The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Volleyball Opens NCAA Tournament With BYU On Friday
11/29/2007 | Volleyball
The Rebels and Cougars saw each other last season, but did not play as both were in the NCAA Tournament first round hosted by the
Ole Miss and BYU have met once before on the volleyball court, with that meeting coming in the 1978 season. The Rebels and Cougars faced off in the AIAW National Tournament under then head coach Jeanne Taylor. The Cougars claimed the meeting 2-0 to end the season for the Rebels. Ole Miss posted a 36-12 record that season.
This season, the two squads will face each other in the first round in what could be an exciting first round match-up. The Rebels finished third in the Southeastern Conference this season, while the Cougars finished second in the Mountain West.
“BYU is a very good volleyball team,” said Ole Miss head coach Joe Getzin. “When you get to this part of the season, we expect to play someone of their caliber. We expect a hard-fought match. We’re excited to be playing in the post-season and look forward to a good match.”
Ole Miss will look to its seniors if the Rebels want to achieve the goal of advancing to the second round. Outside hitter Katie Kramer leads the squad with 3.66 kills per game. Kramer became only the 12th Rebel in program history to break the 1,000 kill mark earlier this season.
Libero Tara Langley paces the back row defense as the senior broke the single-season and career dig records this year and also became only the fourth player in SEC history to tally more than 600 digs in a single season.
Middle blocker Lauren Moffett leads the team in blocks with 106 on the year and has been averaging more than five blocks a match down the stretch as the Rebels closed out the regular season.
Also needed to lead the Rebels in the post-season will be junior Rachel Kieckhaefer, who was named an All-SEC Second Team selection as she was one of only two setters in the SEC to finish in the top 10 in hitting percentage and assists. She also tallied four triple-doubles on the year and 24 double-doubles, including 15 straight to close the year.
BYU will be making its 24th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and enters the post-season event with an overall record of 21-7 and a 12-5 mark in the Mountain West Conference. The Cougars have appeared in 24 of 27 NCAA Tournaments in the history of the program.
BYU is led offensively by Chelsea Goodman who puts down 4.42 kills per game and hits at a .239 clip. She is joined on the attack by Erica Lott and middle blocker Rachel Dyer. Lott averages 3.38 kills per game, while Dyer puts down 3.37 kills per game.
Dyer is also a big part of the BYU defense at the net as she averages 1.34 blocks per game, combining with middle blocker Ashton Hansen who puts down a team-best 1.42 blocks per game.
Annie Pinegar leads the back row defense of the Cougars with 4.14 digs per game as she has come up with 443 digs on the season. Goodman assists in the defensive effort as she averages 3.48 digs per game, second best on the team.
The Cougars run a 6-2 offensive set, led by Amy Schlauder with 13.70 assists per game. Also setting the offense for BYU is Kiana Rogers, who turns in 12.26 assists per game on the season.
BYU is coached by Jason Watson, who is in his second season at the helm of the Cougar program.
