers (16-6, 10-2 Big West) are quite a bit ahead of everyone else in the conference, however. “It’s no secret that Long Beach is a really great team,” said CSUN middle blocker Casey Hinger, whose team fell to the 49ers, 3-0, Saturday. Long Beach State’s 3.5-game lead over… Read more

CSUN had a golden opportunity to make its greedy weekend hopes a reality. Trailing 2-0 to Big West Conference leader Long Beach State Saturday night, the Matadors came out in the third set ready to give the 49ers and their Walter Pyramid fans a run for their money and got off to 10-5 lead. The advantage, the biggest of the night for the Matadors, gave them belief they could stretch the game and make it a long night for the… Read more