Marshall University Athletics
@HerdVolleyball Readies for Toledo/ASICS Invitational
9/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall volleyball returns to action this weekend at the Toledo/ASICS Invitational for three matches. The Thundering Herd faces Fort Wayne and Saint Francis on Friday at Noon and 5 p.m., respectively. MU closes the invitational against host Toledo on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in a match on ESPN3.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall is coming off a dominating win at former Mid-American Conference rival Bowling Green on Wednesday night. The Herd earned its second sweep of the season, as it defeated the Falcons in three sets (25-14, 25-23, 25-21). Senior Ally Kiekover paced Marshall offensively with 16 kills and hit at a career-best .714 percent. Kiekover's previous career-high was .704 set last season against Boston College.
Three Marshall student-athletes rank atop of four different categories in Conference USA. Freshman Jac'cara Walker ranks first in aces (16) and attacks (294), while fellow freshman Madison Hill leads C-USA with a .444 hitting percentage. The reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, Allie Kellerman, has 138 digs. As a team, Marshall ranks first in kills with 432, also good for second in the country.
SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
Fort Wayne enters the weekend with an overall record of 3-4 and is coming off a three set sweep of Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. This past weekend, the Mastodons competed at the BGSU Invitational against Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky. Fort Wayne was swept in the both matches. Outside hitter Lauren Hoffman leads the team with 71 kills, while middle hitter Natalie Seiler has a team-high 29 blocks.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis (3-4) is coming off a successful weekend at the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational. Despite being swept in the first match by Duquesne, the Red Flash rallied with a pair of wins on Saturday against Buffalo in five sets and a sweep over Coppin State. The 2-1 record for the tournament gave Saint Francis its first invitational win since Sept. 2014. The Red Flash is powered offensively by Breanna Opera with 2.92 kills per set.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Toledo is 4-2 this season, and had its four-match winning streak snapped last week at the Houston Baptist Labor Day Classic. The Rockets opened the year with a loss to Dayton, but went on to win against Wright State, SIU-Edwardsville, Penn and North Florida. Toledo fell to host Houston Baptist last Saturday in four sets. The Rockets are led by freshman middle hitter and reigning MAC West Defensive Player of the Week Zoe Birnbrich with 50 kills and a team-high 28 blocks. Birnbrich averages 1.17 blocks per set.
#STAMPEDE16
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UP NEXT
After the weekend, Marshall heads to Florida for a midweek matchup against Stetson on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. The Herd will also compete at the 2016 Active Ankle Challenge from Sept. 16 to Sept. 17 in Gainesville, Fla., against Jacksonville, Florida A&M and No. 8 Florida.
