Match Notes | WatchBigSky: Live Stream | vs. Idaho: Game Center
The University of Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team will close
the nonconference portion of its schedule this weekend at the Idaho Volleyball
Classic. UW will start with host and Big Sky Conference member Idaho at 5:30
p.m. MT on Thursday, then Oregon State at 11 a.m. and Tennessee Tech at 5:30 p.m.
on Friday. Live stats will be available and all three of UW's
matches will be streamed on WatchBigSky.com.
"We will see a few good teams again this weekend," UW head
coach Chad Callihan said. "I think they mirror what we may see in the Mountain
West. We had a great week of training leading up to last weekend and the result
of that training was the success we had in our matches. I feel like we have
improved each week and we hope to continue that growth."
Wyoming looks to maintain its positive momentum this week
after it has won four-consecutive straight set matches. The Cowgirls won the UniWyo
Invite this past weekend by defeating Samford, CSUN and Eastern Washington.
Sophomore Reed Copeland was named tournament MVP, as seniors Laura Beach and
Courtney Chacon were named to the All-Tournament team.
Through the first ten matches of the 2016 season, Beach is
not only leading UW in hitting percentage but sits in first in the Mountain
West conference. Wyoming's all-time leader in hitting percentage is hitting
.444 this year. Chacon is ninth in the MW with an average of 8.39 assists per
set. She also moved into seventh place on Wyoming's all-time assists list, and
now has 2,618 for her career. Junior Lily Austin has recorded 111 digs this
season, and additionally is ninth in the MW after averaging 3.58 digs per set
for the Cowgirls.
Idaho currently sports a 4-5 record after winning its first
three matches. The Vandals are led offensively by sophomore outside hitter's Kaela
Straw and Sarah Sharp. Straw has 94 total kills (2.76 kps) this season, as
Sharp has 93 (2.66 kps). Haylee Mathis has 175 assists (5.00 aps), while freshman
setter Megan Ramseyer has chipped in 155 (4.43 aps). Senior defensive
specialist Terra Varney leads Idaho with 153 digs (4.37 dps), and sophomore
middle blocker DeVonne Ryter has a team-best 33 total blocks so far this year.
Oregon State and its 4-4 record have been paced by redshirt
sophomore Lanesha Reagan with 121 kills. Her 2.90 kills per set average is tied
for third in the Pac-12. Reagan recorded 25 kills against Utah State earlier
this season and is still tied for the most by any Pac-12 player this season. Junior
outside hitter Mary-Kate Marshall has 113 kills so far, and is also tied for third
in the conference with an average of 3.90 kills per set. Redshirt sophomore McKenna
Hollingsworth is fourth in the Pac-12 with 9.80 assists per set and 304 total
assists.
Tennessee Tech is 4-6 on the season as sophomore outside
hitter Shealene Little has a team-best 92 kills (2.88 kps). Senior setter Sharon
Anderson is leading the Ohio Valley Conference with 350 assists and a 10.00
average per set. Senior defensive specialist Kennedy Wade is third in the OVC
with 166 digs (4.61 dps), while junior defensive specialist Allison Morrett has
14 service aces to lead the Golden Eagles and sit fourth in the conference.
This week's matchups will be the tenth all-time between the
Cowgirls and Idaho. UW leads the series, 7-2, while Oregon State holds a 5-1
advantage between the two schools. Saturday's challenge will be the first
against Tennessee Tech.
