By: by Jason Hanes
Tournament Central
KENNESAW, Ga. - After spending the first three weeks on the road, the Kennesaw State volleyball team will play its first home matches of the season this Friday and Saturday as the program hosts the 2010 Owls Invitational. KSU begins play Friday morning at 10 a.m. against Presbyterian.
"It's good to finally open up our home court for 2010," KSU head coach Karen Weatherington said. "In addition to having a ranked team come to our tournament, we have three other challenges that will await us in some very solid teams. We want to defend our home court to the best of our abilities this weekend."
The Owls (4-6) are looking to continue the forward momentum they gained last weekend in Boiling Springs, N.C. at the Runnin' Bulldogs Classic. Last Saturday, the Owls earned a pair of sweeps at the hands of host Gardner-Webb and Wofford. Sabrita Gulley and Baylee Strachan were both named to the all-tournament team for their performances.
This weekend, the Owls will see an increase in the level of competition. In Friday morning's first match, the Owls will face Presbyterian. The Blue Hose (4-4) are on a two-match winning streak as well, thanks to victories over Bradley and Hofstra. Lisa Shelley and Presley Mabrey are both averaging over 3.40 kills per set to lead Presbyterian.
KSU will return to the court Friday night at 7 p.m. to battle Coastal Carolina. After falling in the first five matches of the season, the Chanticleers have won five straight to improve their record to .500 on the season. Coastal's last win came over one of KSU's Atlantic Sun Conference rivals in USC Upstate, 3-2.
Saturday at Noon, the Owls will tangle with Troy. The Trojans (4-8) have lost their last three matches, including a loss at the hands of Illinois-Chicago, a team the Owls faced over Labor Day weekend at the UIC Invitational. While the Owls fell to the Flames 3-1 on their home court, Troy lost 3-0 to UIC at a neutral site. Devin Von Pingel's 2.71 kills per set lead the way offensively for the Trojans.
In the finale of the tournament at 7 p.m. Saturday, the Owls will face No. 25 Ohio State. The Buckeyes have posted a 9-1 mark so far on the campaign, with OSU riding a four-match winning streak entering the Convocation Center. Katie Dull's 3.59 kills per set lead the Ohio State offense, while Alley Schwarzwalder and Mariah Booth (who attended Kennesaw Mountain High School) team to lead OSU's front-line defense with 2.76 blocks per set combined.
In other matches during the tournament, Coastal Carolina will face Troy at Noon Friday, with Ohio State and Presbyterian meeting at 5 p.m. At 10 a.m. Saturday, Ohio State will face Coastal Carolina, while at 5 p.m., Presbyterian will face Troy.
