By: Mark Wasik
Friday, August 26
4:30 p.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 ASUN) vs Western Carolina (0-0, 0-0 SoCon)
Location:Â Winston-Salem, N.C. | Reynolds Gymnasium
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 Saturday, August 27
10 a.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 ASUN) vs NC Central (0-0, 0-0 MEAC)
Location:Â Winston-Salem, N.C. | Reynolds Gymnasium
Live Stats:Â Statbroadcast
Saturday, August 27
7 p.m. – Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 ASUN) at Wake Forest (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
Location:Â Winston-Salem, N.C. | Reynolds Gymnasium
Video Stream:Â ESPN+Â
Live Stats:Â Statbroadcast
KSU Game Notes Â
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KENNESAW, Ga. – For the fifth straight season, Kennesaw State volleyball is starting the season on the road as the Owls open the 2022 season in this weekend's Wake Forest Invitational. KSU will play its first game of the two-day tournament against Western Carolina on Friday, before facing NC Central on Saturday morning and then closing out the weekend with a Saturday prime time matchup with the host Demon Deacons. This will mark KSU's 11th all-time game against an ACC opponent (4-6 overall).
The Owls do not have a lot of history with this weekend's opponents. It will be the first-ever meeting between KSU and Wake Forest, while the Owls have not faced NC Central since 2012 and Western Carolina since the first two years of the program (2006, 2007).
Kennesaw State brings back an experienced-led team for the 2022 season. However, the Owls will have to find a way to replace two starters, most notably Lauren Chastang who set numerous program records in closing out her stellar KSU career, including setting the school's all-time career kills and service aces mark.
PLAYERS TO WATCH…
Helping to offset the loss of Chastang is the return of outside hitter Emma Schurfranz. The senior is coming off a 2021 season in which she paced the Owls and ranked in the top ten in the ASUN in kills (fourth) with 3.43 per set, and currently ranks ninth in KSU history with 741. She is one of five returning starters for the Owls, as she is joined by middle blocker Claire Parsons, setter McKinley Ferguson, middle blocker Jasmine Brown and outside hitter Dani Ballou. Parsons led KSU in blocks in 2021 with 118 on the year, while Dennis was the leader in digs (325).
SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS...
Western Carolina has been picked to finish fifth in the nine-team SoCon preseason coaches' poll after finishing 11-17 overall a year ago. The Catamounts are expected to be led this season by the pair of Destinee Dorsey and Merry Gebel, who were both named to the preseason All-SoCon squad.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES...
NC Central is predicted to finish fourth in the eight-team MEAC, after posting a 11-14 record in 2021. The Eagles will have to find new help on offense this season, as outside hitter Abby Vacha is the top returnee in kills with 1.56 per set.
SCOUTING THE DEMON DEACONS...
Wake Forest posted a 15-14 overall mark a year ago, and are picked to place 11th in the 15-team ACC this season. Ashley Slater looks to provide the offense after recording 289 kills in 2021 (2.83 kps), while Olivia Franke was fourth with 183 total (1.76 kps).
