Murray State University Athletics
Volleyball Prepares for Tough Competition at adidas Classic
9/2/2009 7:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team heads to their second tournament of the 2009 season this weekend when they travel to Bloomington, Ind., to participate in the adidas Classic hosted by Indiana University. The Racers (0-3) will first battle with No. 18 Kentucky, Friday, Sep. 4 at 9 a.m. (CST) and then face UIC at 4 p.m. The following day MSU will play the host Hoosiers at 11 a.m.
Scouting the Competition
No. 18 Kentucky
The Wildcats enter the tournament with a 3-0 record after winning the Kentucky Classic and are currently ranked No. 18 in the AVCA DI Coaches Poll. Kentucky defeated Northwestern, Western Carolina, and Florida International in Lexington, Ky. As a team the Wildcats hit .296 (153k-41e-378ta) in their first three matches, while garnering 30.5 (6-49) total team blocks. Kentucky did not allow their opponents to get in the blocking game, as they recorded just 12 (2-20) against the Wildcats. The team was also strong at the service line, with 15 aces. While Kentucky recorded strong blocking and serving numbers, they also tallied high error numbers in each category. The Wildcats made eight blocking errors to their opponents one, and 23 service errors to six by the other team.
Early statistical leaders for Kentucky are Sarah Mendoza, Lauren Rapp, Sarah Rumely and BriAnne Sauer. Rapp is the leading hitter for the Wildcats with a .371 (23k-6e-70ta) attack percentage, four service aces, and 12 blocks (2-10). Mendoza is second on the team with a .315 (45k-10e-111ta) hitting percentage. Rumely is the teams setter with 122 assists. She also added 10 blocks (2-8) and three service aces. Sauer, like her younger sister Kayleah Sauer on the Racer squad, is the team's libero and has recorded 34 digs.
UIC
The Flames are 1-3 after the Northern Illinois Volleyball Invitational. UIC defeated Western Illinois before falling to Stephen F. Austin, Southern Illinois, and host Northern Illinois. The Flames hit .190 (198k-96e-536) on the weekend, while averaging 14.6 digs and 1.9 blocks per set.
Lanna Lobdell is the top performer so far for UIC, with a .356 (47k-11e-101ta) hitting percentage and 20 block assists. Jessica Dalke is the teams setter, with 155 assists, four service aces and 44 digs. The Flames are led defensively by Nicole Allgood with 50 digs.
Indiana
The Hoosiers are 3-0 after earning the Flo Human Tournament title with wins over Southeast Louisiana, New Orleans and Houston. Indiana hit .285 (136k-44e-323ta) over the three matches and added 1.9 service aces/set. Blocking was also a key to victory for the Hoosiers, as they recorded 32 total team blocks (5-54) and held their opponents to just four total team blocks (1-6).
Top performers so far for Indiana are Ashley Benson, Caitlin Cox and Jordan Haverly. Benson has a .478 (43k-10e-69ta) attack percentage and 16 (4-12) blocks. Haverly hit .247 (32k-11e-85ta), while adding 17 service aces and seven blocks. Cox was the defensive leader with 31 digs.
Starting the Year Strong
In every sport a coach always says that they schedule teams during the start of the season to help prepare them for the conference section of the year. This year it is no different for the Murray State volleyball team, as in the first three weeks of the season the Racers will play five teams that finished the 2008 campaign with an RPI below 100 and eight below 130.
The first tournament of the year is at Middle Tennessee State, Aug. 28-29, where Murray State will face the host Blue Raiders, Xavier and Kansas. MTSU was ranked 24th in the RPI, while Xavier was 124 and Kansas 112. The Racers finished with an RPI ranking of 155 of 329 teams in NCAA Division I.
Murray State will also face tough competition from Alabama-Birmingham (22), Kentucky (39), Indiana (47) and Valparaiso (67) in the opening tournaments.
In the AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll MTSU may not have made the top-25, but the team did receive four votes.
No Sophomore Slump
After having three rookies named to the All-OVC Newcomer team, the Racers will be hoping for all three to avoid the “sophomore slump.” Kayleah Sauer, and Sara Hayden leads the way, only 10 blocks from making the total block list. She also needs nine block solos and 33 block assists to put her name on those lists. The Louisville, Ky., native will likely get her name on the block assist and total blocks list in 2009 after she recorded 79 total blocks in 2008, including 65 block assists. If she matches her block solo total from 2008 (14) she could make it on all three top-10 lists.
Ashley Nenninger is also inching closer to the 10th position on the block assist and total blocks charts after recording 83 total blocks, including 73 block assists a year ago. The Marble Hill, Mo., native needs 55 block assists and 53 total blocks to earn a spot on the top-10 charts.
The final member of the trio that has been adding to the blocking total is Becca Lamb. In her first two seasons she tallied 43 and 41 total blocks and needs 54 to make the top-10 list. Her 69 block assists also puts her 41 away from penciling in her name on the block assist charts.
Scouting the Competition
No. 18 Kentucky
The Wildcats enter the tournament with a 3-0 record after winning the Kentucky Classic and are currently ranked No. 18 in the AVCA DI Coaches Poll. Kentucky defeated Northwestern, Western Carolina, and Florida International in Lexington, Ky. As a team the Wildcats hit .296 (153k-41e-378ta) in their first three matches, while garnering 30.5 (6-49) total team blocks. Kentucky did not allow their opponents to get in the blocking game, as they recorded just 12 (2-20) against the Wildcats. The team was also strong at the service line, with 15 aces. While Kentucky recorded strong blocking and serving numbers, they also tallied high error numbers in each category. The Wildcats made eight blocking errors to their opponents one, and 23 service errors to six by the other team.
Early statistical leaders for Kentucky are Sarah Mendoza, Lauren Rapp, Sarah Rumely and BriAnne Sauer. Rapp is the leading hitter for the Wildcats with a .371 (23k-6e-70ta) attack percentage, four service aces, and 12 blocks (2-10). Mendoza is second on the team with a .315 (45k-10e-111ta) hitting percentage. Rumely is the teams setter with 122 assists. She also added 10 blocks (2-8) and three service aces. Sauer, like her younger sister Kayleah Sauer on the Racer squad, is the team's libero and has recorded 34 digs.
UIC
The Flames are 1-3 after the Northern Illinois Volleyball Invitational. UIC defeated Western Illinois before falling to Stephen F. Austin, Southern Illinois, and host Northern Illinois. The Flames hit .190 (198k-96e-536) on the weekend, while averaging 14.6 digs and 1.9 blocks per set.
Lanna Lobdell is the top performer so far for UIC, with a .356 (47k-11e-101ta) hitting percentage and 20 block assists. Jessica Dalke is the teams setter, with 155 assists, four service aces and 44 digs. The Flames are led defensively by Nicole Allgood with 50 digs.
Indiana
The Hoosiers are 3-0 after earning the Flo Human Tournament title with wins over Southeast Louisiana, New Orleans and Houston. Indiana hit .285 (136k-44e-323ta) over the three matches and added 1.9 service aces/set. Blocking was also a key to victory for the Hoosiers, as they recorded 32 total team blocks (5-54) and held their opponents to just four total team blocks (1-6).
Top performers so far for Indiana are Ashley Benson, Caitlin Cox and Jordan Haverly. Benson has a .478 (43k-10e-69ta) attack percentage and 16 (4-12) blocks. Haverly hit .247 (32k-11e-85ta), while adding 17 service aces and seven blocks. Cox was the defensive leader with 31 digs.
Starting the Year Strong
In every sport a coach always says that they schedule teams during the start of the season to help prepare them for the conference section of the year. This year it is no different for the Murray State volleyball team, as in the first three weeks of the season the Racers will play five teams that finished the 2008 campaign with an RPI below 100 and eight below 130.
The first tournament of the year is at Middle Tennessee State, Aug. 28-29, where Murray State will face the host Blue Raiders, Xavier and Kansas. MTSU was ranked 24th in the RPI, while Xavier was 124 and Kansas 112. The Racers finished with an RPI ranking of 155 of 329 teams in NCAA Division I.
Murray State will also face tough competition from Alabama-Birmingham (22), Kentucky (39), Indiana (47) and Valparaiso (67) in the opening tournaments.
In the AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll MTSU may not have made the top-25, but the team did receive four votes.
No Sophomore Slump
After having three rookies named to the All-OVC Newcomer team, the Racers will be hoping for all three to avoid the “sophomore slump.” Kayleah Sauer, and Sara Hayden leads the way, only 10 blocks from making the total block list. She also needs nine block solos and 33 block assists to put her name on those lists. The Louisville, Ky., native will likely get her name on the block assist and total blocks list in 2009 after she recorded 79 total blocks in 2008, including 65 block assists. If she matches her block solo total from 2008 (14) she could make it on all three top-10 lists.
Ashley Nenninger is also inching closer to the 10th position on the block assist and total blocks charts after recording 83 total blocks, including 73 block assists a year ago. The Marble Hill, Mo., native needs 55 block assists and 53 total blocks to earn a spot on the top-10 charts.
The final member of the trio that has been adding to the blocking total is Becca Lamb. In her first two seasons she tallied 43 and 41 total blocks and needs 54 to make the top-10 list. Her 69 block assists also puts her 41 away from penciling in her name on the block assist charts.
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