PREVIEW: Volleyball Home Divisional - Colorado College, Centenary College, Austin College (10/8-10/9)
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THE LEAD
After 19 games and an entire month on the road, the University of Dallas volleyball team (7-12, 2-5 SCAC) plays in the Maher Center this weekend. On October 8-9, the Crusaders host the second SCAC divisional of the fall. Austin College, Centenary College, and Colorado College will be visiting and six matches are on the slate for the two-day event. Full Schedule available here. All events will have free Livestats and Video available with purchase of a viewer package.
Dallas debuts on the court with top 25 opponent Colorado College at 12:30 p.m. The Crusaders complete the four-game day Saturday with Centenary at 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, the divisional ends with UD playing Austin College at 1 p.m.
There has been a little over a week that past since most recent outings for Dallas, which took place at LeTourneau University. The Crusaders dropped both contests in the Tri-Match with University of Texas at Tyler and the host school. In the nightcap, UD posted a season-high in digs with 118 and Jessie Koster (Sherwood, Ore.) claimed the 5th highest single-game digs total with a career-high 48.
UD NOTES
- Dallas went 4-5 at home last season including taking one of three in the conference divisional.
- Koster ranks first in NCAA Division III and SCAC in digs (508) and digs-per-set (7.36). Within conference play, the senior libero has 194 digs and is averaging a 7.76-clip. In seven of her contests, Koster has at least 30.
- Mairin Guilfoyle (Roanoke, Va.) paces the offense with 214 kills (3.10 k/set) and led the SCAC weekly leaders last week. She has posted 92 in conference play and 10 matches with double-digit performances in that column. Eight of the past 12 games have resulted in double figure totals for the senior outside hitter.
- Mary Scholz (Fallon, Nev.) and Diana Hassink (Tulsa, Okla.) both are over 100 kills on the year with 169 and 125, respectively. Elizabeth Smith (Broken Arrow, Okla.) has logged 543 assists and is averaging a 7.87 mark.
- Merit Paramo (Wasilla, Alaska) is ahead on the squad with 34 blocks (22 block assists). Kyndal Miller (Crockett, Texas), Guilfoyle, and Scholz respectively have leaped for 17, 10, and 12 block assists. Guilfoyle has seven solo blocks to round out the top three overall (17) behind Miller (25). Smith is the fifth player with double-digit numbers in total blocks with 12.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
(No. 8 Colorado College)
The Tigers (14-3, 5-2 SCAC) enter the weekend ranked 8th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). CC topped Johnson & Wales University in a 3-0 sweep last time out. Prior to that, the Tigers went 2-2 including setbacks to Trinity University and No. 3 Southwestern University in the conference cross-divisional at Sherman, Texas, two weeks ago. The Tigers are 11-1 at home but 3-2 in other matches including 1-0 on true opponent floors.
Abbe Holtze ranks atop on the team with 201 kills and is averaging 3.59 per set. Others above the century mark in this category are Marguerite Spaethlin (119) and Glenna Yancey (109). Lizzy Counts holds 310 assists while Rebecca Watson has registered 256. The digs leader is Anna Gurolncik with 231 and is averaging a 4.12-clip.
Dallas was unsuccessful in the previous meeting with the Tigers at their home building last month in the earlier divisional. The match was a 3-0 setback (25-14, 25-19, 25-13). Guilfoyle and Scholz each compiled eight kills and Koster and Hassink matched 15 digs apiece. Yancey had a game-high nine kills.
In 2015 at the Maher Center, UD was swept in straight sets. Koster had 23 digs and Smith chipped in 12 assists to tie a team-high. Guilfoyle had six kills.
(Centenary College)
The Ladies (3-15, 2-5 SCAC) have fallen in the past two matches, both straight sets. The most recent game was at Jarvis Christian College over a week ago in non-conference. Centenary is locked in a three-way tie which includes the Crusaders for 5th place in the league standings. Texas Lutheran is the other program in the mix.
Desiree Frey is the team leader in kills (183) and kills-per-set with 2.77. Hailey Lawson, Ashley Brown, and Michaela Brantley form a quartet with triple-digits at 142, 123, and 103, respectively. Allison Lazewski has accumulated 358 assists and Lawson has a team-high 216 digs.
Centenary College Season Stats
Earlier this fall, the Ladies won for the first time in the all-time series at a SCAC divisional hosted at Colorado College in five sets (25-15, 18-25, 25-19, 18-25, 9-15). Guilfoyle accumulated a career-high 20 kills and Hassink contributed 11. Koster notched a personal best at the time with 46. Smith had a career-high (at the time) 45 assists. Brantley and Frey combined for 29 of the team's 50 kills. Frey had a double-double with 34 digs.
Last year in the Maher Center, UD defeated the Maroon and White in straight sets (25-20, 25-11, 25-22). Guilfoyle cranked out 15 kills and Smith had 24 assists.
(Austin College)
The 'Roos (13-8, 4-3 SCAC) are the final team UD faces this weekend to start the second half of league action. Austin College fell in a non-conference tilt at home against No. 9 University of Texas at Dallas on Tuesday. The 'Roos are 4-2 in contests away from Sherman this season including 2-2 on the oppositions' home floor.
Rebekah Bowden headlines the offense with 203 kills and 2.86 kills-per-set. Presleigh Watson is right behind with 193 kills and a 2.72 average. Madison Lee (167) and Dani DeWitt round out the top quartet of hitters with over 100 kills. Katie Ingle has managed 710 assists ranks third in the SCAC with 10.00 per set. Madi McVay anchors a back line with 310 digs and averaging a 4.37-clip.
The teams had a nail-biter at Colorado College earlier this season with AC edging in a five-set showdown (17-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 13-15). Guilfoyle tied a game-high 16 kills and Scholz followed right after with 15. Hassink added nine and Miller blasted a season best eight. Koster dug 39 and Smith eclipsed her career-high from the previous game by one (46). Bowden matched the game-high amount and Watson and Lee each broke double figures for kills with 13 apiece. Ingle had 48 assists.
In the Maher Center last fall, the 'Roos won in four sets (21-25, 25-22, 25-11, and 25-14). Hassink had a big afternoon with 13 kills and Guilfoyle added 12. Koster made 30 digs and Hassink completed a double-double with 24 digs. Bowden (9), DeWitt (8), Lee (7), and Watson (7) all had impacts offensively.
UP NEXT
Dallas is home for the fourth match in a row this week on October 13 versus Arlington Baptist College. Start time set for 7 p.m.