Cal State San Bernardino will control its own destiny in the California Collegiate Athletic Association now that it is in a first-place tie Saturday night's opponent in Coussoulis Arena -- UC
San Diego.
     The Coyotes are now 20-3 overall and 12-3 in the CCAA. The Tritons are also 12-3 after beating Cal Poly Pomona 3-2 Friday night, dropping the Broncos out of a first-place tie that they achieved with a 3-0 sweep of the Coyotes on Wednesday night. CPP is now a half-game ahead of  Cal State L.A., and Sonoma State (both 11-4) . SSU beat Monterey Bay 3-0 while L.A.  lost 3-2 Friday night at Chico State.
    CSUSB will face UC San Diego (18-4 overall, 12-3 CCAA), No. 15 in the nation and No. 1 in the region, at 7 p.m. , renewing a strong rivalry that has been in place since UCSD entered the conference in 2000-01. 
        WEBSTREAMING – Saturday's home match will be webstreamed and shown live on San Bernardino community access channel 3 via Charter Cable at 7 p.m. To watch the match on the CSUSB website go to www.csusb.edu and click on Multimedia and Live volleyball video on right-hand menu. 
    CSUSB VS. CAL POLY POMONA – The Coyotes were swept 3-0 on Wednesday night at Pomona before a screaming crowd of nearly 800 fans and their pep band. The loss ended a five-match win streak against the Broncos. Coincidentally, the last time CSUSB was swept, 0-3, was at Pomona on Nov. 12, 2005. The Coyotes still lead the all-time series 21-19 and have won eight of the last 11 matches. 
    CSUSB VS. UC SAN DIEGO – The two schools have meet 44 times dating back to the time both were in Division III and the Tritons lead the series 31-13. UCSD has a 12-11 edge in the last 23 meetings. The Tritons came back from a 2-0 deficit in La Jolla in September to beat CSUSB, 3-2, ending the Coyotes unbeaten streak at 12 and knocking them out of the No. 1 spot in the national poll. 
    HISTORIC CSUSB-UCSD MATCHES: Since the Tritons entered the CCAA in 2000-01, the two teams have had several pressure-cooked clashes. 2001 – UCSD wins regional title, 3-2 over CSUSB in Coussoulis Arena. 2002 – Coyotes defeat UCSD 3-1 in regional semifinals in Coussoulis. 2004 – Coyotes defeat Tritons, 3-2, in regional title match at UCSD; 2006 – UCSD defeats Coyotes 3-1 in regional title match in Coussoulis. 
    ON A ROLL – The Coyotes are 74-8 overall since the start of the 2006 season and 48-5 in the CCAA. 
    HOUSE OF PAIN – Coussoulis Arena has been a tough place for visitors to win volleyball matches. Since 1997, the Coyotes are 142-18 in Coussoulis Arena and 101-11 in CCAA conference matches at home. CSUSB has a 71-3 record at home in CCAA matches since the start of the 2001 season, 98-9 overall in that span. Only CCAA home losses in that span have been to UCSD (2004, 2007) and Cal Poly Pomona (2005). 
    NCAA INDIVIDUAL LEADERS – (Thru Oct. 19) – Sara Hoffman ranks No. 3 in assists (11.89/set); Meghan Haas ranks No. 36 in digs (4.62/set); Sara Rice ranks No. 13 in hitting percentage (.372); Jessica Granados ranks No. 7 in kills per set (4.18). 
    NCAA TEAM LEADERS – CSUSB ranks No. 4 in assists per set (13.22), No. 6 in hitting percentage (.277) and No. 7 in kills per set (14.16). 
    CCAA TEAM LEADERS – Through matches of Oct. 25, the Coyotes rank No. 1 in hitting percentage (.280), No. 1 in assists (13.31), No. 1 in kills (14.15).
CCAA INDIVIDUAL LEADERS – Hitting percentage: Sara Rice is No. 1 (.389); Jessica Granados is No. 3 (.314); Jane Chafeh is No. 8 (.257). Assists: Sara Hoffman is No. 1 (11.72/set); Kills – Jessica Granados is No. 1 (4.24/set); Jane Chafeh is No. 6 (3.08/set); Digs – Meghan Haas is No. 3 (4.52/set). 
    YOTES NOTES – 6-1 freshman Samantha Middleborn has been a strong presence for the Coyotes, leading the team in solo blocks with 10 and has a team-leading 0.94 blocks per set average in 49 of the team's 70 sets through 22 matches….She also leads the team in total blocks with 46, just ahead of senior Sara Rice, who has 44….Middleborn is hitting .361 with 69 kills in 144 attacks and 17 errors….Jessica Granados had seven service aces over the weekend to take the team lead with 24. Meghan Haas has 21 aces….If there is one chink in the CSUSB armor it is serving. The Coyotes have committed 178 service errors – 2.54 per set...CSUSB has reached the 20-win plateau for the 12th straight season…..Head Coach Kim Cherniss, in her 18th season at CSUSB, now has 372 wins and 172 losses. However, since 1996 her teams are 303-60 overall…..opponents are hitting just .138 against CSUSB this season… 
    TRITONS TIPS -- .UCSD ranks No. 4 in the nation in aces per set (2.78) with 203 through matches played Oct. 18)….Janessa Werhane and Michelle Torres rank 38th and 43rd in the nation in assists per set and have combined for 77 thus far in 2008….setter Elaine Chen is right behind with 35….Rebecca Bailey ranks 42nd in the nation in kills per set (3.58)…..UCSD leads the CCAA in aces (2.72/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.132) and is among the top four in kills, hitting percentage and assists…Sylvia Schmidt is No. 4 in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.297)….Chen ranks No. 3 in the CCAA in assists (9.82/set)…..Bailey is No. 3 in kills (3.77/set)….Werhane, Torres and Chen are 1-2 and 4 in aces thus far….Roxanne Brunsting is No. 4 in digs (4.24/set)…. UCSD has won six of its last eight matches, losing only to Cal State L.A. and Chico State on the road…Tritons are 11-1 at home, losing only to L.A…… 
    OTHER CCAA MATCHUPS THIS WEEK – 
    TONIGHT – Cal State L.A. @ Chico State; Sonoma State @ Monterey Bay; UC San Diego @ Cal Poly Pomona; CS Dominguez Hills @ CS Stanislaus; Humboldt State @ San Francisco State. 
    SATURDAY – Cal State L.A. @ CS Stanislaus; Humboldt State @ Monterey Bay; Sonoma State @ San Francisco State; CS Dominguez Hills @ Chico State.