SEATTLE --- Seattle U volleyball visits the Lone Star State on Thursday when it takes on UT Rio Grande Valley in Western Athletic Conference action. First serve is slated for 5 pm PT.
THEY GOT HISTORY
Thursday will be the 14th meeting since 2013 and second of the season between the Redhawks and Vaqueros. Seattle U fell in first meeting of the season, 3-0, to open the conference schedule. The Redhawks last win at UTRGV was a 3-1 decision on Oct. 15, 2015.
A GLIMPSE AT THE VAQUEROS
UTRGV began the week carrying a 10-12 record overall and 4-4 mark against WAC opponents.
• UTRGV is 3-2 in its last five matches.
• Per NCAA Stats, UTRGV is hitting .211 on the year with 12.02 kills per set, to be listed fourth and sixth among on the WAC members.
• Defensively, UTRGV averages 14.36 digs per set and 1.89 blocks per set, to be listed fourth and seventh respectively among the WAC.
• Barbara Silva leads the WAC in points (308.0) and kills (289) and second is kills per set (3.48). Samaret Carabello is second among WAC leaders is digs (360) and digs per set (3.48).
WHERE WE RANK
Per NCAA Stats, the Redhawks head into Thursday’s match ranked 25th in team blocks (188.5) while also being among the Top 50 in assists (40th/963) and kills (46th/1,030). Among the WAC, Seattle U tops the assists, kills and service aces (118) charts, while being named second in blocks.
THE LAST 5
In the last five matches, Seattle U is 1-4 but hold statistical advantages in kills (249-233) and kills per set (12.5-11.7), while hitting .189. Opponents meanwhile have hit .240 during that span.
KERSCHEN-BOOM
• Per NCAA Stats, sophomore Eve Kerschenbaum began the week ranked second among WAC leaders in kills (272) and points (306.5).
• Kerschenbaum has 17 performances with 10 or more kills to go with seven double-doubles this season.
• She has 56 kills and is averaging 2.95 kills per set in the last five matches.
STARK INDUSTRIES
• Per NCAA Stats, redshirt-junior Rachel Stark began the weekend listed fourth among WAC leaders with 251 kills.
• In the last five matches, Stark has a registered a team-best 68 kills, averaging 3.40 per set, with a healthy .216 hitting mark.
• Stark has 11 matches this season with 10+ kills and eight matches with double-digit digs, recording seven double-doubles along the way.
• Stark’s 628 career kills is 10th-best in the SU record book and two shy of passing former teammate Maja Stojanovic (2015-18) for ninth on the Redhawks Division I career records.
BIG QUE
• Sophomore Julia Queiroz heads into the weekend ranked second among the WAC leaderboard in blocks per set (1.17) and total blocks (77).
• To date, Queiroz has recorded five or more blocks in a match eight times this season, including a season-high eight at Montana State (9/17).
• The middle blocker is hitting .261 and averaging 2.05 kills per set in her last five appearances and has a team-best 17 blocks in 20 sets.
TM9
• Junior Tijana Milojevic began the weekend ranked 26th among Division I leaders with 35 aces, surpassing her season-high of 31 set during the 2018 campaign.
• Milojevic’s 83 career aces are sixth-best in Seattle U history since going the NCAA Division I ranks.
• The Belgrade, Serbia native is also third among the WAC leaders in digs (333), while her 3.83 digs per set is sixth among league leaders.
• In the last five matches, Milojevic has recorded 10 aces and 75 digs.
• With 1,330 careers digs Milojevic is second among Seattle U Division I career dig leaders and is eight shy of passing Emily Deleissegues for the top spot. In her first two seasons, Milojevic averaged 4.51 digs per set averaged 498.5 digs in each of the last two seasons.
NOTABLE
• Per NCAA Stats, Lauren McCabe is seventh among WAC leaders in blocks (69). The freshman is averaging 1.20 kills and 0.80 blocks per set in her last five matches.
• Sophomore Sofia Sanchez is averaging 1.95 kills in the last five and had registered 10 blocks.
• Sophomore Kailee Kurokawa has directed the offense of late notching 189 assists, which included a career-best 52 assists last week against Kansas City.
• Freshman Johnasia Carr is averaging 1.62 kills per set in the last five matches and is second among the team during that stretch with 12 blocks.
LOOKING AHEAD
Seattle U will wrap-up its three-game road swing on Saturday in Las Cruces when it visits NM State.