The Weekend's Best NCAA Volleyball Matches
The Weekend's Best NCAA Volleyball Matches
It's the final weekend of nonconference NCAA volleyball, and there are plenty of matches to choose from. Here are our picks of this weekend's top matches.
It's the final weekend of nonconference NCAA volleyball, and there are plenty of matches to choose from. Here are our picks of this weekend's top matches.
The Jayhawks and Boilermakers will meet for the first time in 14 years when they take the court Friday in West Lafayette, Indiana. Kansas is shouldering a lot of expectations aftering making it to the national semifinals in 2015. So far, the Jayhawks have not disappointed, kicking off the season on a 9-0 win streak.
The AVCA has ranked Kansas No. 4 in the country for the third week in a row, but here at FloVolleyball, we've been waiting to see this team be tested by another top-20 team. That moment has arrived as the Jayhawks take on Purdue exactly a week after the Boilermakers took down Stanford.
Dayton has kicked off its 2016 season with an impressive 11-match win streak. The undefeated Flyers have been in the "Receiving Votes" category of every AVCA Poll so far this season, and Friday, they'll take on Loyola Marymount, which earned the No. 25 spot in the September 9 edition of the poll. In the all-time series between these two teams, Dayton has never earned a victory, but a lot has changed for both programs since they last met in 2006.
Creighton has one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country. Already, the Bluejays have taken on Kansas, Kentucky, USC, Kansas State, and Wichita State. Although they've lost all of these matches, Creighton has put up good fights, pushing Wichita State, USC, and Kansas to five sets. Nebraska is still undefeated, but this should be an in-state rivalry match worth watching.
Texas volleyball fans are sure to pack Gregory Gymnasium for this top-10 battle. Both teams have only one loss, with Texas falling to Nebraska during opening weekend and Wisconsin going down at the hands of UNC only last week.
In the middle, Wisconsin's Haleigh Nelson and Tionna Williams will hold the advantage, as Texas still trying to replace the sidelined Chiaka Ogbogu. Texas, however, has a trio of explosive pin hitters in Micaya White, Ebony Nwanebu, and Paulina Prieto Cerame, while Wisconsin may struggle if Lauryn Gillis hasn't yet recovered from the ankle injury she sustained before the UNC match.
More NCAA volleyball coverage:
This week's top 20 ranking
Upset of the Week
Player of the Week
Kansas vs. Purdue
Friday, September 16, 2016 | 7:30 p.m. ET | Watch on BTN2GoThe Jayhawks and Boilermakers will meet for the first time in 14 years when they take the court Friday in West Lafayette, Indiana. Kansas is shouldering a lot of expectations aftering making it to the national semifinals in 2015. So far, the Jayhawks have not disappointed, kicking off the season on a 9-0 win streak.
The AVCA has ranked Kansas No. 4 in the country for the third week in a row, but here at FloVolleyball, we've been waiting to see this team be tested by another top-20 team. That moment has arrived as the Jayhawks take on Purdue exactly a week after the Boilermakers took down Stanford.
Loyola Marymount vs. Dayton
Friday, September 16, 2016 | 7 p.m. ET | Watch the A10 Network streamDayton has kicked off its 2016 season with an impressive 11-match win streak. The undefeated Flyers have been in the "Receiving Votes" category of every AVCA Poll so far this season, and Friday, they'll take on Loyola Marymount, which earned the No. 25 spot in the September 9 edition of the poll. In the all-time series between these two teams, Dayton has never earned a victory, but a lot has changed for both programs since they last met in 2006.
Creighton vs. Nebraska
Saturday, September 17, 2016 | 9 p.m. CT | Watch on BTN2GoCreighton has one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country. Already, the Bluejays have taken on Kansas, Kentucky, USC, Kansas State, and Wichita State. Although they've lost all of these matches, Creighton has put up good fights, pushing Wichita State, USC, and Kansas to five sets. Nebraska is still undefeated, but this should be an in-state rivalry match worth watching.
Wisconsin vs. Texas
Sunday, September 18, 2016 | 12 p.m. CT | Watch on Longhorn NetworkTexas volleyball fans are sure to pack Gregory Gymnasium for this top-10 battle. Both teams have only one loss, with Texas falling to Nebraska during opening weekend and Wisconsin going down at the hands of UNC only last week.
In the middle, Wisconsin's Haleigh Nelson and Tionna Williams will hold the advantage, as Texas still trying to replace the sidelined Chiaka Ogbogu. Texas, however, has a trio of explosive pin hitters in Micaya White, Ebony Nwanebu, and Paulina Prieto Cerame, while Wisconsin may struggle if Lauryn Gillis hasn't yet recovered from the ankle injury she sustained before the UNC match.
More NCAA volleyball coverage:
This week's top 20 ranking
Upset of the Week
Player of the Week