A 10-game winning streak. Check. Beating Jackson State. Check. Beating Alabama A&M. Check. Undefeated and in first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division. Check.
Even with all the Alabama State University volleyball team has accomplished so far this season, there is still a long way to go and this weekend's games at Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern will give the Lady Hornets an understanding of where they are heading into the home stretch of the 2013 season.
ASU (15-12) has already faced PVAMU (9-21) once this season, a hard-fought ASU 3-2 win at the Southern University Invitational. Texas Southern is the lone SWAC team ASU has yet to play this season and the Lady Tigers are sitting atop the West Division with a 5-0 record (10-8 overall).
"We had a really good game against Prairie View back in Baton Rouge," Head coach
Penny Lucas-White said. "It was a game I found out a lot about this team's will to win. We trailed 2-1 and came back to take the final two sets to win the game. The girls just never gave up."
"I am looking forward to playing Texas Southern since we have not faced them this season. With them having such a good run like we are it should be a fun game to watch."
ASU continues to be led by
Amber Bennett and
Myla Marshall, who are one-two in the conference in hitting. Bennett leads the SWAC with a .325 hitting percentage and Marshall is right behind in second at .320. LaToya Ellington has joined the duo in the top 10 at the eighth spot hitting .214.
Ellyn Jones (413) and
Brooke Beasley (410) continue to lead ASU in assists while
Luiza Griz has 258 digs, averaging 3.04 per set. Jones has a team-high 36 service aces and Bennett continues to be one of the top blockers in the conference with 85 total (21 BS, 64 BA).
In conference games only, not only does ASU lead the league in hitting with a .274 hitting percentage, but the Lady Hornets have three of the four top hitters.
Bennett once again leads all conference hitters with a .425 percentage followed by Marshall's second place percentage of .379.
Tiara Kelley, who has come on strong as the season has progressed, has moved into fourth place with a .358 hitting percentage.
If ASU can get by PVAMU on Friday then the two hottest teams in the SWAC will face off in Houston Saturday. ASU has a conference-long 10-game winning streak and TSU is has won its last six games.
ASU and PVAMU will face off at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. The game will be shown live on SWAC TV and live stats can be watched on bamastatesports.com. The Lady Hornets game with TSU is set to begin Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m.
