Murray State University Athletics
Friday, September 3
St. Louis, Mo.
3:30 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Ark.-Pine Bluff
Photo by: Justine Ertl - Murray State Athletics
Volleyball Heads to St. Louis for Billiken Invitational
9/1/2021 1:47:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Murray State travels to St. Louis to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Arkansas State and Saint Louis at the Billiken Invitational
The Murray State Racers volleyball team (2-1) faces another competitive road swing this weekend, traveling to St. Louis, Mo., for the Billiken Invitational, Sept. 3-4 at the Chaifetz Pavilion
The Racers kick off the weekend with a 3:30 p.m. match against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday and then play Arkansas State and Saint Louis on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
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MURRAY STATE VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Friday, September 3 | 3:30 p.m.
Live Stats
MURRAY STATE VS. ARKANSAS STATE
Saturday, September 4 | 10 a.m.
Live Stats
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MURRAY STATE VS. SAINT LOUIS
Saturday, September 4 | 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video (ESPN+)
QUICK HITS
- The 2021 season marks the 39th year of Murray State volleyball.
- The Racers roster features a pair of seniors, one redshirt senior, two juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen.
- The 2021 Murray State volleyball team welcomes four freshmen to Murray in Bella Dearinger, Bailey DeMier, Alexa Harris and Brooke Lynn Watts.
- Murray State opened the year with a pair of victories over New Hampshire (1-2) and Stetson (0-3), before falling to Mercer (3-0) in a five-set thriller for a 2-1 start to the season.
- Freshman Brooke Lynn Watts has gotten off to one of the best starts to a career in program history. Watts is second in the nation in kills (69) and fifth in kills per set (5.31), being named OVC Offensive and Newcomer of the Week for her efforts over the weekend.
- Senior libero Becca Fernandez led the Racers defensive efforts with 69 digs over the three matches. Her 2,041 career digs moves her into third place overall on Murray State's All-Time Dig List, becoming just the third Racer to surpass the 2,000 career dig mark.
- Freshman setter Bailey DeMier led the Racers offense to a .248 attacking percentage on opening weekend, dishing out 138 assists. DeMier posted a double-double in all three matches, making her collegiate debut against UNH with 31 assists and 17 digs to go along with two blocks assists. She followed up with 53 and 54 assists in the next two matches against Stetson and Mercer.
- Preseason All-OVC Selection Jayla Holcombe opened her sophomore campaign with a .404 hitting percentage with 28 kills over the three matches, including 17 kills on a .387 percentage to close the weekend against Mercer.
- Redshirt senior Kolby McClelland paced the Racers attack out of the middle. McClelland tallied 24 kills on a .314 hitting percentage to go along with 6.0 blocks at the net.
- This weekend is a homecoming for three Racers from the St. Louis area. Sophomores Jayla Holcombe and Darci Metzger are from Belleville (East St. Louis Charter HS) and Collinsville, Illinois (Collinsville HS) while freshman Alexa Harris is from Edwardsville, Illinois (Edwardsville HS).
SERIES HISTORY
The Racers are facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff for the first time in program history. Murray State holds a commanding 24-3 lead over Arkansas State, winning in straight sets the last time the two teams faced each other in 2007. More recently, the Racers beat Saint Louis 3-1 in 2018, to take a slight 8-7 series advantage over the Billiken.
vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff: 0-0
vs. Arkansas State: 24-3
vs. Saint Louis: 8-7
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
- The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lions are coming off a 0-3 start to the 2021 season falling to Arkansas, Arkansas-Little Rock and Louisiana Tech all in straight sets at the Arkansas Invitational.
- The Lions offensive attack is led by freshman Zykia Jones with 19 kills over the weekend, followed by fellow classmate Jayden James with 14 kills, and SWAC Preseason Player of the Year, sophomore Zyonn Smith with 11.
- Six Lions are in double figures for digs led by junior Nyah Ellis with 18, averaging 3.60 digs per set.
- The Lions are coached by second-year head coach Chelsey Lucas and assisted by Lamonica Peacock.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
- The Arkansas State Red Wolves started the 2021 campaign with their home tournament, the A-State Invitational, winning the opening match 3-1 over UT Martin before falling to Missouri State in four sets and Wichita State in five.
- The Red Wovles were tabbed to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference, receiving one first-place vote.
- Junior Kendahl Davenport was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team, after being selected to the second team.
- Macey Putt posted three 20-kill efforts on a .262 hitting percentage to open the season. Her 71 kills leads the NCAA in total kills and her 5.46 kills per set is third overall. Putt also served four aces as she was named to the All-Tournament team.
- Defensively, libero Tatum Ticknor picked up 68 digs, averaging 5.23 digs per set. Ticknor added 26 assists.
- Leading the Red Wolves offense to a .203 hitting percentage are juniors Lauren Musante and Julianna Cramer with 68 and 55 assists, respectively.
-The Red Wolves are coached by third-year head coach Santiago Restrepo and assisted by Shannon Niemeier.
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SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
- The Saint Louis Billikens are coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Mizzou Invitational, sweeping host Mizzou in straight sets before falling to Creighton in three and Kansas City in five sets.
- SLU was picked to finish third in the A-10 Preseason Poll, returning five starters from last season, including A-10 All-Conference selections Maya Taylor (first team) and Jillian Mattingly (second team).
- Taylor paced the Billiken offense with 53 kills, averaging 4.82 kills per set. Mattingly followed with 26 kills of her own on a .388 hitting percentage.
- Freshman setter Kate Aupperle managed the Billikens offensive attack to a .213 hitting percentage with 112 assists, 10.18 assists per set while senior libero Emily Imo picked up 47 digs on the the defensive side of the ball.
- At the line, Emily Henken served eight service aces to led the Billikens and also collected 30 digs.
- The Billikins are coached by Kent Miller, his 11th season at the helm and assisted by Matt Huskey and Phoebe Cook.
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The Racers kick off the weekend with a 3:30 p.m. match against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday and then play Arkansas State and Saint Louis on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
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MURRAY STATE VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Friday, September 3 | 3:30 p.m.
Live Stats
MURRAY STATE VS. ARKANSAS STATE
Saturday, September 4 | 10 a.m.
Live Stats
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MURRAY STATE VS. SAINT LOUIS
Saturday, September 4 | 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video (ESPN+)
QUICK HITS
- The 2021 season marks the 39th year of Murray State volleyball.
- The Racers roster features a pair of seniors, one redshirt senior, two juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen.
- The 2021 Murray State volleyball team welcomes four freshmen to Murray in Bella Dearinger, Bailey DeMier, Alexa Harris and Brooke Lynn Watts.
- Murray State opened the year with a pair of victories over New Hampshire (1-2) and Stetson (0-3), before falling to Mercer (3-0) in a five-set thriller for a 2-1 start to the season.
- Freshman Brooke Lynn Watts has gotten off to one of the best starts to a career in program history. Watts is second in the nation in kills (69) and fifth in kills per set (5.31), being named OVC Offensive and Newcomer of the Week for her efforts over the weekend.
- Senior libero Becca Fernandez led the Racers defensive efforts with 69 digs over the three matches. Her 2,041 career digs moves her into third place overall on Murray State's All-Time Dig List, becoming just the third Racer to surpass the 2,000 career dig mark.
- Freshman setter Bailey DeMier led the Racers offense to a .248 attacking percentage on opening weekend, dishing out 138 assists. DeMier posted a double-double in all three matches, making her collegiate debut against UNH with 31 assists and 17 digs to go along with two blocks assists. She followed up with 53 and 54 assists in the next two matches against Stetson and Mercer.
- Preseason All-OVC Selection Jayla Holcombe opened her sophomore campaign with a .404 hitting percentage with 28 kills over the three matches, including 17 kills on a .387 percentage to close the weekend against Mercer.
- Redshirt senior Kolby McClelland paced the Racers attack out of the middle. McClelland tallied 24 kills on a .314 hitting percentage to go along with 6.0 blocks at the net.
- This weekend is a homecoming for three Racers from the St. Louis area. Sophomores Jayla Holcombe and Darci Metzger are from Belleville (East St. Louis Charter HS) and Collinsville, Illinois (Collinsville HS) while freshman Alexa Harris is from Edwardsville, Illinois (Edwardsville HS).
SERIES HISTORY
The Racers are facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff for the first time in program history. Murray State holds a commanding 24-3 lead over Arkansas State, winning in straight sets the last time the two teams faced each other in 2007. More recently, the Racers beat Saint Louis 3-1 in 2018, to take a slight 8-7 series advantage over the Billiken.
vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff: 0-0
vs. Arkansas State: 24-3
vs. Saint Louis: 8-7
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
- The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lions are coming off a 0-3 start to the 2021 season falling to Arkansas, Arkansas-Little Rock and Louisiana Tech all in straight sets at the Arkansas Invitational.
- The Lions offensive attack is led by freshman Zykia Jones with 19 kills over the weekend, followed by fellow classmate Jayden James with 14 kills, and SWAC Preseason Player of the Year, sophomore Zyonn Smith with 11.
- Six Lions are in double figures for digs led by junior Nyah Ellis with 18, averaging 3.60 digs per set.
- The Lions are coached by second-year head coach Chelsey Lucas and assisted by Lamonica Peacock.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
- The Arkansas State Red Wolves started the 2021 campaign with their home tournament, the A-State Invitational, winning the opening match 3-1 over UT Martin before falling to Missouri State in four sets and Wichita State in five.
- The Red Wovles were tabbed to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference, receiving one first-place vote.
- Junior Kendahl Davenport was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team, after being selected to the second team.
- Macey Putt posted three 20-kill efforts on a .262 hitting percentage to open the season. Her 71 kills leads the NCAA in total kills and her 5.46 kills per set is third overall. Putt also served four aces as she was named to the All-Tournament team.
- Defensively, libero Tatum Ticknor picked up 68 digs, averaging 5.23 digs per set. Ticknor added 26 assists.
- Leading the Red Wolves offense to a .203 hitting percentage are juniors Lauren Musante and Julianna Cramer with 68 and 55 assists, respectively.
-The Red Wolves are coached by third-year head coach Santiago Restrepo and assisted by Shannon Niemeier.
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SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
- The Saint Louis Billikens are coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Mizzou Invitational, sweeping host Mizzou in straight sets before falling to Creighton in three and Kansas City in five sets.
- SLU was picked to finish third in the A-10 Preseason Poll, returning five starters from last season, including A-10 All-Conference selections Maya Taylor (first team) and Jillian Mattingly (second team).
- Taylor paced the Billiken offense with 53 kills, averaging 4.82 kills per set. Mattingly followed with 26 kills of her own on a .388 hitting percentage.
- Freshman setter Kate Aupperle managed the Billikens offensive attack to a .213 hitting percentage with 112 assists, 10.18 assists per set while senior libero Emily Imo picked up 47 digs on the the defensive side of the ball.
- At the line, Emily Henken served eight service aces to led the Billikens and also collected 30 digs.
- The Billikins are coached by Kent Miller, his 11th season at the helm and assisted by Matt Huskey and Phoebe Cook.
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Players Mentioned
S/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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