SE to Host ECU, TWU in Midweek Matches

Women's Volleyball | 10/27/2014 5:21:00 PM

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern volleyball will look to build on its back-to-back wins and improve its standing in the Great American Conference as it first squares off with rival East Central on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. before taking its last step out of conference to host Texas Woman's at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29 in Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium.
 
The games are the middle two contests of the team's final four-match home stand which will culminate on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. with a Senior Day matchup against Ouachita Baptist in the season's final home game.
 
SE surpassed its 2013 win total with its 3-2 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday, lifting the team to 14-11 overall and 7-3 in GAC play, jumping into fourth in the league standings just a half-game behind Southern Nazarene.
 
The team has played a league-high eight five-set matches and has posted a 5-3 record in those matches, winning its last two and five of its last six.
 
In Saturday's win Megan Kunkel turned in a double-double with 18 kills and 13 digs, while Emily Gentle matched the feat with 13 kills and 22 digs to lead the team to its 3-2 win.
 
Kunkel continues to pace the team's offense for the season with 2.94 kps, just ahead of Gentle's 2.80 kps, while Julia Benford is third at 2.38 per set.
 
The offense is triggered by Alissa Benson who is averaging 8.26 assists per set on the year while also adding 1.81 digs per set and 42 total blocks on the year.
 
On defense the team had three players with over 70 blocks on the season, led by Benford's 76, while Ariel Sanders is at 74 and Gentle is adding 72.
 
On the back row Kelsey Zerkel is leading the way with 3.76 digs per set, while Kunkel is adding 3.06 per set.
 
The Storm already have a win over ECU on the year, taking them 3-0 in Ada, Okla., on Oct. 9 in a match where Benford turned in 10 kills and Zerkel added 20 digs in the victory.
 
The Tigers are led by Sarah Simpson's 2.91 kills per set, while Madison Seiler is dishing out 8.60 assists per set.
 
On defense they are paced by Dahyana Essix with 2.96 digs per set, while Hayley Gerken has a team-high 61 blocks.
 
TWU comes into Wednesday's match 16-7 and riding a six-match winning streak following a 3-2 win over Midwestern State.
 
The Pioneers are led by Elizabeth Pennington with 2.97 kills per set, while Joey Redwine is dishing out 8.58 assists per set.
 
Mallory Kuechle leads the defense with 3.01 digs per set, while Pennington has posted 110 blocks on the year.