Volleyball Preview: Competition From Within

CARSON -- The Cal State Dominguez Hills volleyball team knows what it has to do. After finishing just one spot out of the inaugural California Collegiate Athletic Association postseason tournament and bidding farewell to just two seniors, head coach Jen Adeva and her staff brought in 11 talented newcomers to supplement a young, scrappy and hungry squad looking to finish in the upper half of the league for the first time in program history.

Picked to finish 12th of 13 teams this year in a preseason coaches poll, the Toros will be led by junior outside hitters Claire Autry and Morelia Castro, as well as senior outside Vanessa Phyakeo and sophomore libero Cathryn Lopez, who set the school's single-season record for digs with her stellar defense.

With just two seniors on the team, Adeva is looking for that quartet to key the transition between the returners and newcomers, with the hopes of qualifying for the CCAA tournament in November.

Here's Adeva on the 2016 team, with the season kicking off on Friday at the Point Loma tournament.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Claire Autry: OH/OPP; 6' 1"; Junior

#25 Morelia Castro: MB; 6' 2"; Junior

#1 Cathryn Lopez: DS; 5' 3"; Sophomore

#4 Vanessa Phyakeo: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#24 Claire Autry
: 6' 1"; Junior
: OH/OPP

#25 Morelia Castro
: 6' 2"; Junior
: MB

#1 Cathryn Lopez
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: DS

#4 Vanessa Phyakeo
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH