KINGSVILLE, Texas – Through the first four games on their divisional schedule in 2019, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team has maintained the top spot in their division with a perfect record that currently stands at 4-0, with a 5-1 mark in the Lone Star Conference and an overall record of 14-6. Two more divisional tests await for the Javelinas, as they'll hit the road for their first-ever conference matchups against two familiar foes.
TAMUK's weekend begins in Austin on Friday with a 6 p.m. matchup against the St. Edward's Hilltoppers at the Recreation and Convocation Center. Saturday will bring the Javs to San Antonio, where they'll be hosted by the St. Mary's Rattlers at Bill Greehy Arena for a match scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
The Javelinas have met these two teams a combined 73 times in their program's history, including a matchup with StMU in earlier in 2019, but this will be the first time these clashes count on each team's conference ledger. The Rattlers and Hilltoppers both joined the LSC prior to the 2019-2020 academic year, when TAMUK's league absorbed the Heartland Conference. St. Mary's is looking for its first win in the division, as they are in fifth place at 0-2, 1-5 in the LSC and 7-7 overall. St. Edward's is one spot ahead of StMU, with a 1-1 mark. They are also 3-3 in conference and 8-6 overall.
Defense has continued to be a strong point for the Javelinas this season. They are the only LSC team in the top 40 in the nation in digs per set, blocks per set and opponent hitting percentage. Senior Talleyshia Morris' (Tulsa, Okla.) 76 total blocks are the eighth-most in the nation and both her and sophomore Kailey Estrada (San Antonio, Texas) are in conference's top 10 in blocks per set. In TAMUK's most recent home appearance, Morris matched her career-high with 10 total rejections, while Estrada has totaled at least five blocks in her last three games.
On the back line, another sophomore, Nicole Murff (San Antonio, Texas), continues to maintain the top spot in the nation in total digs and also leads the conference in digs per set at 5.62. The 35 scoops she piled up in TAMUK's win over Dallas Baptist were the sixth-most in a match in program history. In less than two years in Kingsville, Murff already owns three marks in the program's top 10 for digs in a match in Javelina history.
Going up against that Javelina defense will be a St. Edward's team with a hitting percentage of .232 for the season, fourth in the LSC and in the top 50 in the nation. Junior Katarina Mendez has been the most potent member of the SEU offense, with a .328 hitting percentage that places her in the LSC's top 10 and a team-best average of 2.92 kills per set. The Hilltoppers also possess one of the conference's best players from the service line in junior Madison Heald. Her 18 aces in only 42 sets make for an average of 0.43 aces per frame, the top rate in the LSC.
The Javelinas have already seen St. Mary's in 2019. The Rattlers escaped with a five-set victory over TAMUK in Kingsville on Sept. 12th. K.K. Payne and Jasmine Sims both reached double figures in kills, with Sims hitting .400. Bree Perry handed out a match-high 42 assists, which is her fourth-highest total in 2019.
Perry has claimed spots in the conference's top 10 in assists and aces per set . Her average of 9.45 assists per set puts her third in the LSC and includes a game against West Texas A&M in which she racked up 49 helpers.
Links to live video and stats as well as a postgame recap for every Javelina matchup can be found on Javelinaathletics.com. To keep up with Javelina volleyball all season long, follow @JavelinaVB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, visit TAMUK Volleyball on Facebook, subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visit Javelinaathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
