Marshall University Athletics
@HerdVolleyball Opens Conference Play
9/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
MARSHALL (9-4, 0-0 C-USA) VS. WKU (12-2, 0-0 C-USA)
Sept. 23, 2015 | 6 p.m. ET
Huntington, W.Va. | Cam Henderson Center
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall volleyball returns home to the Cam Henderson Center to open conference play on Wednesday against the Conference USA defending champion WKU Hilltoppers for a 6 p.m. first serve.
The Herd is coming off a dominating performance in its second match of the Comfort INN-Vitational against Samford, where it swept the Bulldogs, 3-0. Leading the way for MU offensively was the duo of junior Cassie Weaver (Huntington, W.Va.) and sophomore Taylor Pelton (Louisville, Ky.) Pelton led the way with 15 kills, while Weaver followed with 14. Defensively, junior Allie Kellerman (Louisville, Ky.) had a match-high 19 digs.
KELLERMAN NAMED TO THIRD ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
This past weekend, junior libero Kellerman was named to the Comfort INN-Vitational all-tournament team, her third all-tourney team of the year. Earlier this season, Kellerman was named to the Eagle Challenge and the Panthers Invitational teams, including the MVP of the latter.
Overall, Kellerman leads the Herd with 259 digs, good for 21st in the NCAA, while her 4.89 digs per set are good for 39th in the nation. She also has 29 assists and 10 aces this season.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Junior Ally Kiekover (Grand Rapids, Mich.) has been one of the keys to success this season for Marshall. The middle blocker leads the squad with 34 total blocks, while also having 134 kills, 40 digs, 10 assists and 10 aces. Kiekover has been cautious with her attacks this season as she has 267 total attacks with only 30 errors for a team high .390 hit percentage. Kiekover is one of three members of the Herd that has played in every set this season.
Second-year setter Kayla Simmons (Gainesville, Fla.), leads the squad with 496 assists, including a individual high of 57 against Davidson. Simmons is averaging 9.54 assists per set.
Senior Lauren Legge (Pliny, W.Va.) is fourth on the team in points with 90.5, but her all-around game has helped propel the Herd so far this season. Legge has 74 kills, 24 total blocks and 21 digs.
SCOUTING THE 'TOPS
WKU enters the weekday matchup with 12-2 record, including a victory over Wisconsin, which was ranked the No. 5 team in the country at the time. The Hilltoppers are on a six-match win streak.
This week's Conference USA Setter of the Week, Jessica Lucas, has a team high 525 assists and averages 10.71 per set. Lucas finished this past week with a pair of double-doubles including a near triple double with 48 assists, 14 digs and six kills against Northern Illinois.
WKU is led offensively by Alyssa Cavanaugh and Noelle Langenkamp. Cavanaugh leads the team with 163 kills, good for 3.54 per set. Langenkamp has 155 kills with a team best .386 hit percentage.
UP NEXT
The Herd continues its home stand on Friday and Sunday against Charlotte and Louisiana Tech, respectively.
