University of Connecticut Athletics
VB Concludes the 2017 Season This Weekend Against Temple
11/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LIVE STATS: Temple | Temple
VIDEO: Temple | Temple
TWITTER: @UConnVB
STORRS, Conn. - The UConn volleyball team concludes the 2017 fall season with a home-and-home series against Temple this weekend. The Huskies visit the Owls Wednesday, Nov. 22 (1 p.m. ET) before welcoming Temple to Storrs to close out the regular season Friday, Nov. 24 (1 p.m. ET).
Catching Up With UConn
UConn is 11-19 overall with a 4-14 record in conference play. Kayla Williams leads UConn with 3.88 kills per set, also averaging 2.84 digs per frame. Genna Florig leads the Huskies with 87 total blocks, while Tosin Adeniyi adds 68. Emma Turner is the primary setter, racking up 9.84 assists per frame and Kennedy Arundel leads the Huskies' defense to the tune of 3.60 digs per set.
Scouting the Competition
Temple (17-9, 13-5) got back in the win column, with a 3-1 victory (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23) at USF last Sunday. Senior Izzy Rapacz leads the team with 3.54 kills per set, also averaging 2.46 digs and 1.09 blocks per set. Junior Mia Heirakuji tops the Owls' defense with 3.87 digs per set, while senior Dara Peric contributes all around with 1.47 kills per set and 2.49 digs per frame. As a team, the Owls hit .246, holding opponents to a .199 attack.
Series History
Temple leads the all-time series with UConn, 9-4, as the Owls have won three straight against the Huskies, including sweeping the season series last year. Temple and UConn first met in 1983, but have only played 13 matches against each other, eight coming in American Athletic Conference play.
Did You Know
Williams ranks in the nation's top-40 in service aces (.41) and points per set (4.51). Eight out of 11 of the Huskies' wins have been sweep victories. Head coach Kris Grunwald is just four 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 101 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.
