LA MIRADA, Calif. --- This is probably the third time this season we've had to say this, but this week is for sure the biggest week of volleyball in the PacWest Conference in 2018. Biola enters play with a half-game lead in the conference standings, with Azusa Pacific right on its heels and Point Loma just one game back. Biola will face both of those teams in a week that is sure to separate the top team in the league.

LAST WEEK: W vs Notre Dame de Namur, 3-0; W vs Concordia Irvine, 3-1 (2-0 weekly record; 18-5 overall record; 14-2 PacWest, first place)

THIS WEEK: at Azusa Pacific (17-6, 13-2 PacWest) - Tuesday Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m.; vs Point Loma (15-7, 12-3 PacWest) - Friday Oct. 26 at 6:00 p.m.

MULTIMEDIA: Both matches will be live streamed and have live statistics available. Both Biola offers free live streams and free live statistics. Azusa Pacific's live stream is $7.95 per match. See the links below to access those.

TICKETS: Biola home events are always free to Biola students, staff, faculty and alumni. Children 12 and under are also always free. General admission is $6 and discounted tickets for opposing school students, guests under 18 and seniors are $4. For away game ticket information, see the note below each preview.

BIOLA (18-5, 14-2) at AZUSA PACIFIC (17-6, 13-2): Tuesday Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video ($) \\ Previous Meeting: Biola wins 3-2
We are encouraging all Biola fans to wear red and make the short trek over to Azusa Pacific on Tuesday night for this massive showdown with our biggest rivals and top competition at the top of the conference table. The Cougars had been in first place in the conference all season long until a loss to Point Loma last week allowed Biola to slip past them by a half-game. The two sides are still in a virtual tie with just two losses each, so this match has a chance to go a long way towards determining the fate of the PacWest this year. Azusa Pacific was picked to finish first in the preseason coaches' poll and Biola second and the two sides have been 1-2 for almost the entire year so far, making for a lot of fun. Azusa Pacific has a score to settle now with Biola coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home in the first meeting of these two sides earlier this year. The Eagles' blocking and serving was the biggest margin of difference between these two sides on that night, and that's been the biggest strength of this team as of late. Biola will need to replicate strong performances in those areas to have a shot to take down an Azusa Pacific program that's 10-2 inside of its home arena this season. Both of those losses came to top-15 teams at a preseason tournament in the Felix Event Center, so they've been lights-out in home conference matches (8-0; 24 set wins, 1 set lost). APU began the conference slate with seven-consecutive home matches, but Tuesday's match will be just their second time at home since Sept. 20. The Cougars are hands down the best offensive team in the conference when they get it all rolling. They lead the PacWest in hitting percentage (.264) and are second in kills (1,055) and assists (979). Azusa Pacific is led by the reigning PacWest preseason player of the year and 2017 All-PacWest first-teamer Julianne Miller. As she goes, APU goes. They've been described as having the best tandem of middle blockers in the conference with Miller and teammate Sara Wagenveld combining for 384 kills, 150 blocks and hitting around .400 combined. The Eagles were able to block well enough to shut those two down (relatively well) last time out, as the middle combined for just eight kills and four blocks. You can bet that just like APU's whole team those two will be eager to bounce back in front of an energetic home crowd on Tuesday night. Biola holds the lead in the all-time series between these two sides, 51-32.

TICKETS - Azusa Pacific Ticketing Information

BIOLA (18-5, 14-2) vs. POINT LOMA (15-7, 12-3): Saturday Oct. 20 at 5:00 p.m. \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video \\ Previous Meeting: Point Loma wins 3-0 \\ PROMOTION: FREE Chick-Fil-A
It feels like forever ago, but earlier this season the Point Loma Sea Lions beat Biola (narrowly) in three sets to earn an upset sweep of the Eagles down in San Diego. Point Loma also beat Biola here in Chase Gymnasium last season to give the Sea Lions a 2-1 advantage over BU in the PacWest era. Biola is just one game ahead of Point Loma in the loss column heading into the week. The Eagles have the match against APU prior to hosting the Sea Lions Friday, whereas PLNU has no match before their date at Chase Gymnasium. PLNU has had a stretch of play recently that rivals Biola's as the Sea Lions have earned wins in each of their last eight times out. Their last conference loss was Sept. 22 against Hawaii Hilo (3-0). Point Loma is a part of a group of four teams with a serious shot at the conference title headed into the final few weeks of competition, all with three or fewer conference losses and at least one win over another top team. Point Loma's three losses have come to Hawaii Hilo, Chaminade and Azusa Pacific (teams Biola has beaten, but that have a combined 35-9 conference record). They've gotten to this point with veteran leadership at the setter and libero spots and a breakout season from star freshman Rachael Schlect. Schlect had one of her best matches of the season last time these team met (16 kills, 6 digs, .438%) and you can be sure she will be a big focus of film study this week. The Spokane import is currently third in the conference in kills (258 total, 3.44/set) and has 12 double-digit kill outings. A lot of the Sea Lions' attack is focused outside as the other team-leaders in kills Jamie Cymbaluk (202) and Julia Malinas (120) hit from the pin. The Sea Lions' leading middle hitter is Kayla Chapman. The senior had 10 kills to finish second on PLNU in their win over the Eagles on Sept. 11. Point Loma won the last time out, but the Eagles control the all-time series vs. the Crusaders/Sea Lions, 42-33.

ABOUT LAST WEEK: Biola stretched its PacWest Conference winning streak to 10 consecutive matches, moved in first place in the conference standings and won match number 34 in a row against a team with a bird mascot. Not bad! The Eagles took down Notre Dame de Namur in straight sets at home on Friday night before turning around and earning a 3-1 win over Concordia Irvine on the road less than 24 hours later. Azusa Pacific suffered a road loss at Point Loma to drop even with Biola with two games in the loss column. The Eagles have played one more match than APU, giving them the half-game lead in the conference standings. Karly Dantuma had another mighty fine week in last week's two wins. The senior compiled 26 kills (3.71/set) and hit .407 to pace Biola's offensive effort. Sabrina Winslow had the biggest all-around week, ending with a team-leading 27 kills and adding 20 digs to go along with that, all while hitting at a .339 clip with the most attacks on the team. She had a double-double that helped keep Biola steady as it dealt with Concordia stealing a set out in Irvine. The Eagles will need all hands on deck heading into the stiff competition this week.

CORNERSTONE CUP: Biola is looking for redemption in year two of the Cornerstone Cup competition, which is presented by West Coast Sand & Gravel. The Eagles held a big lead in the head-to-head battle with Azusa Pacific in the 2017-18 year thanks to a strong fall, but eventually APU overtook the Eagles and took home the big trophy in year one. Biola and Azusa Pacific have one met once this year (so far), but there's a bunch of points on the table over the next few weeks. Biola leads 5-0 so far this year thanks to its win in the last volleyball meeting between the two schools. There's another five points on the board with Tuesday's meeting. Also, Biola soccer hosts APU soccer this Saturday at Al Barbour Field and there's 20 points up for grabs at next weekend's PacWest Cross Country championships. Check back at athletics.biola.edu to see how all those meetings shake out.

RANKED! (AGAIN): With its tremendous overall record of 18-5 and the recent stretch of 10 consecutive wins, Biola Volleyball earned a spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association's NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll. The Eagles, Azusa Pacific Cougars and Point Loma Sea Lions are the only PacWest teams represented in the poll. All three teams are just outside of the top-25, but they are "receiving votes". As of this week's poll, Biola happens to be receiving the most votes of the three. Volleyball becomes the first program at Biola to be represented in an officially recognized NCAA Division II national poll in season. Visit the Week 9 AVCA Poll.

HUNTING FOR A RECORD: Sierra Bauder is in a dead heat with Julianne Miller of Azusa Pacific for the PacWest Conference record for single-season hitting percentage. Bauder has a season tally of .438, while Miller is hitting .425. The current conference record is .417. Barring any substantial breakdown, both players should end the season hitting higher than that, it's just a matter of who will end up on top. Bauder won that battle in the last head-to-head meeting between these sides, hitting .478 with 13 kills while Miller was held to 5 kills on a .050 percentage inside of Chase Gym.

ROAD TO 1,000 (AND THEN SOME): Senior opposite hitter Karly Dantuma has now become the 15th Biola player to pass the 1,000 kill plateau and sits at 1,125 for her career. Dantuma also has a chance to eclipse 300 career blocks (283). She had eight last week to really boost her numbers and have her rank near the top in the PacWest. If she does reach 300, she'd be just the fourth player in Biola history to have 1,000+ kills and 300+ blocks (Becky Miller, Amy Weststeyn, Michelle Warkentin).

SELTZER'S SEVENTEENTH: Seltzer is in his 17th season at the helm of the BU Volleyball squad. He's the winningest coach in program history with an all-time mark of 450-138 (.765). He's never experienced a losing season during his tenure at Biola (or even come close, with his "worst" mark being 19-11). His teams have won at least 26 matches every year since 2010. This current 10-match winning streak is the best he's had since his 2015 team began the year 15-0.
 
NEXT WEEK: at Dominican (11/2 at 7:00 p.m.); at Notre Dame de Namur (11/3 at 3:00 p.m.)