Marshall University Athletics
Friday, September 3
Dayton, Ohio
4:00 PM
Marshall University
vs
DePaul University
Photo by: Jack Kelly
Volleyball Hits the Road to the TRU by Hilton Dayton Beavercreek Invitational
9/2/2021 5:51:00 PM | Volleyball
Herd to play DePaul, Wright State and Ball State
DAYTON, Ohio – The Marshall volleyball team continues the 2021 season on the road at the TRU by Hilton Dayton Beavercreek Invitational, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4. The Thundering Herd will play against DePaul, Wright State and Ball State.
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This will be the first of three-straight early season tournaments on the road before Marshall begins Conference USA action.
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The Herd enters the weekend with a 2-1 record. DePaul and Wright State are both 2-1 as well and Ball State is 4-0.
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Tournament Details
Marshall Match Notes
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL PAGE
Friday Sept. 3 - Marshall vs. DePaul – 4 p.m. LIVE STATS
Saturday Sept. 4
Marshall at Wright State – 12:30 p.m. LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM
Marshall vs. Ball State – 5 p.m. LIVE STATS
Series History:
vs. DePaul – 1st ever meeting
vs. Wright State – Wright State leads 8-4, last meeting Aug. 24, 2012 in Huntington (3-0 Marshall win)
vs. Ball State – Ball State leads 11-4, last meeting Aug. 25, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio (3-0 Ball State win)
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Last Time Out: Herd wins 2-of-3 at Marshall Invite
The Herd opened the 2021 season at home with the Marshall Invitational and hosted Alabama, Austin Peay and Miami (OH). Marshall fell in its first match to Alabama in four sets (27-25, 23-25, 21-25, 19-25). The Herd then bounced back on Saturday showing its grit and fight with a four-set victory over Austin Peay (25-19, 30-28, 20-25, 25-16) and then a comeback win over Miami in five sets (25-22, 27-29, 23-25, 25-14, 15-11). Through the three matches, Ciara Debell tallied 47 kills to lead the team offensively. Destiny Leon recorded 23 blocks and was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week. Sydney Lostumo tallied 109 assists and Sarah Schank had 72 digs. Three newcomers had their Marshall debuts in the Cam Henderson Center. Junior college transfers Lydia Montague and Essence Clerkley came through offensively and defensively. Freshman Brynn Brown saw some time off the bench at setter and finished with 26 assists. The Herd also welcomed Meagan Camden back to the lineup after she missed all of last season. Camden earned one start and played in nine sets at defensive specialist. Marshall was very disruptive on defense. The Herd leads the NCAA in total blocks with 42 and is 14th in blocks per set at 3.23. Head coach Ari Aganus earned her 30th victory in the win over Miami (OH).
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Destiny Leon: A Force at the Net
The reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year started off her final collegiate season with an enormous swat. Leon finished the three matches of the Marshall Invite with 23 total blocks. She leads the NCAA in total blocks after the first weekend. She had nine against Alabama, five versus Austin Peay and then nine more rejections against Miami (OH). Leon was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week. The middle blocker added 29 kills as well and hit at a .383 clip. She built her consecutive matches with at least one block to 45-straight. This past season Leon became just the fourth player (since 1987) in team history to average 1.00 or more blocks per set in two seasons and the first to do it in back-to-back seasons. She is already averaging 1.77 blocks per set and is in line to become the Herd's first player to average more than one block per set in three seasons.
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The Opponents
DePaul
The Blue Demons got the season started with a 2-1 record at the CEFCR Invitational. DePaul opened with a four-set loss to Southeast Missouri State and then came back with sweeps over Central Michigan and Bradley. Jill Pressly leads the team with 43 kills and an average of 4.30 per set. Donna Brown (29) and Emma Price (23) both tallied over 20 kills in just 10 total sets. Ashley Cudiamat leads in assists with 68 and Phoenix Lee is second with 29. Cudiamat played all 10 sets while Lee appeared in six. Rachel Krasowski was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week after recording 73 digs with an average of 7.30 per set, which is good for third in the NCAA. She tallied 38 in the opener against Southeast Missouri State. As a team, the Blue Demons are averaging 2.40 blocks per set and have held opponents to a .168 hitting percentage. Aly Kindelberger leads with 12 blocks and 1.20 per set. Head coach Marie Zidek is in her fourth season leading the program and has 29 wins.
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Wright State
The Raiders also opened the season 2-1 playing at the Spartan Invitational. Wright State started with a sweep of Canisius College before being swept by Western Michigan. The Raiders bounced back with a five-set victory over the host Michigan State Spartans. Megan Alders finished the weekend with 40 kills, an average of 3.64 per set, to lead the team and was named Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week. She had 22 in the win over Michigan State and hit .311. Lainey Stephenson leads in assists with 90 and Jenna Story is tops with 52 digs. Wright State is averaging 1.73 blocks per set as a team and allowing opponents a hitting percentage of .177. Head coach Allie Matters is in her fourth season and has already picked up her 60th win with the victory over Michigan State.
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Ball State
The Cardinals began the year at the Green Bay Tournament and came away with a 4-0 record. Ball State defeated Green Bay and Northern Iowa in four sets, and had sweeps over St. Thomas and North Dakota State. The Cardinals offense features four players with over 20 kills each. Jaclyn Bulmahn leads with 40 and Natalie Mitchem is right behind with 38. Megan Wielonski leads with 132 assists and Kate Vinson tops the team with 56 digs. Ball State is averaging 2.32 blocks per set and holding opponents to a .158 attack percentage. On offense the Cardinals have a .270 team hitting percentage despite opponents averaging 2.43 blocks per set. Head coach Kelli Miller-Phillips is in her sixth season and has 86 wins in her tenure.
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For all the latest information about Marshall volleyball, follow @HerdVolleyball on Twitter and Marshall University Volleyball on Facebook.
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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!​
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This will be the first of three-straight early season tournaments on the road before Marshall begins Conference USA action.
Â
The Herd enters the weekend with a 2-1 record. DePaul and Wright State are both 2-1 as well and Ball State is 4-0.
Â
Tournament Details
Marshall Match Notes
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL PAGE
Friday Sept. 3 - Marshall vs. DePaul – 4 p.m. LIVE STATS
Saturday Sept. 4
Marshall at Wright State – 12:30 p.m. LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM
Marshall vs. Ball State – 5 p.m. LIVE STATS
Series History:
vs. DePaul – 1st ever meeting
vs. Wright State – Wright State leads 8-4, last meeting Aug. 24, 2012 in Huntington (3-0 Marshall win)
vs. Ball State – Ball State leads 11-4, last meeting Aug. 25, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio (3-0 Ball State win)
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Last Time Out: Herd wins 2-of-3 at Marshall Invite
The Herd opened the 2021 season at home with the Marshall Invitational and hosted Alabama, Austin Peay and Miami (OH). Marshall fell in its first match to Alabama in four sets (27-25, 23-25, 21-25, 19-25). The Herd then bounced back on Saturday showing its grit and fight with a four-set victory over Austin Peay (25-19, 30-28, 20-25, 25-16) and then a comeback win over Miami in five sets (25-22, 27-29, 23-25, 25-14, 15-11). Through the three matches, Ciara Debell tallied 47 kills to lead the team offensively. Destiny Leon recorded 23 blocks and was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week. Sydney Lostumo tallied 109 assists and Sarah Schank had 72 digs. Three newcomers had their Marshall debuts in the Cam Henderson Center. Junior college transfers Lydia Montague and Essence Clerkley came through offensively and defensively. Freshman Brynn Brown saw some time off the bench at setter and finished with 26 assists. The Herd also welcomed Meagan Camden back to the lineup after she missed all of last season. Camden earned one start and played in nine sets at defensive specialist. Marshall was very disruptive on defense. The Herd leads the NCAA in total blocks with 42 and is 14th in blocks per set at 3.23. Head coach Ari Aganus earned her 30th victory in the win over Miami (OH).
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Destiny Leon: A Force at the Net
The reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year started off her final collegiate season with an enormous swat. Leon finished the three matches of the Marshall Invite with 23 total blocks. She leads the NCAA in total blocks after the first weekend. She had nine against Alabama, five versus Austin Peay and then nine more rejections against Miami (OH). Leon was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week. The middle blocker added 29 kills as well and hit at a .383 clip. She built her consecutive matches with at least one block to 45-straight. This past season Leon became just the fourth player (since 1987) in team history to average 1.00 or more blocks per set in two seasons and the first to do it in back-to-back seasons. She is already averaging 1.77 blocks per set and is in line to become the Herd's first player to average more than one block per set in three seasons.
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The Opponents
DePaul
The Blue Demons got the season started with a 2-1 record at the CEFCR Invitational. DePaul opened with a four-set loss to Southeast Missouri State and then came back with sweeps over Central Michigan and Bradley. Jill Pressly leads the team with 43 kills and an average of 4.30 per set. Donna Brown (29) and Emma Price (23) both tallied over 20 kills in just 10 total sets. Ashley Cudiamat leads in assists with 68 and Phoenix Lee is second with 29. Cudiamat played all 10 sets while Lee appeared in six. Rachel Krasowski was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week after recording 73 digs with an average of 7.30 per set, which is good for third in the NCAA. She tallied 38 in the opener against Southeast Missouri State. As a team, the Blue Demons are averaging 2.40 blocks per set and have held opponents to a .168 hitting percentage. Aly Kindelberger leads with 12 blocks and 1.20 per set. Head coach Marie Zidek is in her fourth season leading the program and has 29 wins.
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Wright State
The Raiders also opened the season 2-1 playing at the Spartan Invitational. Wright State started with a sweep of Canisius College before being swept by Western Michigan. The Raiders bounced back with a five-set victory over the host Michigan State Spartans. Megan Alders finished the weekend with 40 kills, an average of 3.64 per set, to lead the team and was named Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week. She had 22 in the win over Michigan State and hit .311. Lainey Stephenson leads in assists with 90 and Jenna Story is tops with 52 digs. Wright State is averaging 1.73 blocks per set as a team and allowing opponents a hitting percentage of .177. Head coach Allie Matters is in her fourth season and has already picked up her 60th win with the victory over Michigan State.
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Ball State
The Cardinals began the year at the Green Bay Tournament and came away with a 4-0 record. Ball State defeated Green Bay and Northern Iowa in four sets, and had sweeps over St. Thomas and North Dakota State. The Cardinals offense features four players with over 20 kills each. Jaclyn Bulmahn leads with 40 and Natalie Mitchem is right behind with 38. Megan Wielonski leads with 132 assists and Kate Vinson tops the team with 56 digs. Ball State is averaging 2.32 blocks per set and holding opponents to a .158 attack percentage. On offense the Cardinals have a .270 team hitting percentage despite opponents averaging 2.43 blocks per set. Head coach Kelli Miller-Phillips is in her sixth season and has 86 wins in her tenure.
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For all the latest information about Marshall volleyball, follow @HerdVolleyball on Twitter and Marshall University Volleyball on Facebook.
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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!​
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