Aug. 23, 2017 SJSU/USF TournamentScheduleFriday, August 25Spartan Gym in Yosh Uchida Hall(corner of 4th and San Carlos)2:00 p.m. - Pepperdine vs. Utah Valley4:30 p.m. - Fresno State vs. Utah Valley7:00 p.m. - San José State vs. PepperdineSaturday, August 26War Memorial at the Sobrato Center, San Francisco11:30 a.m. - Fresno State at San Francisco2:00 p.m. - Nevada vs. Utah Valley4:30 p.m. - Pepperdine vs. Fresno State7:00 p.m. - San José State at San Francisco
Admission is free to all matches at San José State. San Francisco is charging admission.
Live stats - www.sjsuspartans.com (all matches)
Live video - www.sjsuspartans.com/videos (Last two matches only)
The San José State volleyball team opens the 2017 season this weekend by hosting three matches of the SJSU/USF Tournament on Friday inside Spartan Gym. The Spartans welcome Pepperdine, Fresno State and Utah Valley to the San José State campus. Admission to all matches is free at San José State.
On Saturday, all of the action shifts to San Francisco for four matches. San José State concludes the tournament by playing San Francisco in the final match at 7 p.m.
This is the first meeting between San José and Pepperdine since the 1994 season. The Waves lead the overall series 8-3, but the Spartans won the last meeting 3-1.
The Spartans hold a 31-8 advantage in the all-time series against San Francisco, but the Dons had won the past four meetings and six of the last eight. The Spartans last won, 3-2, to open the season in 2004.
San José State opens the season with five starters and nine letterwinners and the libero returning from the 2016 team. That team finished the season with a 12-18 overall record.
Senior middle blocker Nandyala Gama returns already etching herself into the San José State career record book. An honorable mention All-Mountain West selection last year, she led the Spartans in blocking at 137, including 128 blocks assists. Gama is currently 10th on the San José State career block assists lists with 241.
Gama and setter Breann Robinson traveled to Europe this summer as part of the MW All-Star team that participated in the 2017 European Global Challenge. The team advanced to the championship match and came home with the silver medal. It was the best finish for a MW team at the event.
The Spartans also spent June 23 through July 4 in Brazil playing volleyball, doing community service, sightseeing and experiencing different cultures. The team also spent time with the families of the Spartan Brazilian players.