Troy University Athletics
Trojan Volleyball Thinking Pink
10/22/2009 7:45:00 PM | Volleyball
TROY - The Trojan volleyball team returns home this weekend as they play host to Sun Belt West Division foes Denver and North Texas on Friday and Saturday.
The Trojans' match with Denver on Friday is set to begin at 7 p.m. and will be the annual breast cancer awareness match.
The Trojans are encouraging everyone to "Think Pink" on Friday. The team is selling pink T-shirts all week in the Trojan Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. everyday, and fans are encouraged to wear their pink T-shirts. Also donations will be taken at the match.
All donations will go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. If you can't make it to the match, you make donations at the above link.
"The team has worked hard this week preparing on the floor for Denver and North Texas," head coach Sonny Kirkpatrick said. "They've also worked hard off the court to help raise breast cancer awareness all week."
The Trojans will cap off a busy Saturday in Troy Athletics when they take on the Mean Green of North Texas at 7 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
Troy (11-11, 6-4) is coming off of a weekend in which they split matches at FIU and FAU. The Trojans will be looking to extend on their current six match home winning streak.
Troy is led offensively by senior Meghan Gilroy who has posted 286 kills, averaging 4.14 per set. That kills per set average is the second best average in the Sun Belt and the 38th best on the country. Her .324 attack percentage currently sits as the seventh best in the Sun Belt. She is also averaging 4.80 points per set which the second highest in the Sun Belt and the 26th in the nation.
The Trojan offense is set up be junior Megan Henderson who has recorded 753 assists and average 9.91 per set. That average is the sixth best in the Sun Belt.
Defensively, Henderson is tied for first on the squad with a 2.83 digs per set average. Freshman Lizzie Clough is also averaging 2.83. The Trojans have four players averaging more than 2.00 digs per set, and the team sits fifth in the Sun Belt with a 14.24 digs per set average.
At the net defensively, the Trojans are led by another freshman, Devin Von Pingel who has recorded 62 total blocks. Gilroy leads the squad in block solos with 18. Gilroy is only 11 total blocks away from replacing Aubre Smith as the school's all-time blocks leader.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
The Pioneers (9-13, 4-4) are coming off of a weekend in which they were swept on the road by Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky. The Pioneers have faced the toughest schedule in the Sun Belt as they have played four different teams ranked in the Top 25 this season.
They are led by Emmy Davidsmeyer who has posted 350 kills this season and leads the Sun Belt with a 4.49 kills per set average. Her .372 attack percentage stands as the second best mark in the conference.
She is set up by Kresson Vreeman who has posted 788 assists and is fourth in the Sun Belt with a 10.10 assists per set average.
Defensively, Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Kacie Wikierak leads Denver with 289 digs and has a 3.71 digs per set average.
Since joining Division I in 1993, the Trojans have never defeated Denver in five tries. The Pioneers took the meeting last season 3-1 in Denver. The Trojans and Pioneers have met twice at Trojan Arena.
SCOUTING THE MEAN GREEN
The Mean Green enter the weekend having lost four of their last five, including losses at Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky last weekend.
The Mean Green (7-15, 3-5) are led offensively by Amy Huddleston who has posted 266 kills. Her 3.20 kills per set average is the ninth best average in the Sun Belt.
Defensively, Sarah Willey leads North Texas with 256 digs, averaging 3.05 per set. Kati Dillard leads the Mean Green up front defensively with 83.0 total blocks, averaging 1.00 blocks per set, the fifth best average in the Sun Belt.
Since joining Division I in 1993, the Trojans trail in the series against North Texas 3-2. However, the Trojans have won the last two meetings, including a 3-1 victory last season in Denton. The sides have met twice in Trojan Arena, with the Trojans winning in 2007, 3-2, and the Mean Green winning in 2005, 3-0.
Fans need to take note that the Trojans match against UAB that was scheduled for November 10 has been moved up one week. The Trojans and Blazers will meet on Tuesday, November 3 at 7 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
Live webcasts and live stats will be available for this weekend's matches at the above links. Also, if you can't make it to the match on Friday, there is a link to the Troy Volleyball donation page through the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation above.
Admission to all home volleyball matches is FREE. Check back with TroyTrojans.com for scores and stats from the volleyball, as well as all of Troy Athletics.
