Volleyball: WVU Set to Open BIG EAST Play
September 22, 2006 10:33 AM | General
September 22, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University volleyball team will open BIG EAST play at the WVU Coliseum this weekend with a match against Connecticut on Saturday Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. and a contest against St. John’s on Sunday Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.
Connecticut (10-3) is coming off a 3-0 sweep of Fordham on Sept. 20. The Huskies are led by Megan Silver’s 1.15 blocks per game. The middle hitter has totaled 45 blocks this season. Kate Seabaugh is a go-to outside hitter as she averages 3.10 kills per game for Connecticut. Libero Jessica Issac leads the defense with 4.76 digs per game and 195 on the season. Middle blocker Gina Hedierman has recorded 21 service aces, the second-most in the BIG EAST. West Virginia is 2-11 all-time against the Huskies.
St. John’s (15-1) will make a stop in Morgantown on Sunday after opening its conference competition against Pitt today. The Red Storm is currently riding a six-match winning streak straight to the top of the BIG EAST. The team leads the conference with a .267 hitting percentage an average of 17.14 kills per game. St. John’s has dropped only one match all season when it fell to No. 7 USC. The team’s most recent win came 3-0 again Columbia on Sept. 19. The Mountaineers are 3-8 all-time against the Red Storm.
West Virginia (1-13) is looking to turn the season around as it starts conference play this weekend. Although WVU has dropped 13 straight, three of those losses came against teams who were undefeated at the time. No. 2 Penn State which swept West Virginia 3-0 on Sept. 2 is still sporting a zero in the loss column.
The Mountaineers are led by outsider hitter Abby Tevis’ 3.35 kills per game and middle blocker Lisa Hough’s .77 blocks per game. Aurora Ebert-Santos tallies 4.25 digs per game. The libero has 187 digs on the season.
