Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
2015 Temple Volleyball: Year in Review
1.5.16 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA – As the calendar turns to 2016, it's time for a look back at the 2015 Temple Volleyball season.
The Owls, led by fifth-year head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam, had a tough act to follow from the 2014 season. But this fall, the Owls did just that. Temple finished 24-8 overall for the second-straight year, also recording a 15-5 record in the tough American Athletic Conference.
Here are a few highlights from the season:
• The Owls finished 24-8 overall, 15-5 in The American, ending the season alone in second place in the conference.
• After carrying a 17-8 record, Temple closed the year with a string of seven-straight, which included five 3-0 sweeps.
• The Owls defeated all 10 of its opponents in the American Athletic Conference at least once in 2015.
• Temple did not lose more than one match in a row the entire season, while playing tough schedules in both non-conference and American Athletic Conference action.
• The Owls knocked off SMU at home on November 22nd, snapping a 16-game winning streak for the conference-champion Mustangs. The win came on senior day, as Temple celebrated the careers of Alyssa Drachslin, Halle McCullough, Sandra Sydlik, and Kayla Yingling.
• The team opened American Athletic Conference play with sweeps on the road at UCF and USF, and then ran their conference mark to 4-0 after wins against Memphis and Cincinnati.
• Temple was able to manage splits in each of its conference weekends for the next five weeks before their 7-0 run to end the season.
• The cherry and white recorded a 9-3 record in their non-conference slate, with two of their three losses coming to teams selected for the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
• The Owls captured the championship at the Hilton Penn's Landing Cherry & White Challenge. Temple went 3-0 at the event, topping Montana (3-0), Duquesne (3-2), and Binghamton (3-0).
• Temple finished as runner-up in three non-conference tournaments (Temple Invitational, Seton Hall Invitational, Big 5 Invitational), going 2-1 at each.
• The Owls had two players receive American Offensive Player of the Week awards during the season as junior Kirsten Overton and sophomore Irem Asci were both honored.
• Temple also boasted 11 American Weekly Honor Roll selections, won by seven different players (Irem Asci, Tyler Davis, Alyssa Drachslin, Caroline Grattan, Kirsten Overton, Izzy Rapacz, Sandra Sydlik).
• Sandra Sydlik became just the sixth player in Temple volleyball history to reach the 3,000 assist mark.
• In year-end awards, senior Sandra Sydlik, junior Kirsten Overton, and sophomore Irem Asci were named to the All-Conference first team, while sophomore Izzy Rapacz was named to the All-Conference second team.
• Senior Alyssa Drachslin was named to 2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team.
• Head Coach Bakeer Ganes completed his fifth year at the helm of the program, with an overall record of 97-61.
• Prior to the start of the season, Akiko Hatakeyama was named the Assistant Head Coach after serving as Assistant Coach since 2011.
• Temple also welcomed new additions to the 2015 staff in Assistant Coach Ren Cefra and Director of Operations, Ed Lowery.
The Owls, led by fifth-year head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam, had a tough act to follow from the 2014 season. But this fall, the Owls did just that. Temple finished 24-8 overall for the second-straight year, also recording a 15-5 record in the tough American Athletic Conference.
Here are a few highlights from the season:
• The Owls finished 24-8 overall, 15-5 in The American, ending the season alone in second place in the conference.
• After carrying a 17-8 record, Temple closed the year with a string of seven-straight, which included five 3-0 sweeps.
• The Owls defeated all 10 of its opponents in the American Athletic Conference at least once in 2015.
• Temple did not lose more than one match in a row the entire season, while playing tough schedules in both non-conference and American Athletic Conference action.
• The Owls knocked off SMU at home on November 22nd, snapping a 16-game winning streak for the conference-champion Mustangs. The win came on senior day, as Temple celebrated the careers of Alyssa Drachslin, Halle McCullough, Sandra Sydlik, and Kayla Yingling.
• The team opened American Athletic Conference play with sweeps on the road at UCF and USF, and then ran their conference mark to 4-0 after wins against Memphis and Cincinnati.
• Temple was able to manage splits in each of its conference weekends for the next five weeks before their 7-0 run to end the season.
• The cherry and white recorded a 9-3 record in their non-conference slate, with two of their three losses coming to teams selected for the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
• The Owls captured the championship at the Hilton Penn's Landing Cherry & White Challenge. Temple went 3-0 at the event, topping Montana (3-0), Duquesne (3-2), and Binghamton (3-0).
• Temple finished as runner-up in three non-conference tournaments (Temple Invitational, Seton Hall Invitational, Big 5 Invitational), going 2-1 at each.
• The Owls had two players receive American Offensive Player of the Week awards during the season as junior Kirsten Overton and sophomore Irem Asci were both honored.
• Temple also boasted 11 American Weekly Honor Roll selections, won by seven different players (Irem Asci, Tyler Davis, Alyssa Drachslin, Caroline Grattan, Kirsten Overton, Izzy Rapacz, Sandra Sydlik).
• Sandra Sydlik became just the sixth player in Temple volleyball history to reach the 3,000 assist mark.
• In year-end awards, senior Sandra Sydlik, junior Kirsten Overton, and sophomore Irem Asci were named to the All-Conference first team, while sophomore Izzy Rapacz was named to the All-Conference second team.
• Senior Alyssa Drachslin was named to 2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team.
• Head Coach Bakeer Ganes completed his fifth year at the helm of the program, with an overall record of 97-61.
• Prior to the start of the season, Akiko Hatakeyama was named the Assistant Head Coach after serving as Assistant Coach since 2011.
• Temple also welcomed new additions to the 2015 staff in Assistant Coach Ren Cefra and Director of Operations, Ed Lowery.
Players Mentioned
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