Women's Volleyball | December 6, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – For the first time in program history, La Salle volleyball (15-13) is set to take on the NIVC Tournament. The weekend begins in Lynchburg, Virginia with a matchup against host Liberty (19-11) on Saturday at 7 p.m. and, if the Explorers advance past the Round of 32, a showdown with the winner of High Point/Morehead State awaits the following day.

ABOUT THE EXPLORERS

• The Explorers recently concluded the Atlantic 10 Championship by going 1-1 in Kingston, Rhode Island. They began with a victory in the quarterfinals against George Washington, followed by a loss to VCU in the semifinals.
• Back-to-back A-10 Setter of the Year Kathryn Wood impressed in Rhode Island, providing for the offense at a rate of 12.83 assists per set, well above her season average of 10.69.
• Wood, along with junior Samantha Graver, are the team's pair of First Team All-Conference selections. The duo have been double-double machines this campaign with 17 apiece. Wood has averaged 39.7 assists and 10.5 digs per game, while Graver has tallied 13.6 kills and 13.9 digs per game.
• Graver is fourth in the A-10 in kills per set (3.62) and points per set (3.96), along with ninth in the conference in total digs (389). La Salle's number seven is also the only player in the conference with a triple-double this season.
• La Salle's two A-10 All-Rookie players have impressed in their debut campaigns. Freshman Marisa Guisti was strikingly effective in the conference tournament with 13 kills on .524 hitting and four blocks over the two contests. Classmate Rachel Hess, La Salle's libero, is fourth in the conference in digs per set with 4.31.
• As a team, the Explorers are offensive-minded and look to include Graver, Wood, senior Devin Corah, sophomore Elizabeth Osborn and Guisti. The Blue & Gold pace the A-10 in kills per set (13.65) and assists per set (12.88) with a hitting percentage of .215.
• Corah counter: The Calgary native is 28 kills shy of tying La Salle's all-time record of 1,362, set by Lauren Woods in 2004.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES

• It's been 23 years: La Salle has played Liberty four times in its history, most recently in 1996, and has yet to defeat the Flames. The other three games occurred in 1985, 1986 and 1989. The last time the Blue & Gold took a set off the Flames was in '86.
• The host team is relatively battle-tested in national tournaments, having made seven NCAA tournament appearances. Its last trip to the national scene was in 2012.
• More recently, Liberty went 1-1 in the ASUN Volleyball Championship this year, falling to Kennesaw State in the semifinals. The Flames held their opponents to .141 hitting and averaged 4.07 blocks per set in the tournament.
• Liberty has built its season on its defense. The Flames are 22nd in the nation in blocks per set (2.65) and 61st in opponent hitting percentage (.182), both of which are second in their conference.
• Redshirt sophomore Kailey Macy leads the defensive effort up front ; the middle blocker has averaged 1.31 blocks per set, 34th in the NCAA and best in the ASUN.
• Others to watch include senior middle blocker Anna Gragg and redshirt junior outside hitter Amelia Johnson, the Flames' two First Team All-Conference players. The latter leads the team and is second in conference in kills per set (3.94) and points per set (4.44), while Gragg's hitting percentage of .385 is also second in the conference. Her total blocks tally of 110 is third in the ASUN.

• If La Salle does get past Liberty, it will know ahead of time who that next opponent will be. High Point and Morehead State will square off in the Vine Center at 4:30 p.m.
• High Point is 20-12 overall and went 12-2 in conference play. The Panthers fell to Campbell in the Big South semifinals.
• The team from North Carolina leads its conference in aces per set (1.74, also 16th in the nation) and opponent hitting percentage (.158), while second in assists per set, kills per set and hitting percentage.
• The Panthers had one player named First Team All-Conference in junior defensive specialist Abby Bottomley and a Second Team All-Conference nod through freshman middle blocker Kaley Rammelsberg, who was also awarded Big South Rookie of the Year.
• La Salle has only played High Point once in history, a loss that took place in the early 80s.
• Morehead State is 23-9 and 12-4 in conference play. It reached the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, but fell to Southeast Missouri.
• The Eagles often took flight on offense, leading its conference in kills per set (14.38, 14th in NCAA) and assists per set (13.52, 8th in NCAA).
• The Kentucky side has three First Team All-Conference players: junior outside hitters Olivia Lohmeier and  Lauren Rokey, plus freshman setter Bridget Bessler. Bessler was named OVC Rookie of the Year and averages 11.51 assists per set, good for 11th in the country.
• La Salle has never faced Morehead State.