The SMU volleyball team will look to extend its three-game winning streak when it hosts the SMU Radisson Invitational today and Saturday at Moody Coliseum.
Since losing their first game of the season to the Baylor Bears, the Mustangs (3-1) have rattled off three straight wins against non-conference opponents, including a 3-0 victory over Texas-Arlington at home on Wednesday.
“We were happy to win, but to be honest, that was our expectation,” said SMU head coach Lisa Seifert. “Baylor was the ‘if’ match. Had we played Baylor the second day [of the Baylor Invitational], we could be talking about 4-0.”
The Mustangs face the Montana Grizzlies (3-1) at 1:30 p.m. today, then take on the New Orleans Privateers (3-0) at 7 p.m. They conclude the tournament against in-state foe Stephen F. Austin, which beat the Mustangs 3-2 in Nacogdoches last year, at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
While Hurricane Gustav did not adversely affect the Dallas area this week, it has been a great concern to the Privateers. The team has been practicing away from home during the last week because Gustav forced an evacuation of the campus last weekend.
The city of New Orleans was spared the brunt of the Category 2 hurricane when it made landfall on Monday, but the team stayed in Auburn, Ala., after winning the Auburn War Eagle Invitational last weekend. The Privateers were scheduled to fly to Dallas on Thursday and will return home when classes begin Monday, according to the school’s athletic Web site: www.unoprivateers.com.
The Mustangs, who pride themselves on defense, will have their hands full against the Privateers, who are led by attackers Lindsey Loyd and Dobrilla Kovacevic. New Orleans’ offense is ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference in hitting percentage.
The Grizzlies are coming off a tie for first place in their own tournament last weekend. Junior outside hitter Whitney Hobbs ( 40 kills and 19 digs) and sophomore libero Brittney Brown (52 digs) were named to the All-Tournament team. The Grizzlies, who have never faced the Mustangs, went 10-16 last year.
Stephen F. Austin, which went 27-8 in 2007, is off to a 1-2 start this season after losing a pair of games at the Best Western Classic in Miami, Ohio. The Ladyjacks are led by seniors Lauren Railey and Shelly Swendig.
“I know the [ratings] of the teams we’re playing,” said Seifert. “This tournament’s probably medium range [in difficulty]. With our roster, we schedule accordingly.”
Mustangs co-captain Kathryn Wilkerson leads the team with 44 kills and six service aces, and freshman Dana Powell has quickly emerged with 38 kills and a team-leading 58 digs. Senior middle blocker Natalie Peters has tallied 29 kills and 10 blocks, and junior Kendra Kahanek leads the team with 16 blocks.
While the Mustangs, who are led by four freshmen, have gotten out to a quick start, Peters said she hopes her team saves the best for last.
“We need to work on us: our chemistry, our defense, our offense,” she said. “We want to peak going into the conference tournament.”
