MATCH NOTES
WICHITA - The Newman volleyball team resumes Heartland Conference play this weekend at Texas-Permian Basin and Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Jets and the UTPB Falcons will meet Thursday evening in a 7 p.m. contest inside the Falcon Dome in Odessa, Texas, before concluding the road trip Saturday with a 1 p.m. contest against the OPSU Aggies inside Oscar Williams Fieldhouse in scenic Goodwell, Okla..
Newman at Texas-Permian Basin
Thursday, Oct. 7 || 7 p.m. || Falcon Dome || Odessa, Texas || Live Stats || Live Video
Newman brings an 8-10 record into Thursday's match after posting a 2-2 record at the MSSU Crossover last weekend in Joplin, Mo. The Jets dropped a five-set nail-biter to #20 West Texas A&M to open the tournament, but rebounded with wins over Southwestern Oklahoma State and Texas Woman's before dropping a tightly-contested three-set contest to the hosts from Missouri Southern.
Victoria Green and Lyndsey Martini were honored for their performances at the MSSU Crossover by being named the Heartland Conference Hitter and Setter of the Week, respectively.
The Jets are led offensively by Chelsey Potter, a 5-7 senior from Cheney, Kan., who has 166 kills this season, and is one of four Jets with more than 110 kills. Freshman Lyndsey Martini has been the one responsible for getting the ball to Potter and the rest of the hitters, posting 477 set assists through 18 games in 2010. Defensively, the Jets use a team approach. Four Jets have 100 or more digs this season, led by Kristen White has 208 digs, while Potter is close behind with 163 digs.
Texas-Permian Basin, meanwhile, brings a 7-12 record into the match after back-to-back losses to Cameron and Fort Hays State last weekend at the UTPB Invitational in Odessa. Alex Genung leads the Falcons' offensive threats with 148 kills this season, while Melissa Lusk is right behind Genung with 141kills on 406 attempts and 63 errors. The UTPB 6-2 style of play features Sara Torres and Ariel Fralick as the Falcons' primary setters. Torres owns a team-high 294 assists, while Fralick has 224 assists of her own. The Falcons use a team approach defensively. Genung leads the squad with 208 digs as one of five Falcons with 100-or-more digs this season.
Falcon Head Coach Steven Aicinena is in his 16th year at UTPB, and is 272-232 with the Falcons in that time. He is also the school's athletic director.
Newman at Oklahoma Panhandle State
Saturday, Oct. 9 || 1 p.m. || Oscar Williams Fieldhouse || Goodwell, Okla. || Live Stats || Live Video
The Jets conclude the second of three trips to Texas with a stop in Goodwell, Okla. to take on the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies. OPSU is 6-14 this season, and has lost four of its last five matches. The Aggies went 1-3 in last weekend's UTPB Invitational, dropping matches to UTPB, Fort Hays State, and Eastern New Mexico, while picking up a 3-1 win over Cameron. The OPSU offense relies on three hitters, Meredith Powell (165 kills), Hillary Isleifson (134 kills), and Kala Belson (100 kills), and hits at a .135 clip as a team. Jordan Swafford is the primary setter for the Aggies, posting 386 assists this season, while Megan Gwatney is OPSU's leading defensive player with 184 digs, and is one of four Aggies with more than 100 digs.
Aggie Head Coach Mike Stephens is in his second season at Oklahoma Panhandle State, and is 7-40 in that time.
