SMU Volleyball Readies For C-USA Tournament
Nov 17 | Volleyball
Nov. 17, 2008
DALLAS (SMU)-SMU Volleyball (14-16, 6-10 C-USA) is slated to play the UCF Golden Knights (14-16, 6-10 C-USA) in the first round of the Conference USA tournament at noon on Thursday at the Elma Roane Field House in Memphis, Tenn. The Mustangs improved their conference standing on Sunday, sliding into eighth place after beating Tulsa 3-1, while UCF fell to ninth after their loss to Southern Miss.
On Sunday against Tulsa, SMU set a new C-USA record for block assists in a match with 40, thanks in large part to junior Kendra Kahanek who also set SMU and C-USA records with her outstanding 17-block assist performance. This feat earned Kahanek Defensive Player of the Week honors and boosted her into the NCAA top 25 list for blocks per set with 1.34.
Heading into the C-USA tournament, defense will be SMU's strong suit, as they will attempt to battle offensive powerhouses Tulane, UAB, and Rice, with Tulane being the potential second round contender for the Mustangs. The Mustangs' defense is conceivably the best in conference, as SMU is the only team ranked in the top three of the defensive categories, blocks and digs. Presently, the Mustangs are ranked third in both, averaging 2.36 blocks per set and 15.27 digs per set.
On Thursday, SMU and UCF will leave their identical conference and overall season records behind, and start from scratch. Each match will be a determinant in whether or not a team looks forward to the next round, or to a new season. For the Mustangs, there is an element of anxiety to prove their eighth seeded ranking must not be overlooked.
"We have a lot of talent on this team, and this last match [against Tulsa] really showcased our abilities. If we play like we did on Sunday, with hunger and excitement, we could believably be considered the "darkhorse" of the tournament," said Head Coach Lisa Seifert.
For now, SMU must focus on the task ahead: slaying the Golden Knights of UCF. In their last duel, the Mustangs narrowly defeated UCF in a five-set stand-off at home. UCF will be preparing for SMU as well, reevaluating their efforts and sharpening their intensity to compensate for a three-match losing streak that ended conference regular season play.
