Volleyball: Mountaineers Set to Travel to Texas
September 02, 2011 11:25 AM | General
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The West Virginia University volleyball team is set to head out on its first road trip of the season as it travels to Texas to take on Baylor, Texas-San Antonio and Texas State Sept. 4-6.
The Mountaineers (2-3) will start in San Antonio, playing the Roadrunners (0-2) at 3 p.m. on Sept. 4 before traveling to San Marcos to take on the Bobcats (2-1) on Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. The team’s last stop will be Waco, where it will take on the Bears (2-1) at 8 p.m. on Sept. 6.
“After a good week of practice, we are looking forward to our trip this weekend to Texas,” coach Jill Kramer says. “I think it will be a good time for our team to get to spend some time together both on and off the court. Texas-San Antonio and Texas State are both great opponents for us and they both do well in their league, the Southland Conference. Texas-San Antonio went to the NCAA tournament last year and Texas State has a strong tradition of doing that, so it will be two great opponents for us to prep us for conference play.
“Then we will go up to Baylor which will be a good test for us. They should do well in the BIG 12 this year. I am looking forward to seeing what they are.”
The Roadrunners are under the direction of 10th year coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff who looks to lead the team back to the NCAA tournament after making it for the second time in program history in 2010. During its opening weekend, Texas-San Antonio lost both of its matches, dropping a five-set thriller to Creighton and then swept by host Texas A&M at the Texas A&M Invitational. Outside hitter Elise Huskey was named to the all-tournament team after recording 21 kills, a .250 hitting percentage, six service aces and 26 digs.
“Laura Groff has been an important mentor of mine, coached me as a prep player and then hired me in 2003 to coach at Texas San-Antonio, which is where I got my start,” Kramer says. “Their current libero, (Kelsey Jewasko) also played club for me when I was coaching at Alamo Volleyball Club. It is kind of cool that it has come full circle. That will be our first match and I think it will be an exciting one and a really fun match.”
Texas State is coming off a strong weekend at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash where the Bobcats went 2-1 and almost upset host Alabama in a five-set match. The team was led by middle blocker Ashlee Hilbun and libero Laura Whalen who were each named to the all-tournament team. Hilbun was close to a triple-double against Alabama State and Austin Peay and finished the tournament with 25 kills, 27 digs and 23 blocks.
After reaching the NCAA sweet 16 in 2009, the Bears are looking to head back to the NCAA tournament under seventh year head coach Jim Barnes. Baylor is coming off a 2-1 finish at the Purdue Mortar Board Premier where middle blocker Tori Campbell and middle blocker Briana Tolbert were selected for the all-tournament team. Baylor lost to host Purdue on the first day of competition before defeating College of Charleston and VCU on the last day. Campbell finished the tournament with 30 kills, while Tolbert chipped in 29.
The Mountaineers will face Texas-San Antonio and Texas State for the first time while it will be the third meeting between West Virginia and Baylor. The Bears currently hold a 2-0 series record over the Mountaineers with their last meeting coming in 1997.
“I think it will be good for us to play one match a day and get to focus in on our game plan just like it will be when we get to conference play,” Kramer says. “We are looking forward to the competition and spending some time together off the court.”
The Mountaineers (2-3) will start in San Antonio, playing the Roadrunners (0-2) at 3 p.m. on Sept. 4 before traveling to San Marcos to take on the Bobcats (2-1) on Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. The team’s last stop will be Waco, where it will take on the Bears (2-1) at 8 p.m. on Sept. 6.
“After a good week of practice, we are looking forward to our trip this weekend to Texas,” coach Jill Kramer says. “I think it will be a good time for our team to get to spend some time together both on and off the court. Texas-San Antonio and Texas State are both great opponents for us and they both do well in their league, the Southland Conference. Texas-San Antonio went to the NCAA tournament last year and Texas State has a strong tradition of doing that, so it will be two great opponents for us to prep us for conference play.
“Then we will go up to Baylor which will be a good test for us. They should do well in the BIG 12 this year. I am looking forward to seeing what they are.”
The Roadrunners are under the direction of 10th year coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff who looks to lead the team back to the NCAA tournament after making it for the second time in program history in 2010. During its opening weekend, Texas-San Antonio lost both of its matches, dropping a five-set thriller to Creighton and then swept by host Texas A&M at the Texas A&M Invitational. Outside hitter Elise Huskey was named to the all-tournament team after recording 21 kills, a .250 hitting percentage, six service aces and 26 digs.
“Laura Groff has been an important mentor of mine, coached me as a prep player and then hired me in 2003 to coach at Texas San-Antonio, which is where I got my start,” Kramer says. “Their current libero, (Kelsey Jewasko) also played club for me when I was coaching at Alamo Volleyball Club. It is kind of cool that it has come full circle. That will be our first match and I think it will be an exciting one and a really fun match.”
Texas State is coming off a strong weekend at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash where the Bobcats went 2-1 and almost upset host Alabama in a five-set match. The team was led by middle blocker Ashlee Hilbun and libero Laura Whalen who were each named to the all-tournament team. Hilbun was close to a triple-double against Alabama State and Austin Peay and finished the tournament with 25 kills, 27 digs and 23 blocks.
After reaching the NCAA sweet 16 in 2009, the Bears are looking to head back to the NCAA tournament under seventh year head coach Jim Barnes. Baylor is coming off a 2-1 finish at the Purdue Mortar Board Premier where middle blocker Tori Campbell and middle blocker Briana Tolbert were selected for the all-tournament team. Baylor lost to host Purdue on the first day of competition before defeating College of Charleston and VCU on the last day. Campbell finished the tournament with 30 kills, while Tolbert chipped in 29.
The Mountaineers will face Texas-San Antonio and Texas State for the first time while it will be the third meeting between West Virginia and Baylor. The Bears currently hold a 2-0 series record over the Mountaineers with their last meeting coming in 1997.
“I think it will be good for us to play one match a day and get to focus in on our game plan just like it will be when we get to conference play,” Kramer says. “We are looking forward to the competition and spending some time together off the court.”
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
