? Pre-match notes (.pdf)
Match 12 ? Tuesday, Sept. 11 ? SMU (7-3)
7 p.m. ? Moody Coliseum ? Dallas, Texas
UTSA to begin nine-match road trip on Tuesday: UTSA (4-7) looks to get back on the winning track on Tuesday night when it begins a nine-match road trip at SMU (7-3). First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The Roadrunners, who have dropped three of their last four matches, posted a 1-2 mark at last weekend’s UTSA Classic. UTSA split a pair of matches on Saturday, defeating Louisiana Tech in five games and dropping a three-gamer to Texas A&M, after getting swept by Auburn on Friday night.
On the Web: Tuesday’s match will be streamed live on goUTSA.com (audio only/Rowdy Zone subscription required). Associate Sports Information Director Brian Hernandez will call the action from courtside.
Scouting the Mustangs: SMU, which finished the 2006 campaign with a 17-15 record (7-6 Conference USA), has a 7-3 mark on the year. The Mustangs have dropped three of their past four matches after opening the season with six consecutive victories. The Mustangs lead the all-time series, 4-2, but the Roadrunners swept the Mustangs in last year’s home opener (Aug. 29).
Prior named to SLC’s preseason first team: Junior middle hitter Victoria Prior, one of 12 players named to the Southland Conference’s Preseason First Team, has been a force in her third season as a Roadrunner. Prior leads the squad with a .314 hitting percentage and ranks second with 136 kills (3.6 pg) and 29 total blocks (9 solo/20 assists). She has been named to back-to-back all-tournament teams the past two weekends at the UTSA Classic (46 kills, .389 pct, 8 blocks) and North Florida Labor Day Classic (36 kills, .275 pct, 8 digs, 4 blocks). The Galveston native had a season-high 21 winners against Louisiana Tech last Saturday and she has been in double figures in five of her last six matches and six of eight overall.
Rowland off to hot start: Freshman outside hitter Kendra Rowland continues to show she is no oridinary first-year player. Rowland leads the team with 148 kills (3.9 pg), ranks second with eight service aces and is third with 105 digs (2.8 pg) and 14 total blocks (2 solo/12 assists). She has recorded at least 10 winners in her last five matches and also has five double-doubles this season. Last Thursday against Houston, the Antioch, Calif., native slammed home a career-high 29 kills, which was the most by a Roadrunner since Meagan Daniel had 29 on Nov. 11, 2005 (at Northwestern State). Rowland opened her career by being named to back-to-back all-tournament teams at the Bronco Invitational (28 kills, 2 aces, 13 digs) and North Florida Labor Day Classic (34 kills, 3 aces, 36 digs, 3 blocks).
Hiser controlling back row: After a slow start to her junior season, defensive specialist Audrey Hiser has stepped her game up the past two weeks. Hiser had a career-high 27 digs last Thursday against Houston, which was her second career best in as many matches (she had 26 on Sept. 1 vs. Southeast Missouri State). Her previous career high was 22, set during her freshman year against Oklahoma (Sept. 11). The San Antonio native went on to record 25 digs against Texas A&M on Saturday, giving her three 20-plus performances in the past five contests. She leads the team with 151 digs (4.3 pg) this year.
Hrapmann setting up the offense: Junior setter Rebecca Hrapmann has performed well in her first season as a starter. Hrapmann has handed out team-best 384 assists (10.1 pg), including a career-high 64 on Sept. 1 against Southeast Missouri State. In her last eight matches, she has dished out 321 helpers for an average of 40.1 per contest. The New Orleans native also ranks second on the club with 108 digs (2.8 pg) and she has twice set her career high with 16 (at Boise State, vs. North Florida). Hrapmann is replacing four-time All-Southland Conference performer DeeDee Strickland, who graduated with the second-most assists in school history (5,407).
Preseason accolades: UTSA was picked to finish fourth in the West Division of the Southland Conference this season by both the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The Roadrunners were slotted behind defending regular season champion Stephen F. Austin, Texas-Arlington and Texas State. Meanwhile, McNeese State was the pick to win the league’s East Division.
Head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff: Laura Neugebauer-Groff is in her sixth season at the helm of UTSA?s volleyball program. She led the Roadrunners to a 19-13 record, a 10-3 mark at the Convocation Center and a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament a year ago. Her career ledger stands at 340-147 (.698), including an 84-85 mark at UTSA. In five-plus years as the Roadrunners’ head coach, she has tutored 13 All-SLC players and 11 all-academic honorees, including 2005 SLC Student-Athlete of the Year Meagan Daniel.
