Troy University Athletics
Trojans Set for Final Home Matches
11/12/2009 4:00:00 PM | Volleyball
TROY - The Trojan volleyball team enters this weekend in an all too familiar place, the first team on the outside of the Sun Belt Championships.
Troy enters home matches with Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee half a game behind UALR and North Texas for the eighth and final spot in the postseason tournament.
Troy (12-16, 7-8) will take on Western Kentucky (22-8, 11-4) on Friday night at 7 p.m. and Middle Tennessee (20-8, 13-2) on Saturday at 7 p.m., both at Trojan Arena.
"This is a huge weekend for us," head coach Sonny Kirkpatrick said. "These are two of the top teams in the conference, and we always look forward to playing them."
Saturday's match will also mark the last home match for the Trojans' two seniors, Lauren Barney-Baker and Meghan Gilroy.
The Trojans need to win at least one of the matches this weekend in order to keep themselves in the hunt for the Sun Belt Championship. If the Trojans win one match, either UALR or North Texas needs to lose both of their remaining matches in order for Troy to make the trip to Bowling Green, Ky., next week.
"Being basically a must win doesn't make our job any easier, but we're looking forward to the chance to compete," Kirkpatrick said.
If the Trojans can win both matches they will not need any help and will qualify for the tournament. On the flip side, if the Trojans lose both, they will be eliminated.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
Troy is led by senior Meghan Gilroy. Her 5.02 points per set is the 2nd best average in the Sun Belt and the 16th best in the country. She also ranks in the Sun Belt and NCAA with 4.32 kills per set. That number places her 3rd in the Sun Belt and 25th in the nation. Gilroy's .318 attack percentage is also in the top ten among Sun Belt players.
Junior Megan Henderson sets up the Trojan attack and currently sits 38 assists away from reaching 1,000 for the third straight year. Her 9.82 assists per set place her 5th among Sun Belt setters.
Henderson is also a crucial part of the Trojans' defense, as her 2.63 digs per set is the second highest mark on the team. Freshman Lizzie Clough leads the squad with 2.85 digs per set. Junior Emily Strader (2.42) and freshman Kayla Giles (2.36) also average over 2.00 digs per set.
At the net defensively, Gilroy has come on strong lately. Her 0.81 blocks per set average leads the squad, and she recently became the career leader in total blocks and block assists at Troy. Her 74 total blocks this season are second only to freshman Devin Von Pingel who has posted 75.
SCOUTING THE LADY TOPPERS
WKU is coming off of a weekend in which they split matches with FAU and FIU. The Lady Toppers currently sit in third place in the Sun Belt East Division with a conference record of 11-4. The four losses came against the two teams in front of them in the standings, twice to MTSU and FIU.
Offensively WKU is second in the Sun Belt with a .265 team attack percentage. They do so with a very well distributed attack. They have five players who average over 2.00 kills per set, and another averaging 1.98.
Lauren Stuckel sets up the Lady Topper attack and is averaging 9.58 assists per set this season. Defensively, freshman Sarah Rogers leads the Lady Toppers with 415 digs, averaging 3.71 digs per set. That average is the seventh best in the SBC.
Since joining Division I in 1993, the Trojans have never defeated WKU in ten tries. The Lady Toppers took the meeting between the two schools earlier this year, 3-0.
SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS
The Blue Raiders enter the weekend after splitting matches against FAU and FIU. Middle Tennessee has a 13-2 record in Sun Belt play with both losses coming to league leading FIU.
Middle Tennessee leads the Sun Belt with a .285 team hitting percentage. That percentage is the ninth best in the nation. Stacy Oladinni leads the SBC with a .414 individual hitting percentage. Her percentage is also the eighth best in the nation.
Preseason All-Sun Belt selection Leslie Clark is second in the SBC and 30th in the nation with a 10.99 assists per set average. Defensively, the Blue Raiders lead the SBC with 2.45 blocks per set as a team. They are led by reigning SBC Defensive Player of the Week Janay Yancey who averages 1.16 per set.
Ashley Waugh leads the Blue Raiders with a 273 digs and a 3.25 digs per set average.
Since joining Division I in 1993, the Trojans trail the series against MTSU 10-1. The only win the Trojans have over the Blue Raiders came in 1994 in a neutral site match. Middle Tennessee took the meeting between the two schools early this season, 3-0.
Admission to both matches is FREE. Live stats and live webcasts will be available at the above links. Be sure to check back with TroyTrojans.com for more news and notes from the volleyball court, as well as all of Troy Athletics.
