Women's Volleyball | September 12, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle is in Santa Barbara this weekend as it takes on the Thunderdome Classic. The Explorers face Harvard on Friday, followed by UCSB and San Diego on Saturday as they look to improve upon their 3-3 record.

ABOUT THE EXPLORERS

• La Salle finished up the Seton Hall Tournament last weekend, going 2-1 and dominating in most categories. The Explorers recorded more kills (139-107), digs (155-122), points (177-147), assists (132-103) and aces (24-13) over those three games.
• Senior Kathryn Wood continues to feed her teammates early and often, entering this weekend 20th in the nation in assists per set with 11.32. Her total of 249 is her fastest through six games in her career, and has contributed to La Salle's rank of 13th in the nation in assists per set (13.61).
• The lead for most kills and points on the team is a narrow one. Senior Devin Corah is at the top with 84 kills, one more than junior Samantha Graver. Corah also has a team-best 93 points, 2.5 more than Graver.
• Freshman impact: rookies Rachel Hess and Marisa Guisti have both begun their respective careers well. The pair have played in every set, with Hess leading the team in digs (114) and Guisti pacing the squad in total blocks (18). The latter also leads in kill percentage (.288) among five players who have attempted at least 100 total attempts.
• Among four players who have recorded at least 50 reception attempts, sophomore Elizabeth Osborn leads with a perfect 1.000 mark. She is followed by Hess with a .974 percentage on a team-high 155 attempts.

SCOUTING THE CRIMSON

• Harvard began its season last weekend and have gotten off to a 2-1 start. Last season the Ivy League side went 11-12 overall.
• Junior Evelyn Gray leads the team in kills (35), with a .325 kill percentage. She is followed by senior Sope Adeleye who has 32 kills and is tied for the team lead in total blocks with 15.
• Freshman Ashley Wang paces the team in assists with 64, trailed closely by sophomore Bella Almanza on 59. Almanza has also started the campaign with 0.69 aces per set, an average good for 20th in the nation.
• Game time: Friday, 6 p.m.

SCOUTING THE GAUCHOS

• The host has started the season well, going 5-1 and remaining perfect at home with a 2-0 mark.
• UCSB has one of the most aggressive attackers in the country in senior Lindsey Ruddins. The number four is tied for sixth in the nation with 317 attacks and is tied 14th in kills with 114.
• Junior Rowan Ennis is second on the team with 50 kills, but makes her presence felt most keenly on the defensive side. She leads the Gauchos with 28 total blocks and is 18th in the country in blocks per set (1.65).
• Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m.

SCOUTING THE TOREROS

• San Diego began its season as the #21 team in the nation, but disappointed with a pair of losses in its opening three games. After being bumped to #25, the team went 1-1 last weekend and are now receiving votes but on the outside looking in.
• If last season is a testament, San Diego is a slow starter—in 2018, the Toreros began 3-7. They bounced back emphatically and made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, but La Salle could strike while the iron is hot during San Diego's early doldrums.
• Defensive struggles: of 332 D-1 teams, the Torero's opponent hitting percentage is .280—48th worst in the nation.
• On a positive note for San Diego, it has veteran leadership with most of its major statistical categories being led by seniors. Thana Fayad paces the team in kills (62) and digs (58), Anna Newsome is top in assists (156) and Megan Jacobsen is the leader in total blocks (20).
• Game time: Saturday, 7 p.m.