Stephen F. Austin
rv Wichita State
SFA Carries Seven-Match Win Streak to Denton to Take Part in North Texas Challenge
9/13/2018 8:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Ladyjacks will face rv Wichita State, North Texas and Mississippi State over a two-day stretch
North Texas Challenge | SFA Match Notes (PDF)
Match Thirteen
SFA (10-2) vs. rv Wichita State (4-4) | Friday, Sept. 14 | 11:00 a.m. | North Texas Volleyball Center (600)
Live Stats | Listen (SFAVolleyblog)
Match Fourteen
SFA at North Texas | Saturday, Sept. 15 | 11:00 a.m. | North Texas Volleyball Center (600)
Live Stats | Listen (SFAVolleyblog)
Match Fifteen
SFA vs. Mississippi State | Saturday, Sept. 15 | 3:30 p.m. | North Texas Volleyball Center (600)
Live Stats | Listen (SFAVolleyblog)
THE FIRST SERVE
• One of just four NCAA Division I volleyball squads with 10 or more wins and off to one of its best starts in program history, the SFA volleyball team takes its show on the road for the final time in the month of September when the Ladyjacks head northwest to Denton, Texas, as one of five teams at the North Texas Challenge hosted by former Southland Conference member North Texas.
• Friday morning at 11:00 a.m., SFA starts its three-match schedule in Denton by putting its seven-match win streak on the line against rv Wichita State. The Shockers are the only team that is either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll that the Ladyjacks will face through its non-conference schedule.
• The following day, SFA battles host and defending Conference USA regular season titleholder North Texas at 11:00 a.m. before closing things out with a 3:30 p.m. tilt against Mississippi State out of the SEC.
• Also making the trip to Denton is venerable Ladyjack volleyball play-by-play man Greg Miller who will describe the action of SFA's three matches via an online radio stream available at SFAVolleyblog.net.
LAST TIME OUT | SFA 3, Rice 1
• In their final non-conference home match of the regular season, SFA scored a 3-1 victory over Conference USA and in-state Rice Tuesday evening in Shelton Gym. The triumph was SFA's first over the Owls in nearly 11 years and snapped a five-match skid to the Houston-based institution.
• Though they finished the match at a marked statistical disadvantage in nearly every category, the Ladyjacks employed a strong service game and an accurate attack plan to get the job done. SFA racked up nine services aces in the four-set battle, three of which came off the hand of senior outside hitter Peyton Redmond who matched her career high by adding a team-best 16 terminations.
• Those 16 kills from the Liberty Hill, Texas, product tied a season-high by an SFA player and helped offset a Rice attack that hit .202 and generated 66 kills compared to the Ladyjacks' 52.
• Haley Coleman, Danae Daron and Sabrina Monaco each dropped in a pair of service aces as well with four of those winners coming in the final frame.
• Rice took the opening set before the Ladyjacks redoubled their efforts to claim the next three and the match. The third frame was a fierce battle throughout but consecutive terminations from Daron and Coleman gave SFA a 30-28 win. It was SFA's first set of 30 or more points since scoring 32 in the third and final frame of its 3-0 Southland Conference setback to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Halloween night of 2017.
• Coleman dug up a team-high 18 balls and was joined in double-digit dig territory by Ann Hollas (14), McKenzie Brewer (12) and Monaco (11).
• Both Brewer and Hollas posted double-doubles in the thrilling win. Brewer dished out 17 assists to go along with her 12 digs while Hollas contributed a team-best 26 helpers to compliment her 14 scoops.
• Daron, the reigning Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week, slammed home 11 terminations and added another four block assists. Senior Makenzee Hanna added eight more kills and joined Daron with four rejections.
SCOUTING rv WICHITA STATE | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
The series | Tied 3-3 (.500)
In Nacogdoches, Texas | 0-0 (.000)
In Wichita, Kan. | 0-3 (.000)
At neutral sites | 3-0 (1.000)
Last five matches | 2-3 (.400)
In three-set matches | 0-2 (.000)
In four-set matches | 1-1 (.500)
In five-set matches | 2-0 (1.000)
Humphreys vs. Wichita State | 3-3 (.500)
Lamb vs. SFA | 2-1 (.667)
Last meeting | at Wichita State 3, SFA 0 (9/3/10) | Box Score
• Only four NCAA Division I volleyball teams from around the nation own in-conference winning streaks of 20 or more matches and Wichita State is one of those squads after a flawless 20-0 record in the American Athletic Conference one season ago propelled the Shockers to the league's regular season crown as well as an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. Wichita State ended a 29-4 season with a four-set setback to Missouri in the second round of last year's tournament after defeating Radford in three in the opening round.
• Though the Shockers have already matched their total number of losses from 2017 and arrive in Denton on a four-match skid, that means little as they have embarked on a grueling non-conference schedule thus far. Wichita State has yet to play a home match and each of its four setbacks have come against squads that are either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll.
• Last weekend in Omaha, Neb., the Shockers fell in four to 14th-ranked Creighton and dropped another four-setter to rv Iowa State. The weekend before that, they headed to Provo, Utah, and started their three-match swing at the BYU Nike Invitational with a four-set victory over Big 12 foe West Virginia before falling in three close sets to top-ranked Stanford. Against the host Cougars, who were ranked ninth nationally at the time and who currently occupy the top spot in the AVCA poll, Wichita State also fell in three.
• With a 22-woman roster, the Shockers have no shortage of players to pick from once match time comes. Tabitha Brown (2.47 kills per set) and Megan Taflinger (2.47 kills per set) are the only two players on the team who have started each of its eight matches thus far and are tied for the team lead in both total kills and terminations per frame.
• Sophomore Abby Pugh is hitting at a team and AAC-leading clip of .377 and generating 1.68 kills per set to add another solid piece to the Shockers' attack.
• Positioned near the top of the Shockers' list in attack percentage, Emma Wright attacks at a clip of .343 and is one of four primary Wichita State hitters who average two more kills pet set. In addition to her 2.13 kills per set, Wright also leads the squad in blocks per set (0.71) and has amassed 33.8-percent of the team's total rejections.
• Through the early stages of 2018, Giorgia Civita has been one of the nation's best back-row players. The sophomore out of Milan, Italy, has amassed five 20+ dig efforts and a pair of 34-dig outings to rank 20th nationally with 5.44 digs per set.
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
The series | SFA leads 19-9 (.679)
In Nacogdoches, Texas | 8-3 (.727)
In Denton, Texas | 7-5 (.583)
At neutral sites | 4-1 (.800)
Last five matches | 2-3 (.400)
Last 10 matches | 5-5 (.500)
In three-set matches | 12-4 (.750)
In four-set matches | 5-2 (.714)
In five-set matches | 2-3 (.400)
Humphreys vs. North Texas | 18-9 (.667)
Palileo vs. SFA | 3-1 (.750)
Last meeting | at SFA 3, North Texas 0 (9/16/16) | Box Score
• The defending Conference USA regular season champions have gotten off to a bit of a slower start this season than last, but that's all due to a non-conference schedule that is rife with top-flight competition. Already the Mean Green have done battle with three teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll - second-ranked Wisconsin, 12th-ranked Baylor and rv Oregon State.
• This weekend sees the Mean Green close a five-match home stand that started Sunday by hosting second-ranked Wisconsin. The Badgers defeated North Texas in three sets, pushing the Mean Green's losing streak to eight matches in the process. Four of those eight setbacks, however, came against 2017 NCAA Tournament teams and by the time the weekend concludes North Texas will have taken on five NCAA Tournament qualifiers from last season and five teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll through its non-conference slate.
• On the floor of their home court - the North Texas Volleyball Center - the Mean Green have proven to be a formidable opponent. North Texas is 18-3 (.857) inside that facility since the beginning of last season and the squad figures to increase that win total if the high-flying sophomore duo of Barbara Teakell and Valerie Valerian have anything to say about it.
• Though Teakell - the 2017 Conference USA Co-Freshman of the Year - has been sidelined by a foot injury over the last few weeks, the sophomore could return to the lineup this weekend. Prior to her injury, Teakell was averaging 2.30 kills and 2.15 digs per set. In her absence, fellow second-year player Valerian along with freshman Rhett Robinson have been stepping up offensively. Valerian leads North Texas in kills with a mark of 3.20 per frame and adds 2.29 digs per set defensively.
• Robinson recently exceeded the 100-kill mark and is posting 2.91 terminations per set and 0.69 blocks per frame. In her last two matches, she pounded down 17 and 14 terminations respectively against rv Oregon State and second-ranked Wisconsin.
• Senior Karley York (9.06 assists per set) handles setting for North Texas while senior Jordyn Williams and sophomore Miranda Youmans have been responsible for a good portion of the team's front-row defense. Both are averaging 0.74 blocks per set but Williams has played in more matches and has accounted for 29.8-percent of the team's total blocks.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
The series | SFA leads 5-0 (1.000)
Streak | SFA won five
In Nacogdoches, Texas | 2-0 (1.000)
In Starkville, Miss. | 1-0 (.000)
At neutral sites | 2-0 (1.000)
Last five matches | 5-0 (1.000)
In three-set matches | 2-0 (1.000)
In four-set matches | 3-0 (1.000)
Humphreys vs. Mississippi State | 5-0 (1.000)
Darty vs. SFA | 1-0 (1.000)
Last meeting | at Mississippi State 0, SFA 3 | 9/2/17 | Box Score
• After picking up wins over Louisiana Tech (3-0) and Southeastern Louisiana (3-1) last weekend at the Jaguar Invitational in Mobile, Ala., first-year Mississippi State head coach Julie Darty leads the Bulldogs to North Texas in search of a few more triumphs before SEC play behind next week.
• Previously the bench boss at Jacksonville for four years prior to her appointment in Starkville, Darty has relied heavily on the services of junior middle blocker Amarrah Cooks through Mississippi State's non-conference slate. Hailing from Columbia, S.C., Cooks has started each of the Bulldogs' first 10 tilts and leads the squad in kills (102, 2.76 per set), attack percentage (.329), and blocks (11 solo, 17 assists, 0.76 per set).
• Teaming with Cooks at the front of the net is freshman Deja Robinson who is the only other Mississippi State players with 20 or more rejections thus far in 2018. Robinson's per-set blocks average of 0.71 is second on the team and together she and Cooks have accounted for 56.2-percent of the team's total blocks. On Sept. 4, Robinson was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after helping the Bulldogs go 1-2 at the Appalachian State Invitational. Through that three-match span, Robinson hit .443 and generated 3.32 terminations per set.
• Freshman AJ Koele has also been making a positive impact offensively for Mississippi State, having totaled 92 kills for a per set average of 2.49 which ranks second among the team ranks. Two other Bulldogs - Khristian Carr (2.46 kills/set) and Paige Shaw (2.24 kills/set) - are averaging north of two terminations per frame for the SEC squad.
• Leading a back row that tops the SEC and ranks 31st nationally in digs per set, sophomore libero Kendall Murr is one of two Mississippi State players who have exceeded 100 digs. Her per-set average of 4.70 is the best on the team and the second-highest among all SEC competitors.
• Sophomore Gabby Zgunda has been another steady back-row defender for the Bulldogs, posting 3.14 digs per set.
RED ALERT
• One of the key components of the Ladyjacks' successes during their seven-match win streak has been the consistent all-around play of senior Peyton Redmond.
• Through her last six matches, the Liberty Hill, Texas, product is leading SFA in total kills (67) and kills per set (3.35) while hitting .263. In four of her last six outings, Redmond has amassed 10 or more terminations while notching her lone double-double of the season. From the service line in that same span, her nine service aces (0.45 per set) lead the way for the Ladyjacks as well.
• Currently Redmond leads the team and ranks ninth in the Southland in kills per set (2.81) while ranking second among the 'Jacks' ranks and 17th in the Southland in digs per set (2.78). She's also tops on the team in total service aces (11) and 18th in the 13-team Southland in service aces per set (0.30).
TRUTH OR DARON
• Named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week last Monday afternoon, junior middle blocker Danae Daron has been an intimidating presence both offensively and defensively for the Ladyjacks in 2018.
• During SFA's current seven-match win streak, the native of Crosby, Texas, has posted 10 or more kills on four occasions beginning with a career-best 16 of them in a road victory at Colgate (9/1). In that same span, Daron is second only to Redmond on SFA's team charts with a kills per set average of 2.95 while hitting a team-best .383. Five of her six service aces this season have come in the Ladyjacks' last five outings.
• Defensively the junior has turned in at least four blocks in each of her last five appearances, pushing her per set average to 1.13. That figure leads the team and represents the fourth-highest in the Southland Conference.
• Daron's season attack percentage of .316 is the fifth-highest in the Southland while her kills per set average of 2.68 ranks as the 12th-best in the league.
SETTING UP A MEMORABLE MILESTONE
• Both of the Ladyjacks' primary setters are fast approaching some impressive milestones.
• Junior Ann Hollas requires just nine more assists to reach 2,000 for her collegiate career while senior McKenzie Brewer needs to dish out 127 more helpers to reach the 1,000-assist mark.
• That tandem has helped the Ladyjacks hit .243 as a team through their first 12 matches whilch is currently the highest attack percentage of any Southland Conference team.
COMING UP NEXT
• With non-conference play in their rearview mirror after this weekend, the Ladyjacks return to Shelton Gym for the rest of the month to begin Southland Conference action. The first league match out of the chute for the defending league champions will put them against Central Arkansas - last season's Southland Conference Tournament victors and the league's sole representative in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. First serve between the Ladyjacks and Sugar Bears in Nacogdoches is set for 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 22.
-SFA-
