| WKU Volleyball vs. 2015 Huskie Invitational | |
| Date | Friday, Sept. 18 - Saturday, Sept. 19 |
| Location | DeKalb, Ill. I Victor E. Court |
| Tickets | NIU Ticket Office |
| Live Stats | WKUSports.com |
| Game Notes | WKU Game Notes |
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The WKU volleyball program is set to participate in its final non-conference tournament of the year this weekend as the Lady Toppers travel to the Land of Lincoln for the 2015 Huskie Invitational hosted by Northern Illinois University.
WKU (9-2) comes into the weekend having won four of its last five matches, including a string of three-consecutive straight-set victories.
Led by senior Noelle Langenkamp and sophomore Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU currently leads Conference USA with a .263 team hitting percentage. Langenkamp paces the Lady Toppers with a .385 hitting clip while Cavanaugh has recorded a team-high 3.32 kills per set.
Sophomore Jessica Lucas has produced five double-doubles on the year as the setter leads the team and ranks second in C-USA with 10.65 assists per set. As a team, WKU ranks third in the conference with a team average of 12.95 assists/set.
Defensively, WKU is tops in the league in opponent hitting percentage as the Lady Toppers have limited its foes to .136 hitting so far this season.
Libero Georgia O'Connell has been WKU's defensive catalyst so far this season as the junior paces the team and ranks second in C-USA with an average of 4.86 digs per set. At the net, rookie middle hitter Rachel Anderson has posted a team-high 31 total blocks (0.86 blocks/set).
Live stats and in-game updates via WKU volleyball's twitter account (@WKUVolleyball) will be available for all three matches this weekend.
-WKU Notes-
Weekend Schedule
Friday
WKU vs. Alabama, 11 a.m. CT.
WKU vs. Northern Iowa, 4 p.m. CT.
Saturday
WKU at Northern Illinois, 11 a.m. CT.
Last Time Out
WKU recorded its third consecutive straight-set victory as well as its third true road win Tuesday evening as the Lady Toppers ventured down I-65 and swept Belmont at BU's Curb Event Center.
A nice team serving effort powered the Lady Tops as WKU finished with a season-high eight service aces on the match. Three Lady Toppers finished with a double digit kill count led by Alyssa Cavanaugh's 13-kill effort. Senior Noelle Langenkamp compiled 11 kills off a team-high .526 hitting clip while freshman Taylor Dellinger added a career-best 10 kills on .450 hitting.
Setter Jessica Lucas notched her fifth double-double on the season finishing with 35 assists and 13 digs. Junior Georgia O'Connell paced the Lady Tops with 18 digs while Rachel Engle added 10.
A Look at the Competition
SEC foe Alabama (4-6) will be WKU's first test of the invite as the Crimson Tide are coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Crimson White Tournament. The Tide earned victories over Troy and Virginia while falling to Saint Louis.
Junior Brittany Thomas leads the way offensively with a team-best 144 kills (3.35/set) and ranks second with 125 digs (2.93/set). Defensively, sophomore libero Natalie Murison paces Alabama with 165 digs (3.84/set).
Northern Iowa (4-6) comes into the Huskie Invite having dropped three of its last five matches, including a 3-0 loss to Iowa State this past Wednesday.
Kayla Haneline leads the charge offensively for the Panthers as the junior has totaled a team-high 121 kills (3.03/set). Defensively, libero Amie Held paces UNI with 187 digs (4.68/set).
Host Northern Illinois (4-5) finished with a 1-2 record last weekend at the Wichita State Invitational. UNI dropped contests to the host Shockers and No. 21 Kentucky while defeating Texas State in four sets.
Junior T'ara Austin leads NIU offensively, compiling 114 total kills (3.56/set) while sophomore libero Anna Brereton leads the defense with 115 total digs (3.59/set).
