University of Connecticut Athletics
VB Begins Four-Game Road Stint
11/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LIVE STATS: Wichita State | Memphis
VIDEO: Wichita State | Memphis
RADIO: Wichita State
TWITTER: @UConnVB
STORRS, Conn. - The UConn volleyball team will begin its longest road swing of the season this weekend, visiting No. 21 Wichita State and Memphis. The Huskies will square off against the Shockers Friday, Nov. 3 (8 p.m. ET) before taking on the Tigers Nov. 5 (2 p.m. ET).
Catching Up With UConn
UConn is currently 3-9 in The American after dropping a pair of decisions last week. The Huskies fell to 10-14 overall in 2017 after falling in two tough five-set losses as they look to rebound on the road. Earlier this season.
Redshirt-sophomore Kayla Williams is pacing all Huskies in kills and aces, tallying 310 and 33, respectively, while posting a team-high 12 double-doubles this fall. Williams is the conference leader in league matches in kills per set (4.50) and is second in points (5.09) and aces (0.37) per set. Junior setter Emma Turner sits fifth in the American, tallying 9.77 helpers per set.
Scouting the Competition
The Shockers (20-3, 12-0) have won at least 20 matches in 15 consecutive seasons after going 2-0 over the weekend in the Sunshine State. Wichita State has spent eight weeks in the AVCA National Coaches' Poll, coming in a No. 21 for a third week in a row. The Shockers' offense continues to thrive across the league. Wichita State has averaged a conference-high .329 hitting percentage, while holding its American opponents to hitting .141-a league low mark.
Coming off a four-match setback, Memphis will look to bounce back this weekend when it hosts Temple and UConn. Middle blocker Brianna Kadiku has 54 total blocks in conference matches this year, which are second-most in the league. The squad's offense has had its moments as it recorded a league-high hitting percentage of .455 against Arkansas - Pine Bluff on Sept. 9. UConn will go for the series sweep on Sunday, as the Huskies took down Memphis in four sept on September 22.
Did You Know
Williams ranks in the nation's top-50 in service aces and points per set. Seven out of 10 of the Huskies' wins have been sweep victories. Head coach Kris Grunwald is just five wins away from reaching the 100 career wins milestone.
Career Seasons
Through 24 games, outside hitter Kayla Williams is notching single season career-highs in both assists (31) and aces (33). Junior setter Emma Turner is turning in career best numbers as well, posting 75 kills after recording just six in her first two seasons at UConn.
Notables
Redshirt-sophomore Kayla Williams has been tabbed to the American Weekly Honor Roll twice this season. Williams was mostly recently named to the honor roll on Oct. 17 after notching a team-best 4.67 kills per set and 4.50 digs per set on the weekend. The outside hitter tallied her first distinction of the season on Oct. 2, following a team-best 5.00 kills per set performance.
Junior libero Kennedy Arundel was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on August 28, following her performance at the St. John's Invitational. Arundel played in all 12 sets during the invitational, recording a team-high 65 digs and 5.42 digs per set, while picking up three assists and two aces.
