STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Volleyball) –Texas A&M University-Kingsville (12-3, 3-1 LSC) will take on the top two teams in the Lone Star Conference this weekend, beginning with defending Lone Star Conference champion Tarleton State University (11-2, 4-1 LSC) Friday at 6 p.m. inside Wisdom Volleyball Gym. The following day, the Javelinas will battle No. 13 and defending LSC Tournament champion Angelo State University (13-2, 4-1 LSC) at 2 p.m. inside of the Junell Center.
Live stats and will be available free of charge on JavelinaAthletics.com. Live video for both matches will also be accessible for a fee.
The Javelinas went 2-2 this past week, led by Krystal Faison and Ashley Bukowski's 41 kills in 15 sets. After dropping the first set at Texas Woman's University, A&M-Kingsville has won six consecutive sets entering the weekend.
TAMUK is 6-1 in three-set matches, 4-2 in four and 2-0 when facing a fifth set this season. With arguably one of the best offenses in the conference, the team hits .235 and ranks first in the LSC with 109 total aces. Defensively, the Hogs have 131.5 total blocks that paces the league and averages 15.4 digs per set.
Faison leads the Javs with 170 kills, 202 digs and ties Lexi Wick for the team lead with 26 aces. Wick is No. 2 on the club with 139 kills and 59 total blocks, including a team high 15 solo blocks. Bukowski rounds out the top three with 100 plus kills at 137 and has 18 service aces in 2016.
Haley Hutchinson is tops on the team in swats with 61 and the middle blocks adds 95 kills, while Madison Brabham has recorded 92 kills and 45 blocks in 2016. Setter Casey Klobedans has 574 assists this season to go with her 45 kills and 14 aces.
Tarleton State enters the weekend with a 4-1 conference record and hosts Texas A&M-Kingsville on a two-match win streak. The lone LSC loss came at the hands of Angelo State. As a team, the TexAnns hit .229 and average 14.5 kills per set.
The TexAnns are led by Hailey Roberts, who is No. 1 in NCAA Division II in points per set (6.18) and kills per set (5.58). Roberts leads the conference with 251 kills per season and also has 152 digs and 14 service aces. Hannah McManus is No. 2 on TSU with 102 kills and 47 total blocks and Jordyn Keamo carries the team with 11.56 assists and a league best 30 aces.
Texas A&M-Kingsville is 18-26 in the all-time series against Tarleton State and are 4-15 at Wisdom Gym. The TexAnns are currently on a six-match win streak against the Javelinas.
No. 13 Angelo State has a perfect 6-0 record at home this season, but dropped its first LSC match last week at the hands of West Texas A&M University in The Box. Prior to its first conference loss of 2016, the only stain on the Belles record was against No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State. ASU leads the LSC in kills (740), assists (686), hitting percentage (.267) and has the lowest opponent hitting percentage (.148).
The Rambelles sit atop the conference behind Mallory Blauser's 227 kills, 143 digs and adds 12 aces this season. Brianna Sotello has gathered 171 kills and 15 aces, followed by 126 kills from Abbie Lynn. Morgan Seaton has a team high of 39 blocks and hitting percentage of .356 to go along with her 94 kills and standout freshman setter Meghan Parker has set the bar in aces with 21, and leads the conference with 608 helpers, also fifth most in Division II.
TAMUK is 12-38 in the all-time series against ASU and are 4-21 when playing in San Angelo, Texas.
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