AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward's volleyball takes the court in the friendly confines of the Recreation and Athletics Center for the first time this season, looking to turn measurable progress into conference results.
St. Edward's enters conference play at 5-5, splitting every non-conference weekend away from Austin. The record remains similar to a week ago, at .500, but the year-to-year improvement is tangible in head coach Jeremy Garcia's second year.
After finishing eighth in the LSC in kills per set and 15th in total kills last season, the Hilltopper attack has found more pop, climbing to third in the conference in both categories and second in team assists.
?The team's offensive growth was most visible in a sweep of UT Dallas when St. Edward's committed only eight attack errors and hit .461—its highest percentage since setting the program record at .481 in 2013.
Setter ALTHEA MORRIS is finding her rhythm incorporating new arms alongside a pair of all-conference returners. The junior leads the LSC in assists and assists per set, ranking in the top 20 nationally in both categories.
Senior outside hitter KELLI FORDING remains Morris's favorite target, going to her for 124 kills at 3.65 per set, ranking seventh and fifth in the LSC. Still, the offense has found balance, with Morris setting five different hitters to their career-highs two weeks ago.
?On Friday, St. Edward's gets a unique opportunity to measure its growth from match to match, hosting UT Permian Basin only six days after the Falcons escaped their first meeting in five sets. The Hilltoppers then welcome No. 9 Angelo State, the defending LSC champion and preseason favorite.
?Texas Permian Basin comes to the Hilltop with a 5-1 record under first-year head coach Melissa Avila, built on one of the nation's most disruptive defenses. UTPB is limiting opponents to a .118 hitting percentage and averaging 17.27 digs per set, ranking 15th and 23rd nationally.
?Offensively, Kaitlyn Salgado proved to be the difference in a contest decided by the thinnest of margins a week ago. Salgado put the match away with three of UTPB's final four points, finishing with 20 kills and bumping her average to 3.55 per set.
Fording countered with balance, with seven players contributing at least five kills, led by Fording's 12. CARRINGTON JAIMES added eight on one error to hit .389, while Morris recorded 44 assists and 18 digs. Ojeda led the back row with 21 digs, and DELANEY GREGORY accounted for six of the Hilltoppers' season-high 10 aces.
The challenge shifts Saturday against preseason favorite Angelo State, who enter the week 10-1 with a signature win over then-No. 7 MSU Denver in a three-set sweep.
Angelo State leads the LSC in kills per set (13.95) and assists per set (12.68), combining volume with efficiency at .245 hitting, ranking second in the conference.
Preseason LSC Offensive Player of the Year Madi Parrish provides production across the rotation, while Sydney Thornton ranks second in the conference with a .359 hitting percentage. Julia Hopkins leads Angelo State with 101 kills, and Alli Kirkpatrick is hitting .315.
For St. Edward's, Saturday offers an early look at the league favorite. The Hilltoppers first have an opportunity to reverse the narrowest of margins against UTPB.
The progress is visible in the numbers and on the court. With home-court advantage for the first time this season, the next step is turning that progress into conference wins.
