LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The 22nd season of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference volleyball began the week of August 27-Sept. 2 and saw Colorado College and Dallas both start their seasons at 3-1.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College went 1-1 to open the season at the
University of Dallas Invitational, defeating Westminster College
22-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-9 before falling to Alma College 19-25,
25-20, 19-25, 25-19, 16-18. With the season opening win over
Westminster, the ’Roos have now won their first match of the
season every year since 2000. Ally Ahlberg had a big weekend for
the ‘Roos, averaging 2.89 kills with a .354 attack percentage
and adding 2.22 digs per set in the two matches. Kelly McDaniel
averaged 10.11 assists and 1.78 kills per set and added a .268
attack percentage, and Shelby Eaves posted a team-best average of
3.00 kills per set and added 4.00 digs per set. Adrienne Reynolds
paced the ‘Roos with 6.67 digs per set over the weekend. This
week the ‘Roos travel to Shawnee, Oklahoma to take on St.
Gregory’s University before hosting the 17th Annual Austin
College Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Centenary (0-4, 0-0 SCAC) dropped four matches to begin
the 2012 season over the Labor Day weekend. The Ladies fell 3-0 to
Mary Hardin-Baylor before dropping a 3-1 decision to LeTourneau on
Friday. On Saturday, Centenary was bested by Texas-Dallas and
Hardin-Simmons in straight sets. The Ladies return to action on
Sept. 7-8 when they travel to Tyler, Texas to compete in the
Texas-Tyler tournament.
No. 15 Colorado College launched its 2012 campaign with a
3-1 record while playing in the Pacific Coast Classic last weekend.
The Tigers began their season against No. 6 California Lutheran,
falling to the Regals, 3-0). CC bounced back in the final match of
the first day as it rallied to beat the University of La Verne in
five sets, 27-25, 20-25, 22-25, 26-24, 15-12. In the final day of
the tournament, the Tigers earned a pair of wins over Whittier
College (26-24, 26-24, 25-17) and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (21-25,
25-16, 25-15, 25-21). Colorado College was led by freshman Courtney
Birkett, who had 96 assists, 39 kills and five aces to lead the
team offensively over the weekend. Birkett earned her first ever
triple-double against La Verne when she acquired 33 assists, 15
digs and 11 kills. She received her second triple-double of the
weekend against Pomona-Pitzer with 30 assists, 15 kills and 12
digs. On the defensive side, senior Laura Goldsmith led the team
with 87 digs, while sophomore Randi Braak tallied 10 blocks for a
team high. Senior Kate Squires earned her first career
triple-double against La Verne when she registered 21 assists, 11
kills and 10 digs. The Tigers kick off their home schedule next
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7-8, playing host to four visiting teams
in the 2012 Colorado College Classic at newly renovated Reid
Arena.
Dallas (3-1) began its 2012 campaign by hosting the
University of Dallas Invitational at the Maher Athletic Center over
Labor Day weekend. Dallas opened with a 3-0 defeat (25-19; 25-23;
26-24) of Sul Ross State University before also dismissing
Westminster College (Mo.) is three sets (25-22; 25-11; 25-12)
Friday evening. In the first match of Saturday, the Lady Crusaders
handled Kean University (N.J.) in three sets (25-18; 25-19; 25-19).
Dallas and Alma College (Mich.) then put their perfect records to
the test in the night cap. In a back-and-forth affair, Alma won in
five sets (26-28; 26-24; 22-25; 25-21; 10-15). This week, Dallas
will travel to Sherman, Texas, for the Austin College Invitational,
wherein the team will play five matches over Friday and
Saturday.
Southwestern knew it was in for a tough weekend, opening
with two nationally-ranked opponents, but had a rough go of it as
they begin the 2012 season 1-3. The Pirates opened the weekend with
UC Santa Cruz and were in each game but beat to the finish as they
fell 25-20, 25-21, 25-21. As a team they posted just a .099 hitting
percentage for the match while the Banana Slugs posted a .218
hitting percentage. SU then fell to nationally-ranked Pacific
Lutheran in five games after winning the first two. Day two pitted
Southwestern against Puget Sound, another nationally-ranked
powerhouse. Southwestern once again had trouble getting things
going offensively, hitting .081 percent and fell in three straight
for the second time on the weekend. The Pirates bounced back and
began to return to form during their final game of the tournament,
winning 3-0 over St. Olaf. SU had two sets where they hit over .200
and defensively held St. Olaf to just .039. Southwestern heads to
Sherman, Texas this weekend to face St. Thomas (Texas) and Dallas
Christian on Friday afternoon and Schreiner and Howard Payne on
Saturday.
Trinity struggled in its opening tournament of the 2012
season, losing three matches against Whitworth University, Warburg
College, and defending NCAA Champion Wittenberg University in Ohio.
The Tigers opened the season against Whitworth, and although they
took a 2-1 lead in the match, they could not hang on for the win.
Whitworth won 26-24 and 15-12 in the final two sets to pull off the
overall victory. Trinity was swept by Wartburg the next day,
falling in three sets that were decided by a total of nine points.
Against fifth-ranked Wittenberg, Trinity split the first two sets,
but couldn’t keep the momentum going in the third and fourth.
There will be no relief for the Tigers this week, as they face
another weekend of tough opponents on the road. Trinity faces
sixth-ranked Cal Lutheran and #23 Occidental in the Cal-Lu-Fornia
National Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Tigers will also
play Claremont and La Verne during the tournament.
For the complete SCAC Spikes Weekly for Week 1,
click here.
