Rutgers Volleyball Heads to Temple Classic
Aug 31 | Women's Volleyball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - The Rutgers volleyball team (2-2) will travel to nearby Philadelphia, PA, this weekend to compete in the Temple Classic.
The Scarlet Knights will take on Maine (0-3) Friday, Sept. 1, at 5:00 p.m. RU will face the host Owls (3-1) Saturday, Sept. 2, at 12:00 p.m., followed by a clash with Kansas (3-1) at 3:00 p.m.
Rutgers is 2-2 this season after competing at the James Madison/Comfort Inn Invitational Aug. 25-26 in Harrisonburg, VA. RU posted a 3-1 victory against UNC-Asheville and a 3-2 win against JMU, but fell to Duquesne 1-3 and Canisius 0-3. Sophomore Kyra Thompson (Tucson, AZ) was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 3.56 kills and 3.31 digs per game. Senior Lora Yankauskas (Paramus, NJ), a selection to the 2006 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, is posting averages of 3.50 kills and 3.31 digs per game, while freshman Brittani Rendina (Lisle, IL) is leading the Scarlet Knights in digs (4.31 dpg). Senior Jocelyn Greenwald (Old Tappan, NJ) and sophomore Roxy Calder (Oceanside, CA) are sharing the setting responsibilities, averaging 5.75 and 5.62 assists per game, respectively.
Rutgers returned six letterwinners and four starters from a 2005 team that posted an 11-16 overall record and a 6-8 mark in BIG EAST play under the direction of first-year head coach Orlando Gonzalez.
Maine is 0-3 after competing against Cincinnati (0-3), Tennessee Tech (1-3) and Western Michigan (0-3) at the Bearcat Invitational Aug. 25-26. Brittany Kiehl leads the Black Bears with 2.50 kills per game, while Jody Connacher is posting a team-best 4.20 digs per contest. Maine returned 10 letterwinners and four starters from a 2005 team that was 11-12 overall last year and 10-5 to finish third in the America East Conference.
Temple is off to a 3-1 start, defeating Lehigh 3-0, Iona 3-0 and Cleveland State 3-2 at the Temple Invitational Aug. 25-26 before losing at Delaware 0-3 Aug. 29. Yue Liu is leading the Owls in kills (4.23 kpg) and digs (2.85 dpg), and Maira Mogollon is averaging a team-best 9.14 assists per game. Ten letterwinners and four starters return from Temple's 23-13 team of a year ago. The Owls were 11-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference play, winning the East Division title.
Kansas also is 3-1 this season, defeating Alabama A&M 3-0 and Miami 3-1 Aug. 25-26 before suffering a 0-3 loss to Alabama. The Jayhawks also earned a 3-0 victory against UMKC Aug. 29. Jana Correa leads Kansas with 3.38 kills per game, while Jamie Mathewson is the team leader in digs (3.77 dpg) and Katie Martincich is leading in assists (7.31 apg). The Jayhawks reached the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament, finishing the season 15-15 overall and 7-13 in the Big 12 Conference.
Rutgers is 1-0 all time against Maine and 25-31 (.446) against Temple. This will mark the first-ever meeting between RU and Kansas. Last year, the Scarlet Knights split a pair of meetings with the Owls, losing 0-3 at the Temple Tournament Aug. 27 and winning 3-1 at College Avenue Gym Sept. 16.
Rutgers will return to action Sept. 8-9 at the Harvard Invitational, facing LIU, Binghamton and the host Crimson.
