Murray State University Athletics
Racers Prepare to Battle Redhawks and Panthers
10/28/2009 1:45:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team will be looking to snap its road losing streak this weekend when the team travels to face Southeast Missouri State for the first time this season and also stops at Eastern Illinois. The Racers face the Redhawks, Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. and then battle with the Panthers, Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m.
Scouting Southeast Missouri State
The Redhawks enter this Friday's match with a 9-14 overall record and 5-7 mark in the conference. SEMO has had a rough season, but have a renewed focus because setter Sarah Barth returned to the court last weekend after missing most of the conference season due to injury. The Redhawks defeated Tennessee State (3-2) last Friday and then fell to Austin Peay (0-3) Saturday.
Barth has tallied 273 assists in just 35 sets this season and takes over for Kelly Benacka who guided the offense in her absence. Benacka tallied 507 assists and has added 19 service aces and 267 digs.
SEMO has two go-to hitters in Emily Hughes and Karleigh DeLong. The duo each have tallied over 200 kills and are the only team members who have attempted over 600 attempts. Hughes leads the team with 269 kills and a .281 hitting percentage, while DeLong has 240 kills and a .212 attack percentage. DeLong is a key all-around player for the Redhawks, with 12 service aces, 205 digs, and 36 blocks. Hughes is the team's blocking leader with 57 (3-54).
When looking at the stat sheets the Racers and SEMO have similar numbers in most categories this season. MSU does have a clear advantage in hitting percentage (.219 to .161), but the Redhawks are keeping more opponent attacks from hitting the floor (19.7 digs/set to 13.8).
Scouting Eastern Illinois
The Panthers are 9-17 overall and 2-11 in Ohio Valley Conference action. EIU picked up their second conference victory last weekend with a 3-2 win over Tennessee State.
The Panthers have three main threats in Alex Zwettler, Melanie Boykins and Jessica Wheeler. All three have attempted over 600 attacks, with Zwettler leading the way with 913 and a team high 291 kills. Boykins is the team's hitting percentage leader, with a .237 (239k-94e-611ta) mark. Wheeler has 195 kills and is an all-around threat with 25 service aces, 212 digs and 69 (4-65) blocks.
Kylie Cavanah runs the court for EIU and has recorded 811 assists and adds 16 service aces and 212 digs. Brittany Wallace is the leading defensive player, with 398 digs.
The Panthers are a lot like SEMO and the Racers on the stat sheet. EIU holds a digging advantage (16.2 to 13.8), but is being out-hit by the MSU (.219 to .151).
Swinging To Eliminate Cancer
For the second straight season the Racers held Swinging To Eliminate Cancer, a fund raiser to help those effected by cancer. This season the team raised money to help closer to home, as all the funds raised will go to Ashley's Angels, a donation account set up to help the Gesler Family of Murray, Ky.
Ashley Gesler, the wife of David Gesler an Associate Professor in the Department of Organizational Communication at Murray State, was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2009. The couple has four children.
The Racers returned to The Big Apple Café for a rebate night this year and The Big Apple Café made a $100 donation to the fund raiser from the rebate night. The Racers also got donations from patrons in the amount of $205 during the night.
Currently the donation total stands at just over $2000, with more expected to come in through the end of next week from pledged donations.
Block Party
Junior Sara Hayden has been making moves on the MSU career blocking charts this season. The Louisville, Ky., native has 195 total blocks, including 153 block assists and 42 block solos.
Her 195 total blocks moved her up to the No. 8 spot on the Racer Total Blocks list. She needs 41 more to move into seventh, currently held by Kristi Hoffman (236). Hayden is also on the career Block Assists List in the No. 6 position. She needs 25 to move up to fifth (178 - Sarah Ernst). Hayden is also four block solos away from making the top ten for block solos (46).
Ashley Nenninger is also inching closer to a spot on the block assist and total blocks charts after recording 122 (21-101) total blocks.
Becca Lamb also has a chance to make the total blocks and block assists charts. She currently has 129 (24-105) total blocks.
Up Next
The Racers will have one more road test before returning to Racer Arena for the final two home matches of the 2009 season. MSU travels to UT Martin, Thursday, Nov. 5 for a 7 p.m. battle with the Skyhawks. The Racers then host soon-to-be conference foe SIU-Edwardsville, Saturday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. in Racer Arena. The match will be the annual Senior/Parents Day where the team will honor its two seniors ( Cassie Chesney and Kelli Johnson) and the Racer parents.
Scouting Southeast Missouri State
The Redhawks enter this Friday's match with a 9-14 overall record and 5-7 mark in the conference. SEMO has had a rough season, but have a renewed focus because setter Sarah Barth returned to the court last weekend after missing most of the conference season due to injury. The Redhawks defeated Tennessee State (3-2) last Friday and then fell to Austin Peay (0-3) Saturday.
Barth has tallied 273 assists in just 35 sets this season and takes over for Kelly Benacka who guided the offense in her absence. Benacka tallied 507 assists and has added 19 service aces and 267 digs.
SEMO has two go-to hitters in Emily Hughes and Karleigh DeLong. The duo each have tallied over 200 kills and are the only team members who have attempted over 600 attempts. Hughes leads the team with 269 kills and a .281 hitting percentage, while DeLong has 240 kills and a .212 attack percentage. DeLong is a key all-around player for the Redhawks, with 12 service aces, 205 digs, and 36 blocks. Hughes is the team's blocking leader with 57 (3-54).
When looking at the stat sheets the Racers and SEMO have similar numbers in most categories this season. MSU does have a clear advantage in hitting percentage (.219 to .161), but the Redhawks are keeping more opponent attacks from hitting the floor (19.7 digs/set to 13.8).
Scouting Eastern Illinois
The Panthers are 9-17 overall and 2-11 in Ohio Valley Conference action. EIU picked up their second conference victory last weekend with a 3-2 win over Tennessee State.
The Panthers have three main threats in Alex Zwettler, Melanie Boykins and Jessica Wheeler. All three have attempted over 600 attacks, with Zwettler leading the way with 913 and a team high 291 kills. Boykins is the team's hitting percentage leader, with a .237 (239k-94e-611ta) mark. Wheeler has 195 kills and is an all-around threat with 25 service aces, 212 digs and 69 (4-65) blocks.
Kylie Cavanah runs the court for EIU and has recorded 811 assists and adds 16 service aces and 212 digs. Brittany Wallace is the leading defensive player, with 398 digs.
The Panthers are a lot like SEMO and the Racers on the stat sheet. EIU holds a digging advantage (16.2 to 13.8), but is being out-hit by the MSU (.219 to .151).
Swinging To Eliminate Cancer
For the second straight season the Racers held Swinging To Eliminate Cancer, a fund raiser to help those effected by cancer. This season the team raised money to help closer to home, as all the funds raised will go to Ashley's Angels, a donation account set up to help the Gesler Family of Murray, Ky.
Ashley Gesler, the wife of David Gesler an Associate Professor in the Department of Organizational Communication at Murray State, was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2009. The couple has four children.
The Racers returned to The Big Apple Café for a rebate night this year and The Big Apple Café made a $100 donation to the fund raiser from the rebate night. The Racers also got donations from patrons in the amount of $205 during the night.
Currently the donation total stands at just over $2000, with more expected to come in through the end of next week from pledged donations.
Block Party
Junior Sara Hayden has been making moves on the MSU career blocking charts this season. The Louisville, Ky., native has 195 total blocks, including 153 block assists and 42 block solos.
Her 195 total blocks moved her up to the No. 8 spot on the Racer Total Blocks list. She needs 41 more to move into seventh, currently held by Kristi Hoffman (236). Hayden is also on the career Block Assists List in the No. 6 position. She needs 25 to move up to fifth (178 - Sarah Ernst). Hayden is also four block solos away from making the top ten for block solos (46).
Ashley Nenninger is also inching closer to a spot on the block assist and total blocks charts after recording 122 (21-101) total blocks.
Becca Lamb also has a chance to make the total blocks and block assists charts. She currently has 129 (24-105) total blocks.
Up Next
The Racers will have one more road test before returning to Racer Arena for the final two home matches of the 2009 season. MSU travels to UT Martin, Thursday, Nov. 5 for a 7 p.m. battle with the Skyhawks. The Racers then host soon-to-be conference foe SIU-Edwardsville, Saturday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. in Racer Arena. The match will be the annual Senior/Parents Day where the team will honor its two seniors ( Cassie Chesney and Kelli Johnson) and the Racer parents.
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