The Towel Rack: WKU Volleyball returns home to face UNC Charlotte
Only one contest is going on surrounding a Hilltopper team tonight, and that is the return of the WKU volleyball team, who is coming off a pair of three set sweeps against C-USA schools from the Sunshine State, and now set their sights on the UNC Charlotte 49ers.
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Over the weekend, Noelle Langenkamp hit .475 and had just two errors on 40 touches, and Alyssa Cavanaugh averaged 4.33 kills per set, and will look for her 14th double-digit kill match of the year. The Lady Tops’ got it done defensively as well, averaging 15.17 digs
per set
, with libero Georgia O’Connell leading the way on the weekend with 27 total. WKU comes into the evening with an RPI of 43 in the first released rankings. The Lady Tops are 4-4 against teams ranked in the top 100 and only 1-3 against those who are in the top 50. The 43rd RPI number is the highest in C-USA.
For the opponents, they wrap up a three game road trip tonight, having already dropped the first two – a four set loss to Southern Miss and their first swept-against on the year in a loss at Rice. The 9ers have a winning record overall at 12-9, but are struggling in conference play, sitting at just 1-3 along with FIU and UAB. UNCC is lead offensively by Irem Asci, who leads the team with 236 kills, and Savannah Gaster is the most accurate hitter on the team, posting a .345 average in her 163 kills.
49er head coach Gokham Yilmaz had some wonderful things to say about the Lady Tops in preperation for this evening.
"Western Kentucky is traditionally a top-25 team and are very good, they have some young players so it’s a team we should match up well with at the net. It’s going to be a matter of can we stay consistent throughout the match."
I can’t think of any team in the conference who “match-up well,” with the likes of Cavanaugh, Langenkamp, Heather Boyan or Haley Bodway. But, I guess we will have to let the match play out tonight.
If you’re in the Bowling Green area, hit up Mighty E.A. tonight, ’cause these girls sure do deserve your support. It’s an odd game time tonight – 6 p.m. as opposed to the traditional 7 – but I don’t see the Lady Tops having much trouble against the struggling 9ers.