Volleyball Heads to Florida for Two American Athletic Conference Matches

Friday, October 3

Orlando, Fla.

7:00 PM

Temple University

UCF

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Volleyball Heads to Florida for Two American Athletic Conference Matches

10.2.14 | Women's Volleyball

UCF Live Webcast l UCF Live Stats l USF Live Webcast l USF Live Stats l Match Notes (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA - Temple volleyball heads south to Florida for a pair of American Athletic Conference matches this weekend. The Owls (10-4, 1-1) will face UCF (9-5, 2-0) on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and will play USF (7-7, 1-1) on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.

Temple is coming off a season-opening split in American Athletic Conference action. The Owls fell 0-3 at UConn on Wednesday before rebounding with a 3-0 sweep at East Carolina on Sunday. Junior libero Alyssa Drachslin was named to the American Athletic Conference honor roll on Monday, after averaging a conference-best 5.83 digs per set last week. For the season, she ranks first on the Owls with 4.77 digs per set.

Sophomore middle Kirsten Overton leads Temple and the American, hitting at a conference-best .413 clip. Her hitting percentage also ranks 19th overall in NCAA Division I. Sophomore outside hitter Caroline Grattan is averaging a team-best 3.80 kills per set, while junior setter Sandra Sydlik averages 10.21 assists per set.

UCF owns a 3-2 edge in the all-time series against the Owls, including winning each of their last three match-ups. The Knights own the conference's best offensive numbers, topping the American in hitting percentage (.272), kills per set (14.40) and assists per set (13.62). Jale Hervey (3.66) and Kia Bright (3.30) both average over three kills per set to lead the charge. Last season, UCF picked up a pair of sweeps against the Owls.

Temple will be looking for its first ever win against USF on Saturday. The Bulls have won all 10 meetings against the Owls, dating back to 1986. USF has put up a conference-best 2.42 blocks per set this season, backed by Jennica Mullins who has totaled 65 blocks in 2014. Last season, USF swept Temple in Tampa before recording a 3-1 win against the Owls in McGonigle Hall.

OF NOTE...
• Temple is 10-4 overall this season, carrying a 1-1 mark against American Athletic Conference opponents.
• The Owls earned their first American Athletic Conference win of the season on Sunday, sweeping East Carolina on the road.
• The Owls rank in the top three in the conference in digs per set (2nd - 16.54), hitting percentage (3rd - .244) and aces (3rd - 73).
• Junior libero Alyssa Drachslin was named to the American Athletic Conference honor roll on Monday, after averaging a conference-best 5.83 digs/set last week.
• Sophomore middle Kirsten Overton currently ranks 19th among all players in NCAA Division I with a hitting percentage of .413, which is also tops in the American.
• In the Owls' only losses so far this season apart from UConn, they took both Boston College and LIU Brooklyn to five sets before falling narrowly, and lost a four-set match to Northern Kentucky.
• UCF enters this weekend as the American's top offensive squad. The Knights lead the conference in three team categories – hitting percentage (.272), kills per set (14.40) and assists per set (13.62).
• UCF is 2-0 in conference play, opening the season with a pair of road wins at SMU (3-2) and at Tulsa (3-1).
• USF is 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference, opening conference play with a 3-1 win over Tulsa before falling to SMU(0-3) on the road.
• USF boasts the American's best blocking numbers, with the Bulls averaging a conference-best 2.42 blocks per set.
• The Owls completed the non-conference season with a record of 9-3, closing out the schedule by winning all three matches in the Big 5 Tournament.
• Temple won three of the four tournaments it competed in this season, taking team titles at the Syracuse Invitational, its own Temple Invitational, and the Big 5 Tournament hosted by Penn.
• Junior setter Sandra Sydlik was named the Big 5 Tournament MVP, and was also named Under Armour OwlSports.com Athlete of the Week recognition.
• Drachslin was named the Tournament MVP of the Temple Invitational, and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by senior Jennifer Iacobini and freshman Dara Peric.
• Overton was named the Tournament MVP of the Syracuse Invitational, and was also named to the All-Tournament Team and the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll.
• Head Coach Bakeer Ganes is now in his fourth year at the helm of the program, with an overall record of 54-47...His record for the last two seasons (2012 and 2013) was 37-23.