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SAN ANTONIO -- UTSA volleyball will open its 36th all-time season on Friday, venturing to participate in the Army Invitational. UTSA will face San Francisco on Friday at 3 p.m. CT, before facing Quinnipiac on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Army at 6 p.m. at the Gillis Field House in West Point, N.Y.
Live statistics are available for all three matches in West Point through GoUTSA.com, with live video coverage of the match with Army slated for WatchStadium.com.
The Roadrunners are coming off a 12-16 season in 2017, including a 9-5 mark in Conference USA action. UTSA returns two of its top offensive threats in junior middle hitter Kara Teal and junior outside hitter Brianna McCulloch. Teal averaged 2.29 kills per set with a .297 hitting percentage while McCulloch totaled 3.46 kills and 2.01 digs per set and a .178 hitting percentage. Junior Emily Ramirez led the team with 3.59 digs per set in 2017, with senior setter Amanda Gonzales (10.49) leading the club in assists per set.
UTSA is under the direction of 17th-year head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff, the winningest coach in program annals. Neugebauer-Groff is assisted by associate head coach Paul Koncir, assistant coach Dominique Gonzalez and volunteer assistant Andrew Fields.
UTSA is 15-20 all-time in season lidlifters, including 9-7 under Neugebauer-Groff. Last year, UTSA took Sun Belt Conference Champion Coastal Carolina to five sets to open the year in San Antonio. In 2016, UTSA earned a three-set win over Little Rock and have won three of its last four season openers.
San Francisco went 3-28 last year, including a 0-18 mark in league action. The Dons averaged 10.2 kills, 9.6 assists, and 12.8 digs per set with a .146 attack percent. Erica Ronda (2.64) and Carly Lowry (2.35) led the team in kills in 2017, with Erin Anthony (8.18) leading the team in assists and Sabrina Blackwell (2.94) pacing the club in digs.
Quinnipiac went 10-22 last year with a 9-9 mark in conference play. The Bobcats averaged 11.9 kills, 11.2 assists and 13.2 digs per set as a team in 2017. In 2017, the Bobcats were led in kills per set by Natalie Alechko (3.04), Maria Pansari (8.22) in assists per set and Alejandra Rodriguez (3.14) in digs per set.
Army is coming off an 18-12 season in 2017, including an 11-5 league record. The Black Knights averaged 14.3 kills, 13.4 assists and 15.4 digs per set. Carolyn Brockrath (3.42) led the team in kills per set, Haven Bethune (7.80) led in assists per set and Ana Oglivie (3.50) in digs per set.
The Roadrunners will kick off their season in West Point, N.Y., on opening weekend before venturing back to the Lone Star State to for 13 straight matches, including non-conference tournaments at Texas State and Houston. UTSA's home opener is set for Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. vs. Texas State at the Convocation Center.
- GO UTSA -
