STEPHENVILLE, Texas – We are only a couple of days away from the start of the 2017 Lone Star Conference Volleyball Championship Tournament. No. 4 seed Texas A&M University-Kingsville (21-11, 13-7 LSC) will take on the No. 5 seed West Texas A&M University (20-12, 12-8 LSC) in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, November 16 at 5 p.m. at Wisdom Gym. 
 
The Javelinas are in the mist of their second consecutive 20-win season - the first time they accomplished that feat since 1997-1998. In each of those late 90's campaigns, Kingsville won the quarterfinals round in four sets and will look to continue that trend on Thursday evening. 
 
It is fitting that Texas A&M-Kingsville will matchup with West Texas A&M to open the 2017 LSC Championships, taking in account a season ago when the Hogs went 3-0 in the season series, including a five-set win in the LSC quarterfinals round. In 2017, both clubs split the regular season series, with the Javelinas winning the latter, bringing the Lady Buffs six-match winning streak to an end.  
 
Looking at the head-to-head stats for 2017, TAMUK outhit WT .274-.216 and has outworked them at the net with 13 blocks compared to their 11. West Texas has won the serving battle, however, acing the Hogs nine times. Madison Brabham has logged 32 kills in the two matches, while Shelby Sheets has had her way with 27 kills and a team-best 4.50 kills per set. Haley Hutchinson and Lexi Wick dominate in the middle with nine and seven blocks respectively, and Krystal Faison, Casey Klobedans, and Courtney Rabius all tallied two aces in the series to this point.     
 
Brabham is the team's leading hitter this season with 323 kills (2.83 kills per set). Faison leads the team with 3.16 points per set behind 311 kills, 47 aces, and 32 total blocks. Wick has 283 kills, 96 blocks and 28 aces in 2017 and Sheets has accounted for 222 kills in her first collegiate season. Hutchinson sits at 177 kills and a team-high 115 blocks and Klobedans is second in the LSC with 1,204 assists to go along with 83 kills, 48 blocks, and 17 aces. 
 
The Lady Buffs have a .215 attack percentage overall this season led by Erin Clark's 310 kills, Crystal Thomas' 278 kills and Kamille Jones' 249 kills. Setter Selena Batiste averages 9.29 assists per set and paces the club with 31 aces.     
 
LSC awards such as All-Conference selections and other special awards will be released after the LSC Volleyball Banquet tomorrow night, and an All-Tournament Team, as well as the LSC Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player, will be announced at the conclusion of the tournament.  
 
Top-seeded Tarleton State will host the tournament in Stephenville, Texas. More information on tickets, directions, and a tournament bracket can be found at this link.   
    
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