Temple University Athletics
Sunday, October 18
McGonigle Hall
1:00 p.m.
Temple University
vs
ECU
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Volleyball Hosts Dig Pink Game on Sunday
10.16.15 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple volleyball team hosts a "Dig Pink" fundraising game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The Owls will battle American Athletic Conference rival, East Carolina at McGonigle Hall.
DIG PINK
The "Dig Pink" cause benefits the Side-Out Foundation's breast cancer support and research. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match, and join the Owls for free pizza. Please donate to the cause online at: https://www.side-out.org/cb/campaigns/campaign/10939
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE
Temple team lost a heartbreaker, falling in five sets on the road at UConn. The Huskies grabbed the 3-2 win, using set scores of 23-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-15, 17-15. Temple sees its record move to 14-5 overall, 5-2 in conference play.
Temple was paced by 12 kills each from juniors Caroline Grattan and Tyler Davis, while sophomore Izzy Rapacz added 10 kills and four blocks. In the middle, junior Kirsten Overton had eight kills and four blocks, hitting .412, while sophomore Janine Simmons recorded six kills and six blocks. Freshman Hannah Vandegrift dished out 45 assists, taking over for an injured Sandra Sydlik, who tallied five assists before exited the match in the first set.
Defensively, the Owls had three players reach double-figures in digs, led by a match-high 21 from senior Alyssa Drachslin. Senior Kayla Yingling recorded 14, while sophomore Dara Peric added 11. Sophomore Irem Asci rounded out the Temple box score with eight digs and five kills.
SCOUTING ECU
East Carolina is 10-7 overall and 3-3 in The American, having won their last two match-ups, including a 3-0 win over then first-place Houston.
The Pirates are led by Ashton Mares' 3.06 kills per set, while Kierra Lee-Dunson (2.46), Natalie Montini (2.44) and Ashley McRae (2.26) also bolster the ECU attack. Sabrina Gonzalez is the primary setter, dishing out 9.60 assists per set.
Defensively, Erika Figueroa leads the Pirates with 5.02 digs per set, while Lee-Dunson (52) and McRae (49) top the team in total blocks.
OWLS AGAINST THE PIRATES
Temple is 2-0 all-time against ECU.
Temple took both meetings, winning 3-0 at East Carolina and 3-1 at home.
CONFERENCE LEADERS
Temple hits a conference-best .269, while landing second in The American in kills per set (14.05) and assists per set (13.00).
Individually, Overton leads The American in hitting percentage (.452) and is fourth in blocks per set (1.06). Asci is fifth in the conference in kills per set (3.77), while Sydlik is second in assists per set (11.52). Alyssa Drachslin ranked fifth in the conference in digs, averaging 4.95 per set.
AMERICAN HONOR ROLL
Drachslin earned a spot on the American Weekly honor roll, her second of the season and the sixth for the Owls.
Drachslin was Temple's top defender, as the Owls split against a pair of teams that were tied for second in conference play heading into the weekend. The senior averaged 5.68 digs per set for the week, hitting the 20-dig mark and tallying match-high totals in both of Temple's matches. Against SMU, Drachslin recorded a 20-dig effort, while also receiving 17 serves without an error. In a win over Tulsa, the libero tallied 21 digs to lead all players. For the week, Drachslin tallied 41 total digs and a .979 reception percentage, recording only one reception error in 47 attempts.
OWL LEADERS
Sophomore Irem Asci leads the Owls with 3.77 kills per set, while junior Tyler Davis (2.79) and sophomore Izzy Rapacz (2.59) also bolster the Temple attack. Junior Kirsten Overton leads the team in hitting percentage, attacking at a .452 clip, while also averaging 2.42 kills per set. Senior Sandra Sydlik has dished out 11.4 assists per set, while freshman Hannah Vandegrift has averaged , dishing out 5.46 per set in 11 frames.
Defensively, senior Alyssa Drachslin has racked up 327 total digs, averaging 4.95 per set. Overton leads the Owl blockers, with 63 total, while sophomore Janine Simmons has 59 and Rapacz has 57.
NATIONALLY-RANKED
Temple appears in the top-25 in three national stat categories this week. Temple is 17th in hitting percentage (.269) and 18th in the nation in kills per set (14.05). Additionally, the Owls rank 27th with 13.00 assists per set.
Individually, Overton ranks 4th in the nation in hitting percentage (.452), while Sydlik ranks 12th nationally in assists per set (11.52).
NEXT UP
After the UConn match, the Owls will return home to play East Carolina on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video | Match Notes (PDF) | Donate Now
DIG PINK
The "Dig Pink" cause benefits the Side-Out Foundation's breast cancer support and research. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match, and join the Owls for free pizza. Please donate to the cause online at: https://www.side-out.org/cb/campaigns/campaign/10939
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE
Temple team lost a heartbreaker, falling in five sets on the road at UConn. The Huskies grabbed the 3-2 win, using set scores of 23-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-15, 17-15. Temple sees its record move to 14-5 overall, 5-2 in conference play.
Temple was paced by 12 kills each from juniors Caroline Grattan and Tyler Davis, while sophomore Izzy Rapacz added 10 kills and four blocks. In the middle, junior Kirsten Overton had eight kills and four blocks, hitting .412, while sophomore Janine Simmons recorded six kills and six blocks. Freshman Hannah Vandegrift dished out 45 assists, taking over for an injured Sandra Sydlik, who tallied five assists before exited the match in the first set.
Defensively, the Owls had three players reach double-figures in digs, led by a match-high 21 from senior Alyssa Drachslin. Senior Kayla Yingling recorded 14, while sophomore Dara Peric added 11. Sophomore Irem Asci rounded out the Temple box score with eight digs and five kills.
SCOUTING ECU
East Carolina is 10-7 overall and 3-3 in The American, having won their last two match-ups, including a 3-0 win over then first-place Houston.
The Pirates are led by Ashton Mares' 3.06 kills per set, while Kierra Lee-Dunson (2.46), Natalie Montini (2.44) and Ashley McRae (2.26) also bolster the ECU attack. Sabrina Gonzalez is the primary setter, dishing out 9.60 assists per set.
Defensively, Erika Figueroa leads the Pirates with 5.02 digs per set, while Lee-Dunson (52) and McRae (49) top the team in total blocks.
OWLS AGAINST THE PIRATES
Temple is 2-0 all-time against ECU.
Temple took both meetings, winning 3-0 at East Carolina and 3-1 at home.
CONFERENCE LEADERS
Temple hits a conference-best .269, while landing second in The American in kills per set (14.05) and assists per set (13.00).
Individually, Overton leads The American in hitting percentage (.452) and is fourth in blocks per set (1.06). Asci is fifth in the conference in kills per set (3.77), while Sydlik is second in assists per set (11.52). Alyssa Drachslin ranked fifth in the conference in digs, averaging 4.95 per set.
AMERICAN HONOR ROLL
Drachslin earned a spot on the American Weekly honor roll, her second of the season and the sixth for the Owls.
Drachslin was Temple's top defender, as the Owls split against a pair of teams that were tied for second in conference play heading into the weekend. The senior averaged 5.68 digs per set for the week, hitting the 20-dig mark and tallying match-high totals in both of Temple's matches. Against SMU, Drachslin recorded a 20-dig effort, while also receiving 17 serves without an error. In a win over Tulsa, the libero tallied 21 digs to lead all players. For the week, Drachslin tallied 41 total digs and a .979 reception percentage, recording only one reception error in 47 attempts.
OWL LEADERS
Sophomore Irem Asci leads the Owls with 3.77 kills per set, while junior Tyler Davis (2.79) and sophomore Izzy Rapacz (2.59) also bolster the Temple attack. Junior Kirsten Overton leads the team in hitting percentage, attacking at a .452 clip, while also averaging 2.42 kills per set. Senior Sandra Sydlik has dished out 11.4 assists per set, while freshman Hannah Vandegrift has averaged , dishing out 5.46 per set in 11 frames.
Defensively, senior Alyssa Drachslin has racked up 327 total digs, averaging 4.95 per set. Overton leads the Owl blockers, with 63 total, while sophomore Janine Simmons has 59 and Rapacz has 57.
NATIONALLY-RANKED
Temple appears in the top-25 in three national stat categories this week. Temple is 17th in hitting percentage (.269) and 18th in the nation in kills per set (14.05). Additionally, the Owls rank 27th with 13.00 assists per set.
Individually, Overton ranks 4th in the nation in hitting percentage (.452), while Sydlik ranks 12th nationally in assists per set (11.52).
NEXT UP
After the UConn match, the Owls will return home to play East Carolina on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video | Match Notes (PDF) | Donate Now
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
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