By: by Jason Hanes
FORT MYERS, Fla. - In its first year of eligibility, the Kennesaw State volleyball team will join five other teams in competing for the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship tomorrow as the Owls take on Belmont in the quarterfinals of the A-Sun Volleyball Championships.
The Owls (17-11) earned a berth into the A-Sun Championships, the premier volleyball event for the Atlantic Sun Conference, with an 11-9 mark in conference play. KSU got to that mark in part due to a four-match A-Sun winning streak that started with a 3-1 win over Belmont Oct. 17. That win sparked the Owls to wins over Campbell and East Tennessee State the next weekend - the two teams that were closest to the Owls in the standings.
Belmont and Kennesaw State have played two classic matches this season. On Sept. 25 in Nashville, Belmont rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Owls in the fith set, 15-7, and win the match. In the second match on Oct. 17, the Owls earned a 3-1 victory over the Bruins.
Chelsey Denesha had 18 kills in the victory for KSU.
Sabrita Gulley was honored by the A-Sun Tuesday afternoon as a Second Team All-Conference member. Gulley has a team-leading 14 double-doubles and is the first KSU volleyball player to record 300 kills and 300 digs in a season.
Asjia Stokes is one of just five people in the A-Sun this season to record 400 points for her team, and she is the first KSU volleyball player to reach that mark. With 3.86 points per set, Stokes has recorded 405 points this season for the Owls.
Callie Churchwell leads KSU's front row defense as the sophomore finished Atlantic Sun Conference play with more total blocks than any player in the A-Sun. With 88 blocks in 76 sets, Churchwell had 1.17 blocks per set in A-Sun play. Churchwell ranks third in overall matches with 1.08 blocks per set, and is the first KSU volleyball player to tally over 100 blocks in a season (112).
Selina O'Leary leads KSU's backrow defense with 443 digs in 111 sets played. Just one dig from averaging 4.00 digs per set in all matches, the senior had 4.08 digs per set in A-Sun play. The libero is one of just four players in the A-Sun in 2009 to have at least 400 digs.
The winner of Thursday's first quarterfinal match will face Lipscomb, the top seed in the tournament, Friday evening at 5 p.m.
