Volleyball to Host Weekend Series with East Carolina

Friday, October 13

Philadelphia, Pa.

6:00 PM

Temple University

East Carolina

Volleyball to Host Weekend Series with East Carolina

10.12.23 | Women's Volleyball

Temple Weekend Match Notes ECU Weekend Match Notes Live Stats (Friday)International Stream (Friday)Watch (ESPN+) (Friday)International Stream Watch (ESPN+) (Saturday)Live Stats (Saturday)

PHILADELPHIA - The 12-5, 3-3 AAC Temple volleyball team continues American Athletic Conference action with a pair of matches in McGonigle Hall this weekend at home versus East Carolina. The Cherry and White open the weekend against Pirates on Friday, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. The two teams will close out the two-game series less than 12 hours later on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. Both matches will be available on the ESPN app.

PROMO SCHEDULE
On Friday, the Owls will host its annual Green Game. Temple athletics and its student athletes want to shine a light on mental health throughout this match. Saturday is Temple's Pink Game where our student athletes will honor those affected by breast cancer. Additionally, following Saturday's match the Owls will host a post-match autograph signing on the concourse level and post-match clinic on the game floor.

LAST TIME OUT
The Owls played a pair of matches last weekend out west, splitting against Wichita State and Texas-San Antonio (UTSA). The Cherry and White started last weekend with a 3-0 loss to the Shockers as graduate transfer Olivia Vance led the Owls with 12 kills. As a team, Temple was held to a .096 hitting percentage in the loss. Two days later, TU improved to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in the American with a five-set victory over the UTSA Road Runners. The Owls were set point away in the fourth set before pulling away for the win and then the match in five sets, 25-23, 18-25, 28-30, 26-24, 15-6.

THINGS COME IN 3s
Three Owls' players including Taylor Davenport (23), Olivia Vance (17), and Avery Luoma (15) had double-digits kills in the win over the UTSA Roadrunners on Sunday. Including Luoma's efforts on the offensive side, the graduate transfer was one of three Owls with double-digit digs. Luoma was one of two Owls with 12 digs in the match. Freshman setter Lexi Yoza also added 12 digs, but fellow setter Ava Blascziek led all Temple players with 14. The trio added double-doubles in the win. Luoma's 15 kills, 12 digs effort marked her third double-double this season, while Yoza's 12 digs and match-high 29 assists landed her second. Blaszciek's 14 digs and 22 assists also added the second of her career.

MS. CONSISTENT
Senior outside hitter Taylor Davenport has been a consistent offensive threat for the Temple attack in 2023. Recently on Oct. 8, Davenport added 23 kills, her third 20-plus kill match, and the 11th of her career. Of the 17 matches this season, Davenport has been the sole kills leader in 12 of those matches, including a string of seven matches to begin the season. In each of those seven matches, Davenport recorded 10 or more kills including a season-high 24 versus Dartmouth on Sept. 1. Additionally in the match versus the Big Green, the Columbia, S.C. native added earned her second career double-double as she added a career-high 10 digs. Currently this season, Davenport is second in the AAC behind Kaley Cassaday of Tulsa in kills per set and points per set. Going into the ninth week of play, is averaging 3.89 kills per set and 4.65 points per set. Davenport has also helped her cause at the service line, averaging .37 service aces per set which is the eighth highest in the AAC.

TRANSFER EXPERIENCE
In the span of nine matches over the last four weeks, Olivia Vance is second on the team in hitting percentage with teammates over 100 total attacks. In those nine matches, Vance has hit .298 with 105 kills while averaging 2.92 kills per set.

Last weekend in two matches at Wichita State and UTSA, the Saline Mich. native was tied with senior Taylor Davenport with the team-high 29 kills, but defensively she made an impact as she had six blocks.

So far in 2023, Avery Luoma is second on the team with 153 kills, including seven matches of where she's reached double-digit kills.

Two times this season, Luoma had reached her season-best output in kills. Most recently Oct. 8 at UTSA, Luoma tied her season-best from the Sept. 13 match against her former team, Princeton, when she tallied a season-high 15 kills.

On the defensive side, Luoma is fourth on the team with 124 digs, accumulating five matches with double-digit digs. Versus the Roadrunners on Oct. 8, Luoma capped off her third double-double this season with 15 kills and 12 digs.

SETTING SITUATION
Junior setter Patrycja Zielinska goes into this weekend with a team-high 254 assists.

Temple freshmen setters Lexi Yoza and Ava Blaszciek have seen significant playing time this season. Blascziek has tallied 192 assists to date, while Yoza has added 160.

In the last 10 matches, Blascziek has saw the most playing time with 33 sets and dished out a team-high 151 assists.

Earlier this season in back-to-back matches versus Princeton and Saint Francis, the Minnesota native had 25 and 24 assists, respectively. Versus Princeton, the rookie setter earned her first double-double of her career with the with a career-high 25 assists and added 10 digs and second effort on UTSA with 22 assists and 14 digs.

Just last Sunday in the five-set win against UTSA, both Blascziek and fellow freshman setter Lexi Yoza combined for 56 assists.

In the same match Yoza added her second double-double of her career with 22 assists and 12 digs. Notably on Sept. 1 versus Dartmouth, Yoza got her shine when she added her first career double-double with 24 assists and 10 digs.

FIVE-SET PRESSURE
On Oct. 8, Temple earned its fourth five-set win of season against UTSA, winning 25-23, 18-25, 28-30, 26-24, 15-6, pushing their 2023 record to 4-0 in five-set matches.

The Owls had overall record of 10-21 in 2022 and in those 31 matches, they played 11 five-set thrillers. The Cherry and White earned a conference-best seven wins, going 7-4. It started the season perfectly in five-setters (5-0).

SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
The Pirates are third in the AAC with 16.87 points per set, led by Angeles Aldrete who leads the Pirates with 197 kills and ranks sixth in the AAC with 3.63 points set and 3.17 kills per set. ECU is one of the top blocking teams in the conference (4th - 2.45 b/s), led by Carlia Northcross who ranks second in the American with 1.26 blocks per set.

TEMPLE VS. EAST CAROLINA
The Pirates have won three of the last four matches against Temple in the series, but the Owls hold a 9-7 all-time advantage. The last Temple victory in series occurred on Nov. 22, 2021 when the Owls defeated the team from Greenville, N.C. in five sets, 25-21, 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 15-12. Then-Owls' senior Miray Bolukbasi carried the Cherry and White to victory on Senior Day with a career-high 25 points.

UP NEXT
Temple will return to McGonigle Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 18 versus the Rider Broncs for a 6 p.m. first serve.

For complete coverage of Temple volleyball, follow the Owls on social media @Temple_VB (Twitter), facebook.com/TempleOwls (Facebook), @temple.vb (Instagram), or visit the official home of Temple University Athletics at owlsports.com.