Women's Volleyball | October 31, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – The Explorers approach a pivotal weekend in conference play, hitting the road to face Rhode Island and Fordham. With only five games remaining, La Salle sits in the sixth and final playoff spot in the A-10 standings with a 4-5 record, ahead of Duquesne (3-6) and behind Davidson (4-4).
 
ABOUT THE EXPLORERS

• Making and finishing plays: The Blue & Gold tops the conference in attacks per set (37.80), kills per set (13.63) and assists per set (12.81).
• Senior Kathryn Wood is pacing the A-10 in assists (829) and assists per set (10.63). In her last six games, she's raised that average to 11.38 assists per set.
• Wood part two: after last weekend, her career assist mark stands at 4,163—146 away from tying the all-time record. To take the top spot in the regular season, La Salle's number three would have to average 29.4 assists per game to achieve it at Duquesne, 36.75 apg to break it vs. Saint Louis and 49 apg to do it in the next home game vs. Dayton.
• Double-double race: Junior Samantha Graver leads the team with 13 double-doubles so far. Wood closely trails her with 12 on the season.
• Speaking of Graver, she leads the Explorers in kills with 288 in 2019. She is fourth in the conference in attacks per set, kills per set and points per set.
• Senior Catherine Edgington will look to continue her stellar run of form, having tallied double-digit kills in her last six games. Over that period, she has averaged 14 kills and hit .326.
• Freshman watch: Rachel Hess ranks third in the A-10 in digs per set (4.41), leading the team. Classmate Marisa Guisti paces the Explorers in blocks (62) and is fourth in kills (142).

 
SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND

• The Rams are currently on a seven-game losing streak in conference play, with their only win coming against Fordham and their most recent loss by way of Fordham. Rhode Island is ninth in the standings.
• The Explorers hold a three-game winning streak against Rhode Island dating back to 2017.
• Rhode Island is second in the conference in digs per set (16.53). The team has also proven to be aggressive on attack with the second most attacks (37.72) among A-10 teams; however, not to great effect with a ninth-best hitting percentage (.164).
• A big part of the Rams' defense and passing game is sophomore Ella Ratzloff. She is second in the conference in digs (382) and digs per set (5.09).
• Game time: Friday, 7 p.m.

 
SCOUTING FORDHAM

• The other Rams that La Salle will play this weekend also have a 1-7 record in conference play, but own the overall-record tiebreaker over Rhode Island and sit eight in the A-10.
• The Explorers swept Fordham last season, winning 3-1 in both fixtures.
• The Blue & Gold faces another strong team at the back as Fordham ranks first in digs (1,445) and digs per set (18.29)—the latter mark is fourth in the nation.
• That stat is largely bolstered by the season that Morgan Williams is having. The senior is fifth in the nation with 5.92 digs per set.
• The Rams are another side that hasn't been great offensively, ranking sixth in kills per set and seventh in hitting percentage. Their aces per set mark of 1.09 is last in the A-10.
• Game time: Sunday, 1 p.m.