CAA Volleyball Report - Oct. 9, 2023
CAA Volleyball Report - Oct. 9, 2023
The sixth week of CAA Women's Volleyball has wrapped up and here is everything you should know!
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Torri Henry, Stony Brook
Senior | Setter | Belton, Mo. / St. Teresa’s Academy
Henry averaged 12.44 assists per set, facilitating a Stony Brook attack that hit .309 in a 3-0 week as the Seawolves extended their winning streak to six matches. The senior setter recorded over 30 assists in all three straight-set victories for the Seawolves and added two double-doubles. Henry opened the week with 38 assists and 13 digs, adding two service aces in a non-conference win over FDU. She followed the effort with her fourth straight double-double, tallying 32 assists and 12 digs with six service aces against Hampton. Henry continued her stellar play, recording 42 assists as the Seawolves hit .352 in the weekend finale. For the week, Henry totaled 112 assists, 31 digs and eight service aces.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tynley Smeltzer, Charleston
Junior | Libero | Savannah, Ga. / Calvary Day School
Smeltzer continued her high level of play on the Charleston backline, averaging 5.33 digs per set to help the Cougars to a weekend sweep over UNCW. The Seahawks entered the week tied for first in the CAA standings, but Charleston limited UNCW to a .125 hitting percentage, led by Smeltzer, as the Cougars earned back-to-back straight-set victories. The junior libero reached double-digit digs in both contests, recording 16 in each win. Smeltzer has tallied double-figure digs in all eight conference matches and has averaged 5.55 digs per set in league play.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kaili Doctor, North Carolina A&T
Freshman | Outside Hitter | Mars, Pa. / Pine Richland
Doctor contributed 3.33 kills per set, helping North Carolina A&T to a weekend split against Hofstra. On Saturday, the freshman outside hitter tallied a team-best 16 kills, swinging .237 with four digs despite the Aggies falling to Hofstra in four sets. On Sunday, Doctor added 14 kills on a .287 hitting percentage with three blocks and two digs, helping A&T bounce back with a five-set victory to conclude the weekend. Doctor totaled 30 kills on a .260 attacking percentage and has 10 or more kills in four straight matches.
CONFERENCE NOTES:
TWO AT THE TOP
• Following four weeks of league play, two teams are tied for first in the CAA standings at 6-2. Towson and William & Mary lead the way, one game ahead of the next grouping. The Tigers split their weekend series against Campbell, while W&M earned a weekend sweep over Elon. For the Tribe, the six CAA wins matches its season total from 2022 and is the best eight-game start in league play since 2009. Meanwhile, the Tigers have won six of their first eight CAA contests for the second consecutive season.
CONGESTED CONFERENCE STANDINGS
• Don’t look now, but nine teams sit within two games of the top spot in the conference standings. Currently, there is a two-way tie for first at 6-2, a five-way tie for third at 5-3 and a two-way tie for eighth at 4-4. The group of five consists of Delaware, Northeastern, Stony Brook, Campbell and UNCW, one game back of first place, while Hofstra and Charleston make up the current third tier.
JAM-PACKED WEEKEND AHEAD
• Four conference matchups this weekend have teams .500 or better in league play facing one another. The first-place Tigers (6-2) and Tribe (6-2) hit the road, with Towson visiting UNCW (5-3) and W&M heading to Hofstra (4-4). In addition, Stony Brook welcomes Delaware to Long Island in a big-time tilt of 5-3 teams, and Campbell (5-3) hosts Charleston (4-4) in the second contest of teams one game apart in the league standings.
HOW SWEEP IT IS
• Sixteen of the first 24 season series in CAA Volleyball have resulted in sweeps. There have been at least three weekend sweeps over the first four weeks of the conference slate. Even more impressive, 10 CAA teams have completed at least one sweep this fall.
TEAM NOTES:
• Campbell split its weekend matchup against Towson. After falling in straight sets on Saturday, the Camels bounced back with a straight set win on Sunday.
• Melody Paige led Campbell with 19 kills (3.17/set) and hit .515 for the weekend. Paige hit .450 or better in both contests and recorded her fifth double-digit kill performance this season. This fall, she ranks seventh in the CAA in hitting percentage (.334).
• Claranne Fechter averaged 3.67 digs per set on the Campbell backline. Fechter totaled 23 digs, including 15 in the victory. She has 10 or more digs in 16 matches this season and leads the CAA with 4.58 digs per set.
• Charleston earned a weekend sweep over UNCW, defeating the Seahawks in back-to-back straight-set matches. It marks the first weekend sweep for the Cougars in CAA play this fall.
• Tynley Smeltzer averaged 5.33 digs per set, continuing a torrid stretch. She totaled 32 digs, with 16 in each match. Smeltzer has at least 10 digs in eighth straight contests and nine this fall.
• Sopheea Mink paced Charleston with 16 kills (2.67/set) with just one error, hitting .341. Mink has posted an attacking percentage of .333 or better in six consecutive matches.
• Delaware defeated Northeastern in back-to-back three-set matches to sweep the season series. It marks the first weekend sweep for the Blue Hens this fall.
• Ezgi Basaranlar led Delaware with 71 assists (11.83/set) and contributed 15 digs (2.50/set). Basaranlar had over 30 assists in both contests, including her fifth double-double of the year (34A, 10D) in the finale.
• Lani Mason recorded a team-high 20 kills (3.33/set) with 19 digs (3.17/set). Mason tallied her ninth double-double this fall with 12 kills and 10 digs on Sunday. The graduate has at least 10 kills 13 times this year.
• Elon fell in back-to-back contests to Northeastern over the weekend. The Phoenix fell in five sets on Saturday before a four-set defeat on Sunday.
• Jordan Gower led the Elon defense with 35 digs (5.00/set). Gower reached double figures in both contests, with 18 on Saturday and 17 on Sunday. She has at least 10 digs in six straight matches.
• Sydney Love paced the Phoenix attack, recording 22 kills (3.14/set). The junior outside hitter reached double figures in both contests, with 11 kills in each match. Love has 10 or more kills on seven occasions this fall.
• Hampton dropped back-to-back contests to William & Mary over the weekend. The Lady Pirates fell in straight sets to W&M on Saturday and Sunday.
• Maria Eduarda Rodrigues paced Hampton with 14 kills (2.33/set) and added 14 digs (2.33/set). She tallied seven kills in both contests and recorded a season-high eight digs on Saturday.
• Rhisen Davis led Hampton with 20 digs (3.33/set), including a season-high 13 on Saturday. Davis also contributed 10 kills (1.67/set), recording five in both matches.
• Hofstra split its weekend series against North Carolina A&T. The Pride won in four sets on Saturday before dropping a five-set tilt on Sunday.
• Yagmur Cinel paced Hofstra with 33 kills (3.67/set), hitting .338 for the weekend. Cinel tallied a career-high 19 kills on a .457 attacking percentage, adding eight digs in the victory. She also reached double figures with 14 kills on Sunday.
• Nil Kayaalp led the Pride backline with 32 digs (3.56/set). Kayaalp recorded 12 digs in the victory before adding 20 in the weekend finale. The freshman has at least 20 digs three times this season.
• North Carolina A&T went 1-1 against Hofstra over the weekend, topping the Pride in five sets on Sunday after a setback on Saturday. The win was the first-ever for A&T over Hofstra.
• Naiya Sawtelle paced A&T with 33 kills (3.67/set) and recorded 18 digs (2.00/set). Sawtelle posted her sixth double-double (19K, 14D) in the victory. The junior outside hitter has 10 or more kills in 15 contests, including seven in a row.
• Kaili Doctor added 30 kills (3.33/set), reaching double figures in both matches. Doctor has 10 or more kills in four straight contests and five times this fall.
• The Seahawks were 0-2 on the week as their losing skid extended to three following a sweep at Charleston. It marks the first time UNCW has lost back-to-back CAA matches this year.
• Jadyn Barry collected 19 digs in both matches, averaging 6.33 per set. The senior libero has double-digit digs in 10 consecutive contests. She’s averaging 5.03 digs per set in CAA play.
• Katie Lanz contributed 3.17 kills per set and 3.00 digs per set for the Seahawks. On Sunday, Lanz recorded her third double-double (11K, 13D) this fall. Lanz totaled 19 kills and is 17 shy of 1,000 for her career.
• Northeastern dropped back-to-back straight-set matches to Delaware. It marks the first consecutive setbacks for the Huskies in CAA play this season.
• Abby Reck recorded 15 kills (2.50/set) to pace Northeastern. The freshman outside hitter had a team-high eight kills on Saturday, followed by seven on Sunday. She leads Northeastern with 175 kills this season.
• Julianna Truscott added 14 kills (2.33/set) for the Huskies. On Sunday, Truscott tallied a team-best nine kills on a .389 hitting percentage. It marks her fourth effort hitting .300 or better this fall.
• Stony Brook went 3-0 last week, extending its league-best winning streak to six matches. The Seawolves defeated FDU to conclude their non-conference slate before back-to-back wins over Hampton.
• Tori Henry racked up 112 assists, averaging 12.44 per set. The senior setter recorded more than 30 assists in all three matches and added two double-doubles.
• Abby Stanwood paced the Stony Brook attack with 31 kills (3.44/set) on a .407 hitting percentage. The sophomore had 10 or more kills in two matches, including a career-best 15 against FDU.
• Towson split its weekend series against Campbell. The Tigers defeated the Camels in three sets on Saturday before dropping Sunday’s match in straight sets.
• Victoria Barrett led the Towson attack with 23 kills (3.83/set). Barrett tallied nine kills on Saturday before a match-high 14 in the finale. The junior has 10 or more kills in six of the past seven matches and 10 this fall.
• Aayinde Smith paced the Tigers with 12 blocks, averaging 2.00 per set. Smith stuffed five attacks in the victory and seven on Sunday. The senior has at least five blocks in four straight contests.
• The Tribe earned a weekend sweep over Elon, extending its winning streak to four straight contests. The 6-2 start for W&M is its best in CAA play since 2009.
• Olivia Esposito had an all-around effort this weekend, contributing 18 kills (2.57/set) on a .536 hitting percentage and 13 blocks (1.86/set). She has hit over .450 in four straight matches and leads the CAA in hitting percentage (.417) this fall.
• Taylor Burrell paced the attack with 22 kills (3.14/set). She reached double-digit kills in both matches, with 12 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday. Burrell has 10 or more kills on 13 occasions this season.