KINGSVILLE, Texas – Off to a 9-0 start for the first time in program history and with the Lone Star Conference South Division Title in their back pocket, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team will close out their spring home schedule when they entertain the St. Mary's Rattlers, first on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and again on Wednesday at 6 p.m. inside the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas.
These matches will also be the final two at the SPEC for senior Roxanne Morris (Goliad, Texas), who will be honored during a Senior Day ceremony on Wednesday. Morris' contributions to her team's success include logging the second-highest totals in digs and assists and the third-most kills.
"She'll do whatever is asked of her," said coach Tanya Allen. "She's a great teammate. She's obviously a phenomenal athlete, but whatever we need Roxy to do, she's willing and able to do. Not only does she have the talent to back it up, her personality says 'Whatever the team needs me to do, I'll do it.'"
For the Javs this nine-game win streak represents not only the team's best start ever, but also the longest win streak in program history. Part of the reason for that success is a defense that is seventh in the nation in blocks per set and 11th in digs.
In the middle, freshman Ayanna Jackson (San Antonio, Texas) has piled up 39 total blocks and her average of 1.15 rejections per set is the 10th-highest rate in Division II. It would also be the best block rate by a Javelina since Ada Ihemelu posted a mark of 1.80 in 1998. The first time TAMUK and StMU met, Jackson's 11 denials were the most by any TAMUK player in more than 20 years and she added 14 kills for her first career double-double.
In the back row, junior Nicole Murff (San Antonio, Texas) has continued cementing her reputation as the LSC's best libero and she owns an average of 5.62 digs per set that puts her 20th in the country. Over a full year, that would be the second-highest rate ever by a Javelina, trailing only Kim Martinez's 5.79 averaged in 1999.
With the chance at a divisional crown having long ago evaporated, St. Mary's is trying to find a way into the conference tournament. To do so, they'll have to break a seven-game losing streak that began on Feb. 9th.
One of the bright spots for the Rattlers has been the play of junior Alissa Tolbert, who sits ninth in the conference in kills per set. In the Rattlers near-upset of TAMUK on Feb. 28th, Tolbert posted a double-double with 20 kills and 13 digs and hit .311 for the match. This was the seventh straight match in which Tolbert was credited with a double-double and she has eight total in 2021.
For live coverage of both matches, including links to streaming video and up-to-the-minute stats, fans can visit Javelinaathletics.com. Keep up with Javelina volleyball all season long by following @Javelina_VB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter, @JavelinaVB and @JavelinaSports on Instagram, liking TAMUK Volleyball on Facebook, subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visiting Javelinaathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
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