Volleyball Continues Conference Play Versus AAC Newcomer UAB

Friday, November 10

Philadelphia, Pa.

6:00 PM

Temple University

UAB

Volleyball Continues Conference Play Versus AAC Newcomer UAB

11.8.23 | Women's Volleyball

Match Notes Live Stats (Fri.)ESPN+ (Thurs.)Live Stats (Fri.)ESPN+ (Sat.)

PHILADELPHIA - The Temple Owls' volleyball team looks to improve on its 15-11 overall record and 5-9 American Athletic Conference record as it continues its four-match homestand this weekend in McGonigle Hall with a pair of matches against the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) on Friday and Saturday. The Cherry and White start their weekend on Friday at 6 p.m. ET and a 2 p.m. ET start on Saturday. Both matches will be available on ESPN+.

SENIOR DAY RECOGNITION
Following Saturday's match, the Temple Owls will honor six student-athletes that have meant a lot to its volleyball program. The list includes, Olivia Vance, Taylor Davenport, Nikki Shimao, Chudear Tut, and Falanika Danielson.

25th ANNIVERSARY
Additionally between sets two and three on Saturday, we will celebrate our 1998 team that won its second of three straight A10 Championships.

LAST TIME OUT
The Owls went 0-2 last week in conference play versus AAC East rival South Florida. On Thursday, the Owls dropped its third five-set match of the season, losing to the Bulls, 25-20, 27-29, 18-25, 25-21, 5-15. Less than 12 hours later, Temple was swept the by USF in front of a season-high attendance 1,288 in McGonigle Hall.

DE-FENCE
Through 26 matches this season, Temple is 63rd (4th in AAC) in the country in opponent hitting percentage .177 and 56th (4th in AAC) with 2.42 blocks per set.

Junior Chelci Banks leads the Cherry and White as she ranks ninth in the conference with 1.02 blocks per set. In conference action, the Marietta, Ga. native is second with 57 blocks and fourth with 1.19 blocks per set.

MS. CONSISTENT
Senior outside hitter Taylor Davenport became the 22nd player in school history break into the 1000-kill club. Davenport has been a consistent offensive threat for the Temple attack in 2023. On Oct. 27 versus North Texas, Davenport led the Owls with 15 kills on her away to her way to that illustrious mark. Recently on Oct. 8 at UTSA, Davenport added 23 kills, her third 20-plus kill match of the season, and the 11th of her career. Of the 26 matches this season, Davenport has been the sole kills leader in 15 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 third in the AAC behind in points per set and fifth in kills per set. Going into the 13th week of play, Davenport is averaging 4.10 points per set and 3.44 kills per set.

TRANSFER EXPERIENCE
Middle blocker/outside hitter Olivia Vance is 25 kills short of 1,000 for her career. This season, Vance is third on the team with 200 kills. In her four seasons with the Toledo, the Saline, Mich. native racked up 775 career kills.

Vance totaled 30 kills to begin AAC play where she averaged 2.73 kills per set on 76 total attacks. The graduate transfer had the second most points (36.5) of the Owls where she averaged 3.32 points per set. Olivia had back-to-back matches where she had 11 and 13 kills on Saturday and Sunday at FAU and hit .360 and .367, respectively. On the defensive side, she had eight digs and nine blocks. At the net, Vance averaged .82 blocks per set in three conference matches versus Tulsa and FAU.

So far in 2023, Avery Luoma is second on the team with 225 kills, including 10 matches of where she's reached double-digit kills. Temple's right-side hitter leads the team with five double-doubles in 2023.

On the defensive side, Luoma is second on the team with 218 digs. The Phoenix, Ariz. native has accumulated 10 matches with double-digit digs, including three of the four matches versus ECU and Charlotte in October. On Oct. 21 versus in the 3-1 victory over Charlotte, Luoma reached a season with 21 digs. The next day on the Oct. 21, Luoma capped off her fifth double-double this season against Niners with a season-high 17 kills and 16 digs. On Nov. 2 versus South Florida, Luoma added her latest 10-plus digs match with 11 in the five-set loss to the Bulls.

SETTING SITUATION
Temple freshmen setters Lexi Yoza and Ava Blaszciek have seen significant playing time this season. Blascziek has tallied 299 assists to date, while Yoza leads the team with 310.

Blascziek in the five-set win versus Charlotte on Oct. 21 earned her fifth match of 20 or more assists of the season as she recorded 20. Earlier this season in back-to-back matches versus Princeton and Saint Francis, the Minnesota native had 25 and 24 assists, respectively. Additionally 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.

Fellow freshman setter Lexi Yoza had an all-around weekend on Oct. 20 and 21 against the Charlotte 49ers. In those matches, Yoza added her third and fourth double-doubles of the season. On Oct. 20 added a team-best 25 assists and 12 digs, while the next days she added 28 assists and a career-high 20 digs, both in Owls' victories. This season the Scottsdale, Ariz. native has put together five 20-plus assist matches and four double-digit digs matches.

Junior setter Patrycja Zielinska has also seen playing time this season tallying 301 assists with 11 service aces in 60 sets played.

ALL ACES
As a team, Temple is sixth in the AAC with 1.45 aces per set and 142 total aces. Individually, Taylor Davenport is the leader of the Cherry and White season, averaging .28 service aces per set and 27 total.

Of her 27 service aces this season, the Columbia, S.C. native has led the Owls in nine of the 24 matches. In those nine matches, Temple has earned a 7-2 record.

DE-FENCE
Through 24 matches this season, Temple is 47th (4th in AAC) in the country in opponent hitting percentage .173 and 74th (6th in AAC) with 2.36 blocks per set.

Junior Chelci Banks leads the Cherry and White as she ranks 15th in the conference with .98 blocks per set. In conference action, the Marietta, Ga. native is second with 49 block and seventh with 1.14 blocks per set.

SCOUTING UAB
Kelsey Smith was named to the AAC Honor Roll on Monday after posting back-to-back triple-doubles on Friday and Saturday. Smith currently sits third in the nation with five triple double-doubles. Smith helped the Blazers break a five-match losing streak on Saturday versus Charlotte, accumulating 13 kills, 29 assists, and 15 digs. Smith is currently the league's best server with 99 aces and .42 digs, while ranks 10th in the AAC with 3.60 points per set. Chloe Rodriguez ranks 10th in the American with a .294 hitting percentage. Setter Lidya Canturk ranks third in the conference with 97 assists and seventh with 7.28 assists per set. Libero Anna Burkhart is second in the conference with 102 digs and third with 4.35 digs per set.

TEMPLE VS. UAB
Dating back to 1991, UAB holds the only win between the two programs.

UP NEXT
Temple will end the regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at home in McGonigle versus the SMU Mustangs.

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.