KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team currently owns the top spot in their division in the Lone Star Conference, but over their next four matches, they'll be tested by three divisional opponents, starting with consecutive matches against the Texas A&M International Dustdevils.
TAMUK and TAMIU will start off this home-and-home in Kingsville on Thursday, when the two sides will square off at 6 p.m. inside the Steinke Physical Education Center. On Saturday, both teams will be in Laredo, Texas at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Center for a 1 p.m. match.
TAMUK's record of 2-0 in their division coincides with records of 3-1 in the LSC and 12-6 overall. Both of the Javelinas' divisional wins came during their most recent weekend of play, when they outlasted No. 10 Tarleton and Dallas Baptist in five sets. In the team's last six matches, they've played five contests that've gone to a fifth set, winning four of them.
Sophomore Nicole Murff (San Antonio, Texas) has continued to anchor an excellent Javelina defense that ranks third in the LSC in opponent hitting percentage and is also in the top five in opponent kills and assists. Murff's average of 5.54 digs per set is 21st in the nation and easily tops the conference leaderboard. If she maintains that average over the entire season, it would be the second-best mark in program history. Against the Patriots, her 35 digs were the sixth-most in a single match in program history. Murff is also contributing from the service line with 24 aces, tied for the most in the LSC.
The Javelinas have also been making things difficult for their opponents at the net and rank fifth in the LSC. Senior Talleyshia Morris (Tulsa, Okla.) in the top 10 in the conference in blocks and is averaging 1.32 blocks per set over her team's last five matches. That number includes a season-high eight rejections against DBU.
One of the players Morris, Murff and the rest of the Javelinas will be tasked with stopping is sophomore outside hitter Mackenzie Catalina, who has the LSC's third-best average in kills per set at 3.43. On Sept. 14th, Catalina hit .405 and totaled 17 smashes a win over Western New Mexico. She's put up at least 10 kills in eight of TAMIU's last nine matches. She's also posted a pair of double-doubles.
The Dustdevils (2-9, 0-4) will undoubtedly be attempting to use these two matches as a chance to climb out of the division basement, as well as to try and snap a four-game losing streak. TAMIU dropped their meetings with TSU and DBU and are also searching for the first win in the LSC.
Links to live stats for both matches can be found on Javelinaathletics.com. Live video of Thursday's game will be available via the Mendoza's Pharmacy Javelina Sports Network. 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.
