Irving, Texas – The Centenary volleyball team opens Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play this weekend as the Ladies will face the host University of Dallas Crusaders and Austin College 'Roos on Saturday in a SCAC Inter-Pod at the Maher Center.
The Ladies (4-5) will face the Crusaders (9-3) at Noon and 'Roos (9-1) at 3 p.m. Dallas and Austin College will face each other at 6 p.m. Live stats and live video information is available at www.udallasathletics.com/sports/wvball/2023-24/schedule
Centenary aims to shake off a road loss at Louisiana Christian University on Tuesday evening, falling 3-1 to the Wildcats as they lost to them for just the second time in nine all-time meetings in the series. The Wildcats edged the Ladies 29-27 in a tightly-contested set one and then Centenary responded with a 25-17 victory in set two to even the match. Louisiana Christian took set three by a 25-22 count and then clinched the win in set four with the same score. Centenary totaled 62 digs, 45 kills, 42 assists, nine aces and one solo block while Louisiana Christian finished with 77 digs, 59 kills, 51 assists, and five aces.
The Ladies enter league play averaging 16.34 digs per set, 10.84 kills/set, and 10.13 assists/set. Sophomore S Meadow Smith (Mansfield, Texas), junior MB Elizabeth Canady (League City, Texas), and junior OH/DS Kiara Liedy (Sugar Land, Texas) are all ranked in the top 10 in the conference in individual statistical categories entering Saturday's play.
Smith ranks second in the SCAC in assists/set (7.50) and has a team-high 240. She tallied a career-high 43 assists in the Ladies' 3-2 win over Lyon last weekend in the Hendrix Invitational. She had 30 in the loss on Tuesday to the Wildcats and has topped 30 four times this season. She is also fourth in the league in service aces (14 total/0.50/game).
Canady ranks eighth in the league in kills (2.68/game, 75 total) this season. She posted a superb .412 hitting percentage with only one error in 17 total attacks and finished with eight kills and a pair of solo blocks against Mary Hardin-Baylor on Sunday and had a solid weekend with 32 kills, six digs, three assists, and hit .300 or better in three of four matches.
Liedy also had an impressive weekend at Hendrix and a good outing on Tuesday at Louisiana Christian. She totaled 68 digs over the last four matches including a season-high 24 against Lyon last Sunday, three shy of her career high for a single match. She currently ranks fourth in the conference in digs (4.50/game, 126 total).
Freshman MB Bailee Henderson (Monroe, La.) had a team-high and season-high 15 kills, two solo blocks, and a dig against Lyon and capped off a solid weekend at Hendrix with four kills against UMHB after an impressive pair of matches on Saturday and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Sophomore DS/L Daly Nagot (Benton, La.) is in the midst of a solid season as she has tallied 66 digs, 12 aces (second on team), seven assists, and a pair of kills. Junior RS Jaylin St. Martin (New Orleans, La.) has 86 digs, 71 kills, 12 aces, three assists, and three solo blocks this season.
Freshman OH/DS Mackenzie Haley (Orange, Texas) has 50 kills, 42 digs, four assists, and two aces, and fellow rookie, freshman RS/S Victoria Larson (Royse City, Texas) has recorded 41 assists, 18 kills, seven digs, and a pair of solo blocks. Senior MB/OH Robin Lemelle (Liberty, Texas) has 52 digs, 26 kills, two aces, and one assist. Senior OH Madison Schonberg (Harbor City, Calif.) had a season-high 12 kills on Sunday.
See the complete Ladies' schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wvball/2023-24/schedule
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