Volleyball Set to Open 2018 Season on Friday

PHILADELPHIA -- What the 2017 Temple volleyball team accomplished seemed unlikely early in the season. But with a veteran group of players, the Owls rebounded from a significant loss to top outside hitter Irem Asci, and did the unthinkable – returned to the postseason for the first time in 15 years. Temple had been eyeing that postseason bid for the last three seasons and now that the team took that step, what's next for the Owls?

In each of the last few seasons, as Temple's top players progressed to being juniors and seniors, that question was easier to answer. With so many talented underclassmen, the 2018 squad is a little more difficult to predict. However, there is no doubt that the Owls will hit the court ready to return to the upper echelon of the American Athletic Conference.

QUOTABLE - Head Coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam
> "The team is working really hard to create a good environment. Their attitudes and intentions are really good. Obviously, they need time to come together. We have a lot of people in new positions, freshmen and returners included. I think it's going to be difficult but it's exciting because we can mold the team the way we want."

THE TEAM
> Temple returns nine letterwinners from the 2017 season that saw the team go 20-10 overall, with a second place finish in the American.
> The Owls advanced to the round of 16 in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship before falling to West Virginia.
> Despite losing four talented seniors that were mainstays in Temple's starting line-up (Kyra Coundourides, Dara Peric, Izzy Rapacz, Janine Simmons), Temple returns a pair of All-Conference selections in Iva Deak and Dana Westfield.

QUOTABLE - Head Coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam
> "Their work ethic is great, their attitude its good. We haven't had one bad session this pre-season. They always put in the most effort, and that's all you can ask for. As a whole, I'm really pleased with the effort we've gotten."

PIN HITTERS
> Temple's offense will benefit greatly from the return of outside hitter, Asci, a two-time first team All-Conference selection. Last season, she was a unanimous selection to the pre-season All-Conference team, but early in the American schedule, she suffered a season-ending injury.
> If there was a bright spot in Asci's injury, it was that two underclassmen emerged to carry some of the offense load, getting valuable experience in her absence. Westfield, who red-shirted the 2016 season, was one of those players. In 2017, she finished second on the team with 2.76 kills per set, earning a spot on the All-Conference team.
> The experience of Katerina Papazoglou was also a silver lining to Asci's injury, as the sophomore had a solid rookie season, averaging 1.84 kills per set. An all-around player, she also averaged 1.78 digs per set with a pair of double-doubles during the season.
> Temple bolsters the pins with three talented freshmen in Peyton Boyd, Gem Grimshaw, and Miray Bolukbasi. Boyd is a 6-3 right side out of Dumfries, Va., Grimshaw is a 6-1 outside from Marco Island, Fla., and Bolukbasi is a 6-1 outside from Instanbul, Turkey.

MIDDLES
> In the middle, Temple returns Deak after a fantastic junior campaign. The All-Conference selection finished third on the team with 2.06 kills per set, while also stacking up as one of three players to rack up 100 or more blocks during the year.
> Senior Carla Guennewig also saw valuable action last season, finishing with 35 kills and 21 blocks, including a season-best 10 kills against USF.
> Sophomore Baleigh Jean-Philippe and newcomer Xeryah Salanoa, a 6-0 middle out of Honolulu, Hawaii, will add depth for the Owls.

SETTERS
> The Owls' roster will feature a pair of setters, one veteran and one newcomer, to run the offense.
> Senior Hannah Vandegrift averaged 5.41 assists per set in matches last season, hitting her season high of 39 against both Villanova and USF.
> Vandegrift will be joined by an accomplished rookie in Tyler Lindgren, a 5-11 setter out of Windscor, Colo.

DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
> Temple returns both defensive specialists from last season, senior Mia Heirakuji and sophomore Averi Salvador.
> Heirakuji has led the Owls in digs in each of the last two seasons, averaging 4.02 per set in 2018.
> Salvador had a great freshman season, racking up 1.94 digs per set with 13 aces.

STOUT SCHEDULE
> Temple will open the 2018 season with the Hilton Penn's Landing Temple Invitational August 24 and 25. The Owls will play Rhode Island at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, and also have matches against LMU and Hofstra on Saturday.
> The team will play in four total tournaments – two at home, and two on the road (at Penn State and at Villanova).
> Following the non-conference schedule, Temple opens American Athletic Conference play on the road at Houston on September 21.

QUOTABLE - Head Coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam
> "We feel really good and we're confident that we will be ready to go. Obviously we have some work to do, but the main thing we need is to come together as a team."

Temple University Athletics

Volleyball Set to Open 2018 Season on Friday

Players Mentioned

Irem Asci

Miray Bolukbasi

Peyton Boyd

Kyra Coundourides

Iva Deak

Gem Grimshaw

Carla Guennewig

Mia Heirakuji

Baleigh Jean-Philippe

Tyler Lindgren

Katerina Papazoglou

Dara Peric

Xeryah Salanoa

Averi Salvador

Janine Simmons

Hannah Vandegrift

Dana Westfield

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