Murray State University Athletics
Racers Head to Death Valley For Key OVC Matches
10/7/2009 6:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team will be hitting the road this weekend for two key matches in Ohio Valley Conference action. The Racers (3-13, 3-3 OVC) first battle Eastern Kentucky, Friday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (CST) and then travel to Morehead State for a Saturday, Oct. 10 match-up at 1 p.m. (CST).
Scouting Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels have had a tough season, but earned their first wins of the year last weekend over Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois. EKU also played strong against Austin Peay Tuesday night, falling in five sets to move its record to 2-13 overall and 2-4 in the OVC.
The Colonels are going to two players for most of their offense this season. Lauren Snyder and Lindsey Loescher account for 50 percent of the teams total attempts and 52.6 percent of their kills. Snyder has a .202 hitting percentage on 170 kills, 78 errors and 456 attempts. Loescher has a .132 mark with 146 kills, 81 errors and 491 attempts. Hannah Groudle has recorded the best hitting percentage on the team, with a .268 (76k-21e-205ta) mark. Groudle is also on of the team's leading blockers with 27 (9-18).
Kate Handle runs the floor for EKU. She has tallied 457 assists and has 130 digs. Abby O'Connor is the team's libero with 292 digs, while adding 10 service aces.
Scouting Morehead State
The Eagles have a 13-5 overall mark and 6-1 record in the OVC heading into this weekends action. Morehead is currently on a three-match winning streak and will have a chance to extend that to four matches before the Racers come to town, as the Eagles host UT Martin Friday night.
Kaitlin Craven is the go-to player for Morehead, as she has attempted 633 attacks. The next highest total on the team is 397 from Holly Evans. Craven has a .210 (223k-90e-633ta) hitting percentage on the season and has added 20 service aces, 184 digs and 24 (4-20) blocks. Evans is also a key offensive threat for the Eagles with 143 kills and a .252 attack percentage. She is also third on the team with 56 (2-54) blocks.
Kirstie Brangers is the teams setter and has earned 649 assists (9.83/set). Brangers is also one of the teams leading hitters, servers and diggers. She has a .309 (54k-16e-123ta) hitting percentage and has garnered 24 aces and 157 digs.
Blocking has become a key part of the Eagles repertoire this year. The team has combined for a 2.6 blocks/set average, which ranks them No. 27 in the nation. Annie Gruenschlaeger and Emma Keough are a key part of the average. Gruenschlaeger has 89 (17-72) blocks on the season and her 1.32 blocks/set average earns her the No. 25 spot in the country. Keough has added 72 (11-61) blocks for Morehead this season.
While the Eagles have strong blocking number they are also getting blocked at a high rate. Their opponents are averaging 2.0 blocks/set. The one area on the stat sheet that Morehead has a clear advantage is hitting percentage. The Eagles has a team average of .205, while their opponents are netting only a .166 mark.
No Silencing Lamb
Junior Becca Lamb has been a key offensive threat for the Racers this season. The Highland, Ill., native is currently ranked No. 193 in the nation in hitting percentage and leads MSU and the OVC in the category. The outside hitter has tallied a .302 overall attack percentage and has increased that to .412 against league opponents. She also ranks No. 2 in OVC action in kills (4.70/set) and points (4.65/set).
Block Party
Junior Sara Hayden has been making moves on the MSU career blocking charts this season. The Louisville, Ky., native has 178 total blocks, including 137 block assists and 41 block solos.
Her 178 total blocks moved her up to the No. 9 spot on the Racer Total Blocks list. She needs 10 more to move into eighth, currently held by Holly Jansen (188). Hayden is also on the career Block Assists List in the No. 7 position. She needs 16 to move up to sixth (153 - Katie Kemezys). Hayden is also five 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 109 (18-91) total blocks.
Becca Lamb also has a chance to make the total blocks and block assists charts. She currently has 119 (22-97) total blocks.
Up Next
After this weekends action the Racers will return home for a four-match home stand that will span two weeks. MSU hosts Austin Peay (Oct. 16), Tennessee State (Oct. 17), Tennessee Tech (Oct. 23) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 24). The matches against the Golden Eagles and the Gamecocks will be part of the Swinging To Eliminate Cancer weekend.
Scouting Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels have had a tough season, but earned their first wins of the year last weekend over Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois. EKU also played strong against Austin Peay Tuesday night, falling in five sets to move its record to 2-13 overall and 2-4 in the OVC.
The Colonels are going to two players for most of their offense this season. Lauren Snyder and Lindsey Loescher account for 50 percent of the teams total attempts and 52.6 percent of their kills. Snyder has a .202 hitting percentage on 170 kills, 78 errors and 456 attempts. Loescher has a .132 mark with 146 kills, 81 errors and 491 attempts. Hannah Groudle has recorded the best hitting percentage on the team, with a .268 (76k-21e-205ta) mark. Groudle is also on of the team's leading blockers with 27 (9-18).
Kate Handle runs the floor for EKU. She has tallied 457 assists and has 130 digs. Abby O'Connor is the team's libero with 292 digs, while adding 10 service aces.
Scouting Morehead State
The Eagles have a 13-5 overall mark and 6-1 record in the OVC heading into this weekends action. Morehead is currently on a three-match winning streak and will have a chance to extend that to four matches before the Racers come to town, as the Eagles host UT Martin Friday night.
Kaitlin Craven is the go-to player for Morehead, as she has attempted 633 attacks. The next highest total on the team is 397 from Holly Evans. Craven has a .210 (223k-90e-633ta) hitting percentage on the season and has added 20 service aces, 184 digs and 24 (4-20) blocks. Evans is also a key offensive threat for the Eagles with 143 kills and a .252 attack percentage. She is also third on the team with 56 (2-54) blocks.
Kirstie Brangers is the teams setter and has earned 649 assists (9.83/set). Brangers is also one of the teams leading hitters, servers and diggers. She has a .309 (54k-16e-123ta) hitting percentage and has garnered 24 aces and 157 digs.
Blocking has become a key part of the Eagles repertoire this year. The team has combined for a 2.6 blocks/set average, which ranks them No. 27 in the nation. Annie Gruenschlaeger and Emma Keough are a key part of the average. Gruenschlaeger has 89 (17-72) blocks on the season and her 1.32 blocks/set average earns her the No. 25 spot in the country. Keough has added 72 (11-61) blocks for Morehead this season.
While the Eagles have strong blocking number they are also getting blocked at a high rate. Their opponents are averaging 2.0 blocks/set. The one area on the stat sheet that Morehead has a clear advantage is hitting percentage. The Eagles has a team average of .205, while their opponents are netting only a .166 mark.
No Silencing Lamb
Junior Becca Lamb has been a key offensive threat for the Racers this season. The Highland, Ill., native is currently ranked No. 193 in the nation in hitting percentage and leads MSU and the OVC in the category. The outside hitter has tallied a .302 overall attack percentage and has increased that to .412 against league opponents. She also ranks No. 2 in OVC action in kills (4.70/set) and points (4.65/set).
Block Party
Junior Sara Hayden has been making moves on the MSU career blocking charts this season. The Louisville, Ky., native has 178 total blocks, including 137 block assists and 41 block solos.
Her 178 total blocks moved her up to the No. 9 spot on the Racer Total Blocks list. She needs 10 more to move into eighth, currently held by Holly Jansen (188). Hayden is also on the career Block Assists List in the No. 7 position. She needs 16 to move up to sixth (153 - Katie Kemezys). Hayden is also five 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 109 (18-91) total blocks.
Becca Lamb also has a chance to make the total blocks and block assists charts. She currently has 119 (22-97) total blocks.
Up Next
After this weekends action the Racers will return home for a four-match home stand that will span two weeks. MSU hosts Austin Peay (Oct. 16), Tennessee State (Oct. 17), Tennessee Tech (Oct. 23) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 24). The matches against the Golden Eagles and the Gamecocks will be part of the Swinging To Eliminate Cancer weekend.
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