Volleyball Heads to Villanova for Big 5 Challenge

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple volleyball team will head to Villanova this week, as the Wildcats host the Big 5 Challenge, featuring Temple, Villanova, La Salle, Princeton, and Delaware. The Owls will play Villanova on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. and Princeton on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

OWL ABOUT TEMPLE
> Temple heads to the Big 5 Challenge with an unblemished 9-0 record.
> This is the best start in recorded program history for the Owls. The previous best open was a 7-0 record to begin the 1983 season.
> Last weekend, Temple won the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing Cherry & White Challenge at home at McGonigle Hall, sweeping Radford, Columbia, and Lehigh.
> Sophomore setter Tyler Lindgren was named tournament MVP, while sophomore Peyton Boyd and freshman Kayla Spells earned All-Tournament honors.
> Lindgen earned an American Honor Roll nod, the second-straight week that Temple was represented on the conference awards list.
> Sophomore Gem Grimshaw leads the Owls with 3.71 kills per set, while junior Katerina Papazoglou averages 2.92 kills and 3.44 digs per frame.
> Lindgren dishes out 9.86 assists per set, while junior Averi Salvador leads the team with 5.14 digs per frame.
> Temple hits a conference best .266, holding opponents to a .128 attack.

SCOUTING VILLANOVA
> Villanova enters Thursday's match with a 7-2 record.
> The Wildcats most recently went 2-1 at the USC Invitational, topping Howard (3-0) and Yale (3-1), but falling to the #21 Trojans (3-0).
> Villanova's offense is led by Mallory Potts (3.09 kills/set), while Sanaa Barnes (2.59 kills/set) had a great last tournament, earning her a Big East Honor Roll nod.
> Emma Decker runs the offense to a stout .276 attack, dishing out 10.44 assists per set.
> Regan Lough tops the team with 4.81 digs per set, while Sophia Howling leads the team with 1.07 blocks per frame.
> Villanova is holding opponents to a .175 attack this season.

TEMPLE VS. VILLANOVA
> Temple is 24-20 all-time against Villanova, but the Wildcats have won two straight in the series.
> Last year, Villanova took a 3-1 match over the Owls. Temple (1-8) won the first set, 25-21, but the Wildcats (7-2) closed out the match by winning 25-21, 25-18, and 25-19.

SCOUTING PRINCETON
> Princeton enters Friday's match with a 2-5 overall record, playing tough competition to start the season.
> The Tigers are coming off a near upset of #14 Oregon, falling 3-2 at home on Tuesday.
> Princeton's offense is led by Elena Montgomery (3.30 kills/set) and Devon Peterkin (3.22 kills/set).
> Jessie Harris is the primary setter, dishing out 9.84 assists per set.
> Defensively, Cameron Dames leads the team with 4.00 digs per set, while Clare Lehinan is the top blocker at 0.70 blocks per frame.
> As a team, Princeton hits .215, while opponents attack at a .269 clip against them.

TEMPLE VS. PRINCETON
> Princeton leads the all-time series against Temple, 6-5, but the Owls have won the last two meetings.
> Last year, Temple topped Princeton 3-1 in McGonigle Hall. The Owls and Tigers split the first two sets before Princeton opened a large and late third-set lead.
> A stunning comeback in the third set saw Temple turn a 19-12 deficit into a 25-23 win, taking over momentum in the match. The fourth set was all Temple, as the Owls finished out the win.

Volleyball Heads to Villanova for Big 5 Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Peyton Boyd

Gem Grimshaw

Tyler Lindgren

Katerina Papazoglou

Averi Salvador

Kayla Spells

Temple University Athletics