MONTGOMERY, Ala. | After winning two of their first three matches of the season, the Alabama State University volleyball team will head west as they travel to Portland (Ore.) to participate in North Harbour Marriott Invitational beginning Friday.
 
Alabama State (2-1) will kick off the tournament against Mountain West foe Fresno State (2-1) at 10 am (PST). Fresno State started out 2-0 on the season with wins over Utah Valley and San Francisco, before falling to perennial national power Pepperdine in their last regular season match. Taylor Slover leads Fresno State with 52 kills, with the next closest person at 22 (Aubrey Folk). Brielle Hefner is not far behind with 21 kills. So far this season, Madelyn Halteman leads the team with 106 assists, averaging 10.60 assists per set. Defensively, Jacqueline Hutcheson leads the team with 50 digs. Halle Watson leads the team with 13 blocks, while Slover has added eight.
 
The Lady Hornets will then face Oregon State (3-0) later in the day on Friday as the match is set to begin at 6 pm (PST). The team dropped just one set in the three matches during their home tournament. This weekend will match the first time the team has hit the road, a place where they have gone 6-24 over the last two years - which includes a 2-15 road record in 2015. Mary-Kate Marshall leads Oregon State with 49 kills, while Kory Cheshire has added 30 and Haylie Bennett 23 in the first three matches of the season. Kylee McLaughlin leads Oregon State with 105 total assists, averaging 10.50 assists per set. Defensively, a trio of players - Kayla Ellis (42), Grace Massey (36) and McLaughlin (33) - have registered over 30 digs on the season.
 
Alabama State will conclude the tournament against the host team Portland (3-0) at 10 am (PST) on Saturday. Reghan Pukis leads Portland in their first three matches of the year in kills with 48. Hannah Troutman joins her with 40, while Liz Reich has added 24. Cali Thompson leads Portland through the first three matches of the season with 129. Defensively, Carey Williams lead Portland with 44 digs, while Thompson has added 36. Meanwhile, Katie Barker leads the team with eight blocks. Reich and Sarah Savoca each have added seven.
 
Meanwhile, Alabama State started off the season by winning the first two matches before falling to Auburn on Tuesday night. The Lady Hornets went with a new lineup for the first time this season as Brittany Brown was inserted as an outside hitter and Kayla Torres as the libero. For the season, Ni'yesha Brown – the reigning SWAC Offensive Player of the Week - leads Alabama State with 38 kills, while Krysta Medearis has added 31 thus far on the season. Kori Kutsch – the reigning SWAC Setter of the Week – leads the team with 58 assists, while Justus Tuiolosega has added 49. Three different players – Ni'yesha Brown (23), Asha Daniels (22) and Bayle' Bennett (20) – have recorded over 20 digs. Payten Clark leads the team with 14 blocks, while Briana Dorsey has added 11 on the year.
 
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University volleyball, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateVB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.