SFA To Face Off With SMU In Home Opener
9/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Ladyjacks volleyball team opens up the home portion of the slate on Tuesday when they host the SMU Mustangs at William R. Johnson Coliseum at 7 p.m.
This will serve as a rematch of last season when SFA went to Dallas and knocked off the Mustangs in five games at Moody Coliseum. The Ladyjacks have played 35 matches against current Conference USA opponents since the conference was formed in 1995; SFA is 22-13 in those matches, including 6-2 against SMU all-time.
SFA (2-4, 0-0) has had to endure a tough pair of opening weekends, but could be on the verge of getting on a roll after ending Baylor Invitational with a win over Mississippi State. That match saw senior JJ Jones pick up her second double-double of her career with 26 assists, and career highs with 24 digs and 10 kills.
Head coach Debbie Humphreys also got contributions from a pair of underclassmen in the win as freshman setter Whitney Schott dished out 21 assists and sophomore Briana Taylor added a career-high 11 blocks.
SMU (6-0) comes in unscathed through six matches and has claimed tournament titles at the SMU Invitational and the Texas Tech Invitational. This will mark the third match of the season for the Mustangs against a Southland Conference foe, having already knocked off McNeese State and Lamar in three games apiece.
Lisa Seifert is in her 12th season at the helm of the Mustang program, having put together a 73-52 record since 2003. They finished 17-15 a year ago, falling in the quarterfinals of the CUSA Tournament to top-seeded Tulsa.
Rachel Giubilato and Natalie Peters have provided a nice 1-2 punch early on, with both averaging more than four kills per game through their first six matches. Stefanie Kons has done a nice job directing the offense, averaging 12.33 assists per game while directing the squad to a .240 hitting percentage.
Libero Candice Davis was also named CUSA Defensive Player of the Week after her efforts in the first week of the season.
SFA will not have a lot of time to regroup after Tuesday as the Austin Bank Ladyjack Invitational begins at the Coliseum on Friday.
-SFA-
