Temple University Athletics
Friday, August 31
State College, Pa.
7:30 p.m.
Temple University
vs
Penn State
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Volleyball Faces Tough Competition at Penn State this Weekend
8.29.18 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple volleyball team continues its non-conference season this weekend, playing two Big Ten opponents and an SEC foe at the 2018 Penn State Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Owls will open with #6 Penn State on Friday, and then play Texas A&M and Indiana on Saturday.
TEMPLE SCHEDULE
> Friday: Temple vs. Penn State at 7:30 p.m.
> Saturday: Temple vs. Texas A&M at 12:00 p.m./Temple vs. Indiana at 5:00 p.m.
THE OWLS
> The Owls started the season 1-2 at the Hilton Penn's Landing Temple Invitational, defeating Rhode Island, but falling to LMU and Hofstra.
> Senior Mia Heirakuji was named to the Temple Invitational All-Tournament team after leading the Owls' defense to the tune of 44 total digs, 3.38 per set.
> At the Temple Invitational, junior Dana Westfield led the Owls' offense with 2.70 kills per set, while freshman Miray Bolukbasi (2.55 k/s), sophomore Katerina Papazoglou (2.33 k/s), and freshman Peyton Boyd (1.92 k/s, .333 attack) also aided the offense.
> Senior Hannah Vandegrift (6.08 a/s) and freshman Tyler Lindgren (3.92 a/s) split the setting duties.
> Senior Carla Guennewig averaged more than a block per set, while leading the team with six aces.
> Temple is coming off their fourth-straight 20-win season. A year ago, the Owls finished 20-10 overall, 15-5 in The American to finish second.
> The cherry and white earned a post-season spot for the first time in 15 years, advancing to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC)'s round of 16.
> Temple was picked to finish third in the balanced American Athletic Conference, garnering a first place vote.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
> #6 Penn State went 33-2 last season, winning the Big Ten Championship and advancing to the NCAA Final Four before falling to Nebraska, 3-2, to end their run.
> The Nittany Lions graduated seven seniors from last year's team, including first-team All-Americans Simone Lee and Haleigh Washington.Â
> Penn State started the season by going 3-0 at the Penn State Classic, defeating Eastern Kentucky, UMBC, and Navy.
> Taylor Leath leads the Nittany Lions all around with 3.44 kills and 2.33 digs per set, while Nia Reed averages 3.22 kills per set.
> Tori Gorrell shores up the middle with 1.50 kills per set and a team-best 1.50 blocks per set.
> Bryana Weiskircher runs the offense to the tune of 8.33 assists per set, while Kendall White leads the Owls with 5.33 digs per set.
TEMPLE VS. PENN STATE
> Temple and Penn State played 14 times between 1983 and 2009, with the Nittany Lions owning a 1-13 advantage in the series.Â
> Temple's lone win against Penn State came in 2002 when the Owls defeated the Nittany Lions 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
> Texas A&M went 10-15 last season and returns eight letterwinners from that squad, including outside hitter Hollann Hans, a 2018 Preseason All-SEC Team selection.
> The Aggies have new leadership, as first year head coach, Laura "Bird" Kuhn, took the reigns of the program to start the season.
> Texas A&M opened 2018 with a 2-1 record at the Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic at Ohio State. The Aggies opened with 3-1 wins over Ohio and Albany, before falling 3-0 at Ohio State.
> The Aggies are led by Hans' 5.18 kills per set, she also adds 2.09 digs/set.
> Brookah Palmer adds 3.00 kills per set, while Camille Conner dishes out 10.91 assists per frame.Â
> Amy Houser leads the defense with 3.45 digs per set.
TEMPLE VS. TEXAS A&M
> Temple and Texas A&M have met just one time in history, a 1998 match that was won by the Aggies, 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING INDIANA
> Indiana finished 12-20 a year ago, but has new leadership in head coach Steve Aird.
> The Hoosiers return 11 players from last season, including Kendall Beerman who led the Hoosiers in kills last year.
> Indiana opened the season with a perfect 3-0 mark at the UNLV Invitational, topping the hosts, Long Island, and Southern Utah.
> Beerman has continued where she left off last season, already averaging 4.18 kills and 2.27 digs per set in Indiana's three matches this year.
> Breana Edwards (2.36 k/s) and Deyshia Lofton (2.27 k/s) also aid the attack.
> Victoria Brisack (6.30 a/s) and Abigail Westenhofer (5.67 a/s) handle the setting duties, while Bayli Lebo adds a team-high 3.91 digs per frame.
TEMPLE VS. INDIANA
> This will be the first ever meeting between Temple and Indiana.
Â
TEMPLE SCHEDULE
> Friday: Temple vs. Penn State at 7:30 p.m.
> Saturday: Temple vs. Texas A&M at 12:00 p.m./Temple vs. Indiana at 5:00 p.m.
THE OWLS
> The Owls started the season 1-2 at the Hilton Penn's Landing Temple Invitational, defeating Rhode Island, but falling to LMU and Hofstra.
> Senior Mia Heirakuji was named to the Temple Invitational All-Tournament team after leading the Owls' defense to the tune of 44 total digs, 3.38 per set.
> At the Temple Invitational, junior Dana Westfield led the Owls' offense with 2.70 kills per set, while freshman Miray Bolukbasi (2.55 k/s), sophomore Katerina Papazoglou (2.33 k/s), and freshman Peyton Boyd (1.92 k/s, .333 attack) also aided the offense.
> Senior Hannah Vandegrift (6.08 a/s) and freshman Tyler Lindgren (3.92 a/s) split the setting duties.
> Senior Carla Guennewig averaged more than a block per set, while leading the team with six aces.
> Temple is coming off their fourth-straight 20-win season. A year ago, the Owls finished 20-10 overall, 15-5 in The American to finish second.
> The cherry and white earned a post-season spot for the first time in 15 years, advancing to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC)'s round of 16.
> Temple was picked to finish third in the balanced American Athletic Conference, garnering a first place vote.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
> #6 Penn State went 33-2 last season, winning the Big Ten Championship and advancing to the NCAA Final Four before falling to Nebraska, 3-2, to end their run.
> The Nittany Lions graduated seven seniors from last year's team, including first-team All-Americans Simone Lee and Haleigh Washington.Â
> Penn State started the season by going 3-0 at the Penn State Classic, defeating Eastern Kentucky, UMBC, and Navy.
> Taylor Leath leads the Nittany Lions all around with 3.44 kills and 2.33 digs per set, while Nia Reed averages 3.22 kills per set.
> Tori Gorrell shores up the middle with 1.50 kills per set and a team-best 1.50 blocks per set.
> Bryana Weiskircher runs the offense to the tune of 8.33 assists per set, while Kendall White leads the Owls with 5.33 digs per set.
TEMPLE VS. PENN STATE
> Temple and Penn State played 14 times between 1983 and 2009, with the Nittany Lions owning a 1-13 advantage in the series.Â
> Temple's lone win against Penn State came in 2002 when the Owls defeated the Nittany Lions 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
> Texas A&M went 10-15 last season and returns eight letterwinners from that squad, including outside hitter Hollann Hans, a 2018 Preseason All-SEC Team selection.
> The Aggies have new leadership, as first year head coach, Laura "Bird" Kuhn, took the reigns of the program to start the season.
> Texas A&M opened 2018 with a 2-1 record at the Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic at Ohio State. The Aggies opened with 3-1 wins over Ohio and Albany, before falling 3-0 at Ohio State.
> The Aggies are led by Hans' 5.18 kills per set, she also adds 2.09 digs/set.
> Brookah Palmer adds 3.00 kills per set, while Camille Conner dishes out 10.91 assists per frame.Â
> Amy Houser leads the defense with 3.45 digs per set.
TEMPLE VS. TEXAS A&M
> Temple and Texas A&M have met just one time in history, a 1998 match that was won by the Aggies, 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING INDIANA
> Indiana finished 12-20 a year ago, but has new leadership in head coach Steve Aird.
> The Hoosiers return 11 players from last season, including Kendall Beerman who led the Hoosiers in kills last year.
> Indiana opened the season with a perfect 3-0 mark at the UNLV Invitational, topping the hosts, Long Island, and Southern Utah.
> Beerman has continued where she left off last season, already averaging 4.18 kills and 2.27 digs per set in Indiana's three matches this year.
> Breana Edwards (2.36 k/s) and Deyshia Lofton (2.27 k/s) also aid the attack.
> Victoria Brisack (6.30 a/s) and Abigail Westenhofer (5.67 a/s) handle the setting duties, while Bayli Lebo adds a team-high 3.91 digs per frame.
TEMPLE VS. INDIANA
> This will be the first ever meeting between Temple and Indiana.
Â
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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