Just a week after capturing two momentous conference victories at Moody Coliseum, the SMU volleyball team suffered a staggering setback last weekend on the road.
The Mustangs were swept in three sets at the University of Rice on Friday and fell in four sets at the University of Houston the following day. SMU (9-9, 2-3 Conference USA) faces the University of North Texas in Denton tonight in their last non-conference match of the season.
Aside from an outstanding play by sophomore co-captain Kathryn Wilkerson, the Mustangs didn’t have much going for them offensively in their two losses. Wilkerson had a .278 attack percentage, tallying 21 kills and only four errors in seven sets.
However, the Mustangs managed only a .133 attack percentage, well shy of the team’s .198 season average.
Despite the lackluster offense, there were a few bright spots on defense.
Senior middle blocker Natalie Peters amassed four total blocks Saturday against Houston, which moves her within 10 stuffs of tying the school record. She has 434 in her career.
Freshman libero Sidney Stewart led the team with 30 digs, giving her 276 this season. Outside hitter Dana Powell is second on the team with 225.
The weekend got off to a relatively decent start, with the Mustangs hanging tough in a 25-22 first-set loss to Rice. However, SMU tumbled to 25-15 and 25-19 losses in the second and third sets, respectively.
The downward trend continued in a first-set loss against Houston before the Mustangs evened the match with a 25-22 victory in the second set. The third set was perhaps the most disastrous of the weekend. The Mustangs were walloped 25-11 and managed to hit only .029. Rice put a bow on the match with a decisive 25-19 fourth set victory.
SMU looks to rebound
The Mustangs have a good chance to get their offense back on track against a hapless Mean Green squad.
North Texas (3-13, 1-3 Sun Belt) has lost five of its last six matches and is allowing its opponents a .218 attack percentage this season. The Mean Green has 51 fewer kills and 73 more errors than its opponents.
Roxana Casvean leads the team with 148 kills, followed by Amy Huddleston with 133.
