Murray State University Athletics
Friday, August 28
Cullowhee, N.C.
3 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Fresno State
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
Photo by: Sam Sheffer
Racers Open 2015 at Catamount Classic
8/26/2015 3:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Dates: Aug. 28 and 29
Match Times: 28th – 3 p.m., 29th – 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Opponents: Fresno State, Western Carolina and Georgia State
Site (Venue): Cullowhee, N.C. (Ramsey Activity Center)
Host (Tournament): Western Carolina (Catamount Volleyball Classic)
Watch Live: SoCon Digital Network
Live Stats: Fresno State | Western Carolina | Georgia State
MSU Record (Streak): 0-0 (--)
MSU vs. The Field: 1-0
All-Time Series vs. FSU (Streak): First-ever meeting
All-Time Series vs. WCU (Streak): MSU leads 1-0 (W1)
All-Time Series vs. GSU (Streak): First-ever meeting
MSU Next Matches: Sept. 4-5 at Washington and vs. Buffalo (Seattle, Wash.)
MSU Next Home Match: Oct. 7 vs. Austin Peay
This Week
The Murray State volleyball team opens its 2015 season this weekend at the Catamount Volleyball Classic in Cullowhee, N.C., hosted by Western Carolina.
The Racers, who are the defending OVC Champions, will play three matches Friday and Saturday, beginning with Fresno State Friday at 3 p.m. central time. Saturday, MSU will face host-Western Carolina at 12:30 p.m., central and will close the classic against Georgia State at 3:30 p.m. central.
2014 Recap
The Racers won a program record 26 matches in 2014 and made the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history, bowing-out to Illinois in the first round. MSU went 26-6 overall and 14-2 in OVC play and won the regular season conference title for the first time in school history. The Racers swept all three of their matches in the OVC Tournament to win the title, on their way to an 11-0 record at Racer Arena last season.
Scottie Ingram became just the second player in program history to be named OVC Player of the Year. Ingram led the conference with 370 kills and 3.66 kills per set. Sam Bedard was named the OVC Tournament MVP and was also an All-OVC Team honoree after she led the OVC with 1,164 assists and 11.09 assists per set. Taylor Olden was also an All-OVC Team member in 2014 as she was second on the squad and fifth in the league with 345 kills and 3.38 per set.
Preseason Favorites
The Racers were picked to repeat as champions in the preseason OVC poll. MSU received a total of 240 points and 20 of the 24 first-place votes. Kristen Besselsen joined Bedard, Ingram and Olden on the Preseason All-OVC Team.
Scouting Fresno State
Fresno State posted a record of 8-24 in 2014 and went 3-15 in the Mountain West Conference, finishing 10th. The Bulldogs return four starters from last year's squad, including their top two hitters in Zana Bowens and Carly Scarbrough. Bowens recorded 356 kills and hit .185 in 2014 while Scarbrough collected 284 kills and hit .140. Fresno State also returns setter Jelena Jovanovic, who led the Bulldogs with 670 assists (6.98 per set). Maggie Eppright also returns at the libero position, after leading the 'Dogs with 408 digs a season ago. Fresno State is led by Head Coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell who is in her eighth season with the Bulldogs. Netherby-Sewell has compiled a record of 91-117 with the program.
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Scouting Western Carolina
The Catamounts went 17-15 overall and 9-7 in the SoCon last season. Western Carolina loses a pair of all-conference performers in outside hitter Caitlin Piechota and middle blocker Addy George from 2014, and return All-Freshman Team honoree Jo-Leigh Vervelde. Vervelde led WCU with 649 assists a season ago and was third on the team with 28 aces. The Catamounts also return their other starting setter in Cristina Nazario, who recorded 588 assists. Libero Elyssa Mulheron, who led the squad with 544 digs also returns, as does middle blocker Katie O'Connor who recorded 110 kills in 2014. WCU is led by Head Coach Karen Glover who enters her fifth season with the program.
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Scouting Georgia State
Georgia State, who finished last season 10-20 overall and 8-12 in the Sun Belt, returns First Team All-Conference honoree Deidra Bohannon and Second Team member Eliza Zachary. Bohannon was also named to the preseason All-Sun Belt team earlier this month. Bohannon and Zachary led the team with 432 and 357 kills, respectively in 2014. The Panthers also return setter Natalia Nieto who recorded a team-high 1,038 kills a season ago. GSU is led by second-year Head Coach Sally Polhamus.
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Many Happy Returns
The Racers return 14 of 15 players from last season's conference championship squad, including each starter. Dacia Brown is the lone "newcomer" to this season's team after redshirting in 2014.
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Watch Live
All three of the Racers' matches at the Catamount Classic will be streamed live on the Southern Conference Digital Network. Click HERE to watch the Racers in action.
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Match Times: 28th – 3 p.m., 29th – 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Opponents: Fresno State, Western Carolina and Georgia State
Site (Venue): Cullowhee, N.C. (Ramsey Activity Center)
Host (Tournament): Western Carolina (Catamount Volleyball Classic)
Watch Live: SoCon Digital Network
Live Stats: Fresno State | Western Carolina | Georgia State
MSU Record (Streak): 0-0 (--)
MSU vs. The Field: 1-0
All-Time Series vs. FSU (Streak): First-ever meeting
All-Time Series vs. WCU (Streak): MSU leads 1-0 (W1)
All-Time Series vs. GSU (Streak): First-ever meeting
MSU Next Matches: Sept. 4-5 at Washington and vs. Buffalo (Seattle, Wash.)
MSU Next Home Match: Oct. 7 vs. Austin Peay
This Week
The Murray State volleyball team opens its 2015 season this weekend at the Catamount Volleyball Classic in Cullowhee, N.C., hosted by Western Carolina.
The Racers, who are the defending OVC Champions, will play three matches Friday and Saturday, beginning with Fresno State Friday at 3 p.m. central time. Saturday, MSU will face host-Western Carolina at 12:30 p.m., central and will close the classic against Georgia State at 3:30 p.m. central.
2014 Recap
The Racers won a program record 26 matches in 2014 and made the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history, bowing-out to Illinois in the first round. MSU went 26-6 overall and 14-2 in OVC play and won the regular season conference title for the first time in school history. The Racers swept all three of their matches in the OVC Tournament to win the title, on their way to an 11-0 record at Racer Arena last season.
Scottie Ingram became just the second player in program history to be named OVC Player of the Year. Ingram led the conference with 370 kills and 3.66 kills per set. Sam Bedard was named the OVC Tournament MVP and was also an All-OVC Team honoree after she led the OVC with 1,164 assists and 11.09 assists per set. Taylor Olden was also an All-OVC Team member in 2014 as she was second on the squad and fifth in the league with 345 kills and 3.38 per set.
Preseason Favorites
The Racers were picked to repeat as champions in the preseason OVC poll. MSU received a total of 240 points and 20 of the 24 first-place votes. Kristen Besselsen joined Bedard, Ingram and Olden on the Preseason All-OVC Team.
Scouting Fresno State
Fresno State posted a record of 8-24 in 2014 and went 3-15 in the Mountain West Conference, finishing 10th. The Bulldogs return four starters from last year's squad, including their top two hitters in Zana Bowens and Carly Scarbrough. Bowens recorded 356 kills and hit .185 in 2014 while Scarbrough collected 284 kills and hit .140. Fresno State also returns setter Jelena Jovanovic, who led the Bulldogs with 670 assists (6.98 per set). Maggie Eppright also returns at the libero position, after leading the 'Dogs with 408 digs a season ago. Fresno State is led by Head Coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell who is in her eighth season with the Bulldogs. Netherby-Sewell has compiled a record of 91-117 with the program.
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Scouting Western Carolina
The Catamounts went 17-15 overall and 9-7 in the SoCon last season. Western Carolina loses a pair of all-conference performers in outside hitter Caitlin Piechota and middle blocker Addy George from 2014, and return All-Freshman Team honoree Jo-Leigh Vervelde. Vervelde led WCU with 649 assists a season ago and was third on the team with 28 aces. The Catamounts also return their other starting setter in Cristina Nazario, who recorded 588 assists. Libero Elyssa Mulheron, who led the squad with 544 digs also returns, as does middle blocker Katie O'Connor who recorded 110 kills in 2014. WCU is led by Head Coach Karen Glover who enters her fifth season with the program.
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Scouting Georgia State
Georgia State, who finished last season 10-20 overall and 8-12 in the Sun Belt, returns First Team All-Conference honoree Deidra Bohannon and Second Team member Eliza Zachary. Bohannon was also named to the preseason All-Sun Belt team earlier this month. Bohannon and Zachary led the team with 432 and 357 kills, respectively in 2014. The Panthers also return setter Natalia Nieto who recorded a team-high 1,038 kills a season ago. GSU is led by second-year Head Coach Sally Polhamus.
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Many Happy Returns
The Racers return 14 of 15 players from last season's conference championship squad, including each starter. Dacia Brown is the lone "newcomer" to this season's team after redshirting in 2014.
Â
Watch Live
All three of the Racers' matches at the Catamount Classic will be streamed live on the Southern Conference Digital Network. Click HERE to watch the Racers in action.
Â
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