Tuesday, Sept. 3
7 p.m. – Kennesaw State (1-2) vs. Georgia Tech (3-0)

Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Convocation Center
Links: Live Stats | ESPN+
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram
Notes: KSU 

Quick Hits
» For the first time since 2015, and only the second time in program history, the Kennesaw State volleyball team will welcome in-state rival Georgia Tech to the Convocation Center Tuesday night for its 2019 home-opener. The Owls only win over the Yellow Jackets came during that 2015 meeting when KSU grinded out a 3-1 victory over Georgia Tech.

» The Owls head into Tuesday's match looking to bounce back after dropping their final two matches of the Big Orange Bash Tournament Saturday. KSU opened the season with a 3-0 sweep over Wofford Friday night, but fell to Georgia, 3-2, and Clemson, 3-1, in its Saturday doubleheader.

» Junior Lauren Chastang seemed to pick up right where she left off last season, nearly recording three straight double-doubles to open the year. After a nine kill, 10 dig performance against Wofford, the BayMinette, Ala., native logged 13 kills and 10 digs against the Bulldogs followed by 12 kills and 10 digs against Clemson in the nightcap. Not done there, she also recorded a career-high five aces against UGA, rattling off three in a row at one point.

» Some of KSU's younger talent stepped into the spotlight over the weekend as sophomore Jasmine Brown and freshmen Emma Schurfranz and Shelby Dennis put in some career performances. After seeing limited action in 2018, Brown started all three matches in the tournament, her first career starts. The Powder Springs native finished the weekend with 16 total kills, setting a career-high with seven kills against Georgia to go along with a career-high four blocks. Schurfranz made it known she would be one to watch this season after racking up 24 kills throughout the tournament, including an impressive 13 kills against UGA where she finished hitting .476 for the match. Dennis was the third Owl, including Brown and Schurfranz, to earn their first career starts this past weekend. Although recording only one kill, Dennis was a solid defensive presence for the Owls, tallying 16 digs over the three-match span, including seven in the Owls' season-opener against Wofford.

» Ranked second in the ASUN for total kills, 142, KSU did a great job of spreading the ball around this past weekend with three Owls ranked among the league's top-10 for kills. Lauren Chastang is currently second with 34 while Quin Sutphin is fourth with 29 and Dani Ballou ranks sixth with 27.

» The top serving team in the conference with 20 aces, Lauren Chastang and Karlee Groover rank first and second, respectively, with seven and six aces a piece.

At The Net
Junior Quin Sutphin had a big role to fill coming into the 2019 season with the graduation of KSU's all-time blocks leader Liesl Engelbrecht, and this past weekend she showed she was ready for the challenge.

Sutphin opened the tournament with 11 kills against Wofford, taking part in three of the Owls' four blocks in the match. In Saturday's doubleheader, she led the team in both matches with six blocks each while tallying 13 kills against Clemson.

After the first weekend of play, the Fort Mill, S.C., native leads the ASUN with 15 total blocks.

Set Up For Success
The ASUN Preseason Setter of the Year did not disappoint over the weekend as Lexi Broadwater recorded 120 assists at the Big Orange Bash.

Broadwater is currently one of two players in the ASUN to log over 100 assists so far on the year and one of three players to average at least 10 assists per set.

Following the weekend, Broadwater surpassed 1,500 career assists (1,562), needing just 35 assists to move ahead of Ginny Frederick (2006-09) for third on the all-time career record list.   

Protect The Nest
The Owls look to win their third straight home-opener Tuesday night while hosting the Yellow Jackets.

The Convocation Center has been one of the most formidable places to play as of late, with KSU holding a 37-8 record on its home floor since the start of the 2015 season, dropping only two matches over the past two seasons.

The Film Room
Georgia Tech heads to Kennesaw after starting the season 3-0 at the Georgia Tech Invitational. The Yellow Jackets have dropped only one set throughout their first three matches of the season, downing Long Beach State 3-1 before sweeping Southern University and UNC Asheville.

Freshman outside hitter Julia Bergmann leads the team and ranks second in the ACC with 44 kills after the first weekend of action. Bergmann also leads the team in digs (37) and aces (8).

To Be The Best You Have To Beat The Best
Head Coach Keith Schunzel has lined up a non-conference gauntlet for the Owls in 2019 with seven teams who finished among the top-100 in RPI last season, six Power 5 opponents and four teams who earned a 2018 NCAA Tournament berth.

Among those non-conference teams, six were selected to finish in the top-5 of their respective preseason polls with High Point, Samford and James Madison chosen to win their conferences. 

Looking Ahead
Following Tuesday's home-opener, the Owls hit the road for the High Point Invitational. KSU opens the three-day tournament Friday (Sept. 6) against James Madison at 4 p.m., followed by Furman on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and hosts High Point Sunday at 12 p.m.

Stat Leaders
Kills: 34, Lauren Chastang
Assists: 120, Lexi Broadwater
Digs: 37, Karlee Groover
Blocks: 15, Quin Sutphin
Aces: 7, Lauren Chastang
Attack Percentage: .259, Emma Schurfranz
 

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