? Pre-match notes (.pdf)
Match 19: Friday, Sept. 28, at Stephen F. Austin (12-5, 2-0), 7 p.m.
Johnson Coliseum ? Nacogdoches, Texas
Match 20: Saturday, Sept. 29, at Sam Houston State (8-7, 2-1), 5 p.m.
Johnson Coliseum ? Huntsville, Texas
UTSA continues league play this week: UTSA (7-11, 0-2) looks to end its three-match losing streak this weekend when it continues Southland Conference play with a pair of road contests. The Roadrunners open the weekend at 7 p.m. on Friday against defending SLC Champion Stephen F. Austin (12-5, 2-0). UTSA then concludes its current nine-match road trip with a 5 p.m. contest (please note time change) at Sam Houston State (8-7, 2-1) the following afternoon. The Roadrunners are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start in league play since 1994.
On the Web: Both matches will be streamed live on goUTSA.com (audio only/Rowdy Zone subscription required). Associate SID Brian Hernandez will call the action.
Scouting the opposition: Stephen F. Austin, the preseason favorite to defend its 2006 conference title, swept Texas-Pan American on Tuesday night to improve to 12-5 overall. That win came on the heels of back-to-back sweeps to open the SLC campaign last weekend (vs. Northwestern State & Central Arkansas). The Ladyjacks have won six matches in a row and 11 of 12 overall. That stretch includes four consecutive three-game victories and five sweeps in their last six contests overall. SFA holds a commanding 27-8 edge in the all-time series with UTSA, including 13 victories in a row. Sam Houston State, 8-7 overall and 2-0 in league play, collected its fourth victory in a row on Tuesday night against Texas Southern before losing in four games to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday. The Bearkats, who have won five of their last seven contests, opened conference play last week with victories against Central Arkansas and Northwestern State. The Roadrunners have won three of the past four matchups against SHS and owns a 22-19 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1985.
Road warriors: This weekend marks end of a season-high nine-match road trip for the Roadrunners. In fact, 15 of UTSA’s first 20 matches this season are being played away from the friendly confines of the Convocation Center. The Roadrunners also open the Southland Conference campaign with five straight road matches. UTSA’s first league home contest is Thursday, Oct. 11, against Texas State.
SLC rankings: Junior middle hitter Victoria Prior and freshman outside hitter Kendra Rowland currently occupy the top two spots in the Southland Conference kills rankings with 236 (3.8 pg/second) and 232 (3.7 pg/third), respectively. Prior also ranks sixth in the league standings in hitting percentage (.318), while junior setter Rebecca Hrapmann stands seventh in assists per game (9.45 pg) and junior libero Audrey Hiser is eighth in digs per contest (4.52 pg).
Prior leading the way: 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 conference-best 236 kills (3.8 pg/second SLC), a .318 hitting percentage (sixth SLC) and 52 total blocks (24 solo/28 assists). She was named to three consecutive all-tournament teams at the Lady Panther Invitational (68 kills, .400 pct, 15 blocks), UTSA Classic (46 kills, .389 pct, 8 blocks) and North Florida Labor Day Classic (36 kills, .275 pct, 4 blocks). The Galveston native had a season-high 25 winners against Texas-Pan American on Sept. 15, which was one short of her career high, and she has been in double figures in 12 of her last 15 matches.
Rowland off to hot start: Freshman outside hitter Kendra Rowland continues to show she is no ordinary first-year player. Rowland leads the squad with 19 service aces, ranks second with 232 kills (3.7 pg/third SLC) and 170 digs (2.7 pg) and third with 20 total blocks (4 solo/16 assists). She has recorded at least 10 winners in 10 of her last 12 contests and also has seven double-doubles this season. On Sept. 6 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 three weeks. Hiser had a career-high 27 digs on Sept. 6 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 Sept. 8, 26 more three days later at SMU and 22 last Thursday at Texas State. She has five 20-plus performances this year, leads the team with 271 digs (4.5 pg) and has been in double figures in 12 of the past 13 matches.
Preseason polls: 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 343-151 (.694), including an 87-89 mark at UTSA. She is scheduled to coach the 500th match of her career on Oct. 13 against Texas-Arlington. In five-plus years as the Roadrunners’ head coach, Neugebauer-Groff has tutored 13 All-SLC players and 11 all-academic honorees, including 2005 SLC Student-Athlete of the Year Meagan Daniel.
