Mustang Volleyball Set For C-USA Championships
Nov 14 | Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.V. (SMU)--The SMU volleyball team is set to take on East Carolina Thursday at 4 p.m. in the first round of the Conference USA Championships. The Mustangs suffered a tough loss to the Pirates in September, but libero Candice Davis set a new school record in the loss, recording 35 digs in the match.
Last Time Out: The Mustangs traveled to Houston to take on Houston and Rice in the final weekend of regular-season play. SMU split the weekend, beating Houston in five games and falling to Rice in three.
Against Houston, the Ponies hit .221 as a team, and three Mustangs recorded double-doubles. Caitlin Rainbird led the offense, making 23 kills and 21 digs for her 14th double-double of the season. Freshman Caitlin Adair hit .346 on the night, also racking up three aces and two block assists. Kathryn Wilkerson notched her team-leading 18th double-double of the season with 18 kills and 17 digs. Senior setter Madison Hill also recorded a double-double, tallying 22 assists and 15 digs. Sophomore libero Candice Davis racked up 27 digs, accounting for over one-quarter of the Mustangs' total digs. SMU led the Cougars in kills, digs and blocks.
At Rice, Kendra Kahanek led the defensive effort, notching four block assists and one block solo. Davis again paced the team in digs, this time tallying 21, over one-third the Mustangs' team total. Rainbird again led the Ponies in kills, racking up 12, while Wilkerson and Natalie Peters each put up nine.
Scouting the Opposition: In the first round, the ninth-seeded Mustangs face eight-seed East Carolina. The Pirates finished the regular season with an overall record of 15-16, 6-10 in C-USA. ECU lost its final two games of the season to Memphis and UAB.
If the Mustangs upset the Pirates, they will advance to face top-seed and host Marshall on Friday at 4 p.m.
About the Series: SMU and East Carolina last matched up September 23, when the Pirates knocked the Mustangs off in a five-game thriller at East Carolina. Sophomore libero Candice Davis set a new school record in digs during that match, recording 35, her first of two 35-dig efforts this season. The Pirates hold the all-time series edge, 2-1. The Mustangs last beat ECU October 28, 2005 at Minges Arena. The teams have never met at a neutral site.
