Volleyball Goes West to Face Wichita State and UTSA

Friday, October 6

Wichita, Kan.

8:00 PM

Temple University

Wichita State

Volleyball Goes West to Face Wichita State and UTSA

10.5.23 | Women's Volleyball

Live Stats (Wich. State)Video (ESPN+) (Wich. State)Live Stats (UTSA)Video (ESPN+) (UTSA)Match Notes

PHILADELPHIA - The 11-4, 2-2 AAC Temple volleyball team continues American Athletic Conference action with a pair of matches in the midwest. The Cherry and White open the weekend on Friday at Wichita State (8 pm ET) and will wrap up the weekend against conference-newcomer UTSA on Sunday (2 pm ET). Both matches will be available on the ESPN+ app.

LAST TIME OUT
The Owls improved to 11-4 overall and 2-2 in the American with a five-set victory over the Tulane Green. In the 17-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 15-9 victory, the Owls surpassed their 2022-win total and matched the spring of 2021 season when they went 11-6 and made a trip the AAC Championship match.

NEW HEIGHTS
Middle blocker Chelci Banks took her game to new heights last Friday in the 3-2 victory versus Tulane as she put together a night that included a career-high 14 kills with a .440 hitting percentage. Her offensive production in the match helped the Marietta, Ga. native moved into the top eight hitters of the conference with a .310 hitting percentage. Defensively, the junior had her second-best match of the season with six blocks, just one shy of her career-high of seven.

MS. CONSISTENT
Senior outside hitter Taylor has been a consistent offensive threat for the Temple attack in 2023. Of the 15 matches this season, Davenport has been the sole kills leader in 11 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 eighth week of play, is averaging 3.93 kills per set and 4.71 points per set. Davenport has also helped her cause at the service line, averaging .41 service aces per set, including the fourth highest in the AAC.

TRANSFER EXPERIENCE
In the span of seven matches over the last three weeks, Olivia Vance is second on the team in hitting percentage with players over 100 total attacks. In those seven matches, Vance has hit .327 with 65 kills while averaging 2.83 kills per set.

Last weekend versus Tulane, the Saline Mich. native was third on the team with 13 kills, but defensively she made an impact as she tied a season-high with five blocks. It was the second time in three matches the grad transfer from Toledo has hit this number.

So far in 2023, Avery Luoma is second on the team with 133 kills, including six matches of where she's reached double-digit kills. On Sept. 13 versus her former school, Princeton, the Phoenix, Ariz. native tallied a season-high 15 kills.

In the four-set win against FAU on Sept. 23, Luoma hit .379 with 13 kills, marking the most kills she's had in a four-match span. Luoma had her best match of the season on Sept. 13 against her former team, Princeton, when she tallied a season-high 15 kills.

On the defensive side, Luoma is fourth on the team with 106 digs, accumulating four matches with double-digit digs. Versus the Tigers on Sept. 13, Luoma capped off her second of four double-doubles this season with 14 digs.

SETTING SITUATION
Junior setter Patrycja Zielinska goes into this weekend with a team-high 251 assists.

Temple freshmen setters Lexi Yoza and Ava Blascziek have seen significant playing time this season. Blascziek has tallied 155 assists to date, while Yoza has added 123.

In the last eight matches, Blascziek has saw the most playing time with 25 sets and dished out a team-high 114 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.

Just last Friday in the five-set win against Tulane, fellow freshman setter Lexi Yoza had a team-high 17 assists.

Notably on Sept. 1 versus Dartmouth, Yoza got her shine when she added her first career double-double with 24 assists and 10 digs.

ALL ACES
As a team, Temple is second in the AAC with 1.76 aces per set and third with 95 total aces. Davenport has helped her cause at the service line this season, averaging .41 service aces per set and is tied for the fourth most (16) in the AAC.

Of her 22 service aces this season, the Columbia, S.C. native has led the Owls in eight of the 15 matches. In those eight matches, Temple has earned a 7-1 record. In those eight matches, Davenport has averaged three aces per match.

In 2022, Zielinska led the Owls offense at the setter position, while asserting herself as a force behind the service line. Zielinska recorded 20 or more assists in 18 contests. The senior had a team-best 32 aces, while her .35 aces/set ranked her fourth in the AAC matches.

FIVE-SET PRESSURE
On Sept. 29, Temple earned its third five-set win of season against Tulane, winning 17-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 15-9, pushing their 2023 record to 3-0 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 WICHITA STATE
The Shockers have won six of their last seven matches, all but one of which has taken place away from their home of Koch Arena. WSU knocked off SMU on Sunday in four sets behind the Barbara Koehler's career-high 15 kills and .467 hitting percentage. On the defensive side, the Shockers rank 15th nationally with an opponent hitting percentage of .153. The Wichita State blockers have averaged 2.53 blocks per set, while ranking 37th nationally.

TEMPLE VS. WICHITA STATE
In nine all-time matches, the Shockers are ahead, 7-2. Temple earned its only two matches in back-to-back seasons, 2018 and 2019. Last season WSU's Natalie Foster and Sophia Rohling combined for 47 kills in the season sweep of the Owls.

SCOUTING UTSA
Freshman Miranda Putnicki had five blocks while junior Cheyenne Hlady and senior Alicia Coppedge managed three blocks in the four-set loss to the AAC unbeaten Rice Owls last Saturday. Just like it's 8-8 overall record, UTSA sits in the middle of the pack of virtually all the conference statistics.

TEMPLE VS. UTSA
This weekend's match will be the second-ever match against UTSA. The Owls won the first the first-ever match in 2000.

UP NEXT
Temple will return to McGonigle Hall on Oct. 13-14 when they take on AAC East Division rival East Carolina. On Friday, Oct. 13, the Owls' and Pirates' first is serve is set for 6 pm E.T., while Saturday's match begins at 2 p.m. ET.

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.