By: Mark Wasik
Tuesday, September 2
6 p.m.
Kennesaw State (1-1, 0-0 CUSA) at Mercer (0-3, 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Hawkins Arena | Macon, Ga.
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KENNESAW, Ga. - Coming off a strong opening weekend in which it split a pair of games in the Shocker Volleyball Classic including a win over host Wichita State, Kennesaw State Volleyball returns to the Peach State for its six games, starting with Tuesday's road contest down I-75 at Mercer. The game will start at 6 p.m., and there is no video stream available of the match.
The Owls won their season opener with an impressive 3-0 sweep on the road at WSU, before falling to Arkansas 3-1 on the second day. Seniors
Manu Johnsen, who currently leads Conference USA in both kills and points and
Leah Freeman were both named to the all-tournament team.
Tuesday marks the first appearance for KSU in Macon since the 2014 season, and the Owls will be looking to even the all-time series, after Mercer claimed a 3-1 win in Kennesaw last year that snapped three straight wins by the Owls.
A year ago, the story about the Owls was the youth movement as they were routinely playing five freshmen each game, easily the most under Head Coach
Keith Schunzel's first 12 years in Kennesaw. Now, it's about an experienced KSU squad that is picked in the top four in Conference USA with sights on challenging for the league title, as the Owls return the most players from their 2024 squad of any team in the nation, as well as the most productivity of any team in the nation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior outside hitter
Manu Johnsen, a preseason All-Conference USA selection for the second straight year, is one of the top offensive threats in the nation and returns for her final season with the Black and Gold within reach of several career records at KSU including career kills and points. Junior middle blocker
Olivia Burrage had a breakout year and is looking to continue her dominance at the net this season, while the Owls are excited to have the services of redshirt sophomore right side hitter
Haley Patterson back after she missed last season with a knee injury.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Mercer is in a transition year after losing their coach and the majority of last year's squad that finished 26-7 overall and earned an invite to the NIVC. This season, the Bears were picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the preseason poll, and have started out the year with losses to Eastern Kentucky, Appalachian State and College of Charleston. Charlotte Thompson is the team's top hitting, averaging 2.78 kills per set, while Lara Matta is adding 2.75 kps.
