SFA Takes On Mean Green Wednesday
9/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Stephen F. Austin (6-5) at North Texas (5-6)
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 • 7:00 p.m.
Denton, Texas • NT Volleyball Center
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NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women’s volleyball team will take a break from tournament play on Wednesday night when the squad travels to play North Texas in Denton starting at 7:00 p.m. The match will be played inside the NT Volleyball Center.
The Ladyjacks enter Wednesday’s matchup with a 17-8 record against North Texas in the all-time series history. The two teams met last season on Sept. 1 inside Shelton Gym, where the Mean Green came away with a 3-0 victory.
UNT is 5-6 overall on the year, most recently going 1-2 at their own invitational last weekend. The Mean Green beat Southland Conference member Abilene Christian 3-2 and lost to Boise State and Houston. They also beat Central Arkansas in five sets on Sept. 4 in their only other SLC matchup so far.
North Texas has been one dimensional in its attack to start the 2015 season. Senior outside hitter Carnae Dillard has accumulated 228 kills in 45 sets (5.07/set) while hitting .233 for the year. Her kill total more than doubles that of UNT’s next leading threat (Holly Milam – 83 kills). UNT goes to Dillard a lot in their offensive schemes and she has 605 swings already to show for it – three times more swings than Milam.
Junior setter Amy Henard leads the Mean Green with 379 assists and Dillard also has a team-high 120 digs.
The Ladyjacks are coming off a 2-2 week, with a victory at ULM last Monday and another against Tulsa in the Hurricane Classic. SFA then fell to Southern Illinois and Arkansas State in the tournament to bring home a 1-2 showing overall.
Senior libero OJ Olson had a monster week defensively, recording 101 total digs between the four matches (5.94 digs/set). She posted 27 digs in three sets against Arkansas State on Saturday (9.00/set), 30 more against SIU and 28 in a five-set thriller at Tulsa.
With her big week, the defensive specialist bumped her season dig total to 232 – the fourth most in the nation. She currently sits third all-time in SFA history with 1,708 career digs.
SFA has been very balanced in the attack over the last four matches. Senior Jacque Allen, freshman Haley Coleman and junior Justice Walker each finished the week with 45 kills in 17 sets played and senior Tori Bates and sophomore Abby McIntyre chipped in 38 and 25 kills, respectfully. Allen led the ‘Jacks with a .283 hitting percentage over the stretch.
The setting duties were split between junior Shannon Connell and freshman McKenzie Brewer last week. Brewer dished out 93 assists while Connell posted 87 in one fewer set played.
Following Wednesday night’s match in Denton, SFA will head to Waco for the Baylor Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Ladyjacks will see Baylor, Rice and UNC-Greensboro during the event.
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