USF Takes on Eastern Kentucky

After a rough start to the 2011 volleyball season, Claire Lessinger and the ladies return home for the first time this year as they host the 2011 USF Volleyball Invitational.

The Bulls showed a lot of fight vs. New Mexico and New Mexico State, but couldn't rally enough to get a win in the desert. Now as they return to their home court (upper gym in the rec center) they hope they can get it together and notch the first win of the season.

They will be facing off against Eastern Kentucky (1-4) for their first match. Eastern Kentucky will actually open the season up with a game at 11AM vs. Bowling Green and will face the Bulls later that evening (7:30).

Here are the players to watch on the Eastern Kentucky squad (note that these stats all come from the previous matches of EKU and do not include the statistics from the Bowling Green match. As much as we strive to bring you the latest statistics, with so much going on with athletics this weekend, statistics may not be available for us right as the match ends and we prepare for the ND game this weekend).

EKU is a very young team, playing a lot of freshman early to start the season. Freshman middle-blocker Hannah Burkle (6-2) leads the way with 35 kills, 2 service aces (8 service errors though), 8 digs and has 3 blocks to start the season. Freshman Alexis Plagens (5-10) has 20 kills and 7 digs on the season. Sophomore outside-hitter Ashley Edmond (6-0) has 24 kills and 38 digs (very active in the center of the court).

Sophomore outside-hitter/setter Robyn Hench (5-9) has 17 kills on the season and 3 digs. Freshman setter Abbey Cvelbar (5-9) has 16 kills, 28 digs, and has 113 sets already. Senior middle-blocker (finally a senior on the court) Hannah Groudle has 12 kills and 7 digs on the season.

EKU has played 5 games compared to USF's 2 matches, but USF has more experienced players despite having 6 newcomers. J'beria Davis has 28 kills to lead the team, Jessica Burghart has 41 sets, and Janice Rivera has 23 digs.

The Bulls should win this game and they really need to. After a rough road trip, although a learning one, the Bulls will have to get it going early and get a great homestand started.  The ladies will be in action tomorrow morning and evening so they really need to get this tournament started right.