Temple University Athletics
Wednesday, September 20
Philadelphia, Pa.
6:00 PM
Temple University
vs
Tulsa
Volleyball Prepped for AAC Action Against Tulsa on Wednesday
9.18.23 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA – The 9-2 Temple volleyball team begins American Athletic Conference play with the first of three matches, beginning on Wednesday at 6 p.m. with the 8-5 Tulsa Golden Hurricane visiting McGonigle Hall. Tomorrow's match will be available on the ESPN+ app.
LAST TIME OUT
Temple went 3-0 last week with wins over Princeton, Saint Francis, and Sacred Heart to improve to 9-2. Graduate transfer Avery Luoma led TU to a five-set victory last Wednesday over her former team with her first Temple double-double where she put together a season-high 15 kills and 14 digs. On Friday, junior Chelci Banks (.421), Davenport (.312), and Vance (.263) were the only Owls to hit over .100 in the four-set win against Saint Francis, but on the defensive side, five of the six Cherry and White players earned three blocks or more. On Saturday's sweep of Sacred Heart, the Owls hit .446 as a team which was a season-high and marks the second time this season they hit above .400.
CHERRY AND WHITE HONORS
At the conclusion of last weekend's Villanova Classic graduate transfer Olivia Vance and junior Chelci Banks were named to the all-tournament team.
Vance totaled three 33 kills, averaged 2.75 kills per set, and hit .329 to help Temple to a 3-0 record last week. On Wednesday, Vance earned her first double-digit kill match of the season versus the Princeton as she had 11 kills. On Friday with a .263 hitting percentage, the graduate transfer had nine kills in a 3-1 victory versus Saint Francis (Pa.) and finished out the week a with season-high 13 kills on 20 total attacks with just one error in a sweep of Sacred Heart. Her .600 hitting percentage in the win ranks fifth all-time in school history, a part of the 25-point scoring format. On the defensive side, Vance had three blocks in each of the three victories.
Chelci Banks had a exception week for the Temple Owls. The junior averaged 1.08 blocks per set (13 total) in three victories versus Princeton, Saint Francis and Sacred Heart. On Wednesday in the five-set win against Princeton, Banks had a pair of blocks, but just two days later in the four-set win against Saint Francis, the Marietta, Ga. native tied her career-high with seven blocks in the match. With four more just a day later against the Pioneers, Banks helped Temple to a 3-0 week. Offensively, the middle blocker got offensive 23 kills in the three matches. Notably, she set her career-high with 11 kills versus Saint Francis on Friday night in the victory against SFU.
FLIGHT TD 14
Going into this week, Davenport senior is ranked second in the AAC and 16th in the NCAA with 4.32 kills per set. Also, the TU standout is currently second in the conference with 5.08 points per set and 17th in the nation.
TRANSFER EXPERIENCE
Going into this season, the additions of Olivia Vance and Avery Luoma would be pivotal to the growth of the Temple offensive scheme.
Vance got her season started on Sept. 1 and now has played in each of the last six matches where she's tallied 50 kills with a .263 hitting percentage. On Sept. 15 versus Saint Francis at the Villanova Classic, the Temple outside hitter connected on a season-high 13 kills, hitting a .600, the fifth-best mark in program history during the 25-point scoring format.
Luoma is second on the team with 97 kills as she averages 2.55 kills/set. Luoma earned her second double-double in an Owls uniform last Wednesday against Princeton where she added season-highs with 15 kills and 14 digs. In the 11 matches thus far this season, the Phoenix, Ariz. native has double-digit kills in four matches.
SETTING SITUATION
Setter Patrycja Zielinska goes into Wednesday's match ninth in the AAC and leads the team with 6.83 assists per set.
Temple freshman setters Lexi Yoza and Ava Blascziek have seen significant playing time this this season. Blascziek has tallied 104 assists to date, while Yoza has added 76 . In the last four matches, Blascziek has led the trio Owls' setters in total assists per match. 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 aforementioned 25 assists and added 10 digs. Additionally, on Sept. 1, Yoza got her shine, also with first career double-double when she added 24 assists and 10 digs.
ALL ACES
As a team, Temple is tied for fourth in the AAC with 1.84 aces per set and tied for fifth with 70 total aces. In 2023, graduate student Jelena Prolic and senior Taylor Davenport are the Cherry and White leaders and are eighth in the conference with 14 service aces.
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. 13, Temple earned its second five-set win of season against Princeton, winning 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 22-25, 15-10, pushing their 2023 record to 2-0 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 TULSA
Individually, Kaley Cassaday earned her second career AAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday after her performance at the Stephen F. Austin Tournament last weekend. She amassed 83 kills, averaging 5.93 kills per set in the Golden Hurricane's three matches.
Cassaday leads the country with 228 kills at 5.70 kills per set and 623 attacks at 15.58 attacks per set. She also ranks second nationwide with 240 total points at six points per set.
TEMPLE VS. TULSA
Tulsa holds the all-time edge over Temple with an 8-7 record, including winning the last seven. The last win in the series for Temple occurred on Nov. 11, 2017 when they last won in five sets.
UP NEXT
Temple will travel to conference-newcomer Florida Atlantic on for a pair of weekend contests. On Saturday, TU and the FAU will clash at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both matches will be available on the FAU All-Access Network.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
Temple went 3-0 last week with wins over Princeton, Saint Francis, and Sacred Heart to improve to 9-2. Graduate transfer Avery Luoma led TU to a five-set victory last Wednesday over her former team with her first Temple double-double where she put together a season-high 15 kills and 14 digs. On Friday, junior Chelci Banks (.421), Davenport (.312), and Vance (.263) were the only Owls to hit over .100 in the four-set win against Saint Francis, but on the defensive side, five of the six Cherry and White players earned three blocks or more. On Saturday's sweep of Sacred Heart, the Owls hit .446 as a team which was a season-high and marks the second time this season they hit above .400.
CHERRY AND WHITE HONORS
At the conclusion of last weekend's Villanova Classic graduate transfer Olivia Vance and junior Chelci Banks were named to the all-tournament team.
Vance totaled three 33 kills, averaged 2.75 kills per set, and hit .329 to help Temple to a 3-0 record last week. On Wednesday, Vance earned her first double-digit kill match of the season versus the Princeton as she had 11 kills. On Friday with a .263 hitting percentage, the graduate transfer had nine kills in a 3-1 victory versus Saint Francis (Pa.) and finished out the week a with season-high 13 kills on 20 total attacks with just one error in a sweep of Sacred Heart. Her .600 hitting percentage in the win ranks fifth all-time in school history, a part of the 25-point scoring format. On the defensive side, Vance had three blocks in each of the three victories.
Chelci Banks had a exception week for the Temple Owls. The junior averaged 1.08 blocks per set (13 total) in three victories versus Princeton, Saint Francis and Sacred Heart. On Wednesday in the five-set win against Princeton, Banks had a pair of blocks, but just two days later in the four-set win against Saint Francis, the Marietta, Ga. native tied her career-high with seven blocks in the match. With four more just a day later against the Pioneers, Banks helped Temple to a 3-0 week. Offensively, the middle blocker got offensive 23 kills in the three matches. Notably, she set her career-high with 11 kills versus Saint Francis on Friday night in the victory against SFU.
FLIGHT TD 14
Going into this week, Davenport senior is ranked second in the AAC and 16th in the NCAA with 4.32 kills per set. Also, the TU standout is currently second in the conference with 5.08 points per set and 17th in the nation.
TRANSFER EXPERIENCE
Going into this season, the additions of Olivia Vance and Avery Luoma would be pivotal to the growth of the Temple offensive scheme.
Vance got her season started on Sept. 1 and now has played in each of the last six matches where she's tallied 50 kills with a .263 hitting percentage. On Sept. 15 versus Saint Francis at the Villanova Classic, the Temple outside hitter connected on a season-high 13 kills, hitting a .600, the fifth-best mark in program history during the 25-point scoring format.
Luoma is second on the team with 97 kills as she averages 2.55 kills/set. Luoma earned her second double-double in an Owls uniform last Wednesday against Princeton where she added season-highs with 15 kills and 14 digs. In the 11 matches thus far this season, the Phoenix, Ariz. native has double-digit kills in four matches.
SETTING SITUATION
Setter Patrycja Zielinska goes into Wednesday's match ninth in the AAC and leads the team with 6.83 assists per set.
Temple freshman setters Lexi Yoza and Ava Blascziek have seen significant playing time this this season. Blascziek has tallied 104 assists to date, while Yoza has added 76 . In the last four matches, Blascziek has led the trio Owls' setters in total assists per match. 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 aforementioned 25 assists and added 10 digs. Additionally, on Sept. 1, Yoza got her shine, also with first career double-double when she added 24 assists and 10 digs.
ALL ACES
As a team, Temple is tied for fourth in the AAC with 1.84 aces per set and tied for fifth with 70 total aces. In 2023, graduate student Jelena Prolic and senior Taylor Davenport are the Cherry and White leaders and are eighth in the conference with 14 service aces.
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. 13, Temple earned its second five-set win of season against Princeton, winning 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 22-25, 15-10, pushing their 2023 record to 2-0 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 TULSA
Individually, Kaley Cassaday earned her second career AAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday after her performance at the Stephen F. Austin Tournament last weekend. She amassed 83 kills, averaging 5.93 kills per set in the Golden Hurricane's three matches.
Cassaday leads the country with 228 kills at 5.70 kills per set and 623 attacks at 15.58 attacks per set. She also ranks second nationwide with 240 total points at six points per set.
TEMPLE VS. TULSA
Tulsa holds the all-time edge over Temple with an 8-7 record, including winning the last seven. The last win in the series for Temple occurred on Nov. 11, 2017 when they last won in five sets.
UP NEXT
Temple will travel to conference-newcomer Florida Atlantic on for a pair of weekend contests. On Saturday, TU and the FAU will clash at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both matches will be available on the FAU All-Access Network.
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.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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