No. 11 Tiger Volleyball continued its win streak, bringing it to 13 games, with victories over Concordia University (TX) and Hardin-Simmons last Wednesday. The Tigers will bring their momentum back into Calgaard Gym to host a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Crossover.
The Tigers (18-3) dominated both matches in their non-conference bouts. The Tigers would sweep Concordia and take a 3-1 win over Hardin-Simmons. Senior
Mackenzie Logan (Calgary, Canada / Bishop Carroll) would lead the way for the Tigers with 20 kills and first-year
Courtney Pope (New Braunfels, Texas / Canyon) would be right behind her with 17 kills. The Tiger block was menacing, totaling 15 blocks across the two matches and holding their opponents to 0.100 hitting percentage on the day. The Tigers would also take victory in their match against Our Lady of the Lake by a score of 3-1 on Wednesday.
Senior
Maddie Fate (Croton on Hudson, New York / Croton Harmon) is now ranked second nationally for total blocks (85) and seventh in blocks per set (1.25). Fate is also ranked third overall in hitting percentage (.432). Fifth-year
Brette Thornton (Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall) is ranked seventh in total blocks (81), 21st in blocks per set (1.12), and 34th in hitting percentage (.361). As a team, the Tigers sit in the third spot for team total blocks (177) and eighth spot nationally for blocks per set (2.36).
AVCA Rankings
After their wins, the Tigers remain in the 11th ranked spot nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. The top two spots remain the same, with Juniata staying in the top stop and Wisconsin-Oshkosh staying at number two.
Weekend Preview: Calgaard Crossover
The Tigers will open their second trip against SCAC opponents with a match against the University of St. Thomas and Southwestern on Friday at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Then, the Tigers will play against the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs on Saturday at 3:30 PM.
On the St. Thomas Celts: The Celts hold a 13-6 (7-2 SCAC) record coming into Calgaard Gym. During the first matchup of the season, the Tigers defeated the Celts by a score of 3-1. In that match, the trio of Logan, Fate, and
Reagan Whatley (The Woodlands, Texas / The Woodlands) took over, all putting up double-digit kills. Audrey Cataline, who is ranked 37th nationally for kills, was an issue for the Tigers, putting up 18 total kills. Since the last loss to the Tigers, the Celts have won seven of their last eight games. During this match, the Tigers will put more emphasis on stopping her. For the Tiger offense, they will need to hit the ball away from junior Kara Spice, who leads the country in total digs.
On the Southwestern Pirates: The Pirates bring in an 8-8 (3-5 SCAC) record thus far. The Pirates are on a three-game winning streak. However, before that, they had dropped six games in a row. The previous match between the Tigers and Pirates went all the way to five sets, but the Tigers bested the Pirates in the final set. Logan and Whatley played a big role, both collected 14 kills. The Tiger serve-receive struggled during the match, giving up 12 aces in the five sets. The Tiger offense will need to make the most of their hitting opportunities, as Southwestern ranks 14th nationally in digs per set (18.89) with junior Geneva Nedrow being 11th individually.
On the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs: The Bulldogs have a 15-4 (6-1 SCAC) record. The Bulldogs suffered their only conference loss against the Tigers by a score of 3-1. The Bulldogs would take the first set, but the Tigers would sweep the next three in dominating fashion. Logan had a standout game offensively, collecting 17 kills. Fifth-year
Nadia Kern (El Paso, Texas / Montwood) set a career-high in digs this game with 37. Although the Bulldogs rank second nationally in digs (20.37), the Tiger offense was putting the ball to the floor. The Tiger defense will turn their attention to team kill leader Tanyse Moehrig and Brylie Nedd, who gashed the Tigers for 15 kills in their previous matchup.
Looking Ahead - Cajun Crossover
After their stint at home, the Tigers will travel to Shreveport, Louisiana to compete in another SCAC Crossover hosted by Centenary College. The Tigers will take on the University of Dallas and Austin College on Friday, October 20, and Centenary College on Saturday, October 21st.
