Women's Volleyball | 10/5/2016 10:09:00 AM
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ABILENE - Abilene Christian volleyball enters this week on a three-match winning streak and is one game out of first place as it embarks on a five-day, three-match road trip to McNeese, Nicholls and Houston Baptist.
The Wildcats start their road swing with a 7 p.m. Thursday night match at the Cowgirls (5-15, 1-4 Southland) followed by a Saturday noon start vs. the Colonels (5-15, 0-4). ACU returns to Texas Monday night with a 7 p.m. contest at the Huskies' (11-8, 2-1) Sharp Gymnasium.
ACU is a combined 4-7 against these three teams with three losses each to Nicholls and Houston Baptist. The Wildcats, however, are 2-1 vs. McNeese with their only series loss taking place in 2013.
The Wildcats began their three-match winning streak a week ago Saturday with a 3-2 win at Incarnate Word, and at home this past weekend they silenced both New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana by the same 3-1 score. ACU is now 3-0 this season at Moody Coliseum.
The team recently transitioned into a 5-2 offense, and early returns suggest the move has been a success with both sophomore
Kendall Bosse and freshman
Makenzie Kesler averaging better than 3.50 assists per set during the winning streak. This alteration also has given the Wildcats an extra presence on the attack with Bosse contributing 31.5 points on 23 kills during the past three matches.
Sophomore
Jacey Smith continues to lead the Wildcats with 227.0 points followed by middle blockers
Lauren Walker (157.0),
Lexi Mercier (156.0) and outside hitter
Corinne Grandcolas (146.5).
Walker on Monday was voted Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career as she led the Wildcats last weekend with 26.5 points. The native of Round Rock, Texas hit .343 with a combined 17 kills on 35 attempts vs. the Privateers and Lady Lions. She also delivered one ace and was part of 14 blocks (three solo, 11 assists) to raise her season average to 1.09, which ranks sixth in conference two spots behind Mercier (1.11).
With 40 blocks over the past three match (13 sets), ACU is now tied with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for first in league blocks with 2.39 per match.
Bosse remains ranked among the league's assist leaders wiith 7.01 and freshman libero
Amanda Chapa ranks fifth in digs with 4.21. Chapa additionally has been an ace at the service line for much of the year and ranks third on the team with 14, two behind Smith and three behind Bosse, the team leader with 17.
