Volleyball Opens 2015 at Rollins Invite

Women's Volleyball | 9/4/2015 12:56:00 AM

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern volleyball will open the 2015 season on Friday Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. when it faces Sioux Falls in the first game of the 2015 Rollins Invitational in Orlando, Fla.
 
The Event will continue through Saturday, with the Savage Storm facing Rollins at 3 p.m. on Sept. 4 before squaring off with Southern New Hampshire at 9 a.m. on Sept. 5 followed by a Saturday meeting with Northern State at 1 p.m.
 
SE will be looking to new faces to step in and step up heading into the new season after losing four of its top five offensive performers.
 
The Storm do return Julia Benford who was third on the team in kills at 2.35 kps while also adding 91.0 blocks on the year from her middle blocker position.
 
She is joined in returning status by Alissa Benson who split time as the starting setter in 2014, averaging 8.16 assists per set and adding 1.87 digs per set and 46 total blocks.
 
In all, six players who saw action a year ago return to the lineup, while the team welcomes eight new faces to the mix.
 
USF opened its 2015 season a day early with a 3-1 win over Flagler.
 
The Cougars were 17-14 a season ago and 11-9 in their conference, but lose their top two offensive options from a year ago, with middle blocker Jordan Calef coming in as the top returning player after averaging 2.17 kps and posting 114 blocks.
 
The host Rollins return a pair of its top performers form a 16-15 team a season ago in sophomores Shannon McDonough and Bri Civiero. McDonough became the school's second recipient of the SSC Freshman of the Year and first time AVCA South Region Freshman of the Year award winner. She finished second in the SSC in kills and fifth in kills per set.
 
SNHU is coming off a 17-11 season a year ago and are picked to finish sixth in their conference, but its top four kill leaders from last season, along with its starting setter in Catherine Cotton and starting libero in Maeghan Higgins.
 
Northern State enters their 2015 campaign after going 19-10 overall and 12-8 in the NSIC in 2014. NSU was picked fifth overall in the NSIC preseason poll, after finishing sixth a season ago.
 
NSU returns statistical leaders from a season ago in kills, Kelsey Chambers with 404, in assists, Drew Smith with 1,108, in digs, Renee Hoffman with 364, and in blocks, Carie McGarvie with 96. Smith finished the year second in the nation in assists per set with a 12.74 mark.