GAME NOTES I
LIVE STATS I LIVE VIDEO
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State volleyball team looks to continue its best start in program history this weekend as the 8-3 Owls head to Charlotte, N.C. for the 49er Invitational.
The Owls will play three games in two days against Charlotte, Towson and UNC Asheville, all at Halton Arena this Friday and Saturday.
Kennesaw State is currently riding a four game win streak into the 49er Invitational after taking its second tournament championship this past weekend in the KSU Owls Invitational.
This week’s opponents boast an overall record of 20-13 with Charlotte and Towson both well over .500 on the year.
Charlotte is now 7-2 on the season and is also currently enjoying a four game win streak after winning the Runnin’ Bulldog Classic. The 49ers have been dominant thus far, having only four matches go more than three sets.
The Tigers of Towson come in at 8-3 as well and bring in one of the most potent offenses in the nation. Katy Buck leads the .257 hitting squad and has slammed 125 kills to lead her team. Defensively, the Tigers are holding opponents to a .184 hitting percentage and are totaling 431 digs.
UNC Asheville is the only sub-.500 team the Owls will see this weekend, arriving at 4-8. The Bulldogs are 0-7 in neutral site games and are led by senior Holly Shelton’s 126 kills.
Defense continues to be the name of the game for the Owls as they sit atop the Atlantic Sun Conference in opponent hitting percentage, holding the opposition to a .151 mark. Libero Camille Pedraza leads the way with 182 digs and now ranks 44
th in the nation with a 5.06 digs per set average.
The KSU Owls Invitational MVP Baylee Strachan (Sioux City, Iowa/Winthrop) has taken over the team lead in blocks from freshman Cierra Royster (Mableton, Ga./Cumberland Christian High School) with 27 after picking up 13 this past weekend alone.
Senior Turea Jones (Santa Rosa, Calif./Santa Rosa JC) is still best on the roster with 130 kills, 3.33 per set, while setter Sara Metroka (New Castle, Ind./New Castle Chrysler High School) is aiding in the effort with 411 assists.
The 49er Invitational marks the last weekend of non-conference games for KSU as A-Sun play kicks off on Sept. 18, with USC Upstate. The Owls will have just one more non-conference game on the schedule, an Oct. 2, match at Alabama State.
First serve for the Owls this weekend will be on Friday at 7 p.m. against the host team Charlotte with a 10 a.m. match against Towson on Saturday morning followed by a 4:30 p.m. meeting with UNC Asheville to wrap things up.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State volleyball news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsVB or by liking Kennesaw State University Volleyball on Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
