Virginia Tech Volleyball heads to Arkansas State

The Hokies begin their second weekend on the young season

August 31, 2017

Game Notes

BLACKSBURG – Starting the second weekend of the season, the Hokies’ volleyball team will travel Jonesboro, Arkansas, to compete in the A-State Invitational hosted by Arkansas State.

Tech will clash against Ole Miss at noon ET and Arkansas State at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and will conclude the four-team tournament on Saturday versus SMU at 5 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Fri. | 12 p.m. ET vs. Ole Miss | Stats | Stream ($)
Fri. | 7:30 p.m. ET at Arkansas State | Stats | Stream ($)
Sat. | 5 p.m. ET vs. SMU | Stats | Stream ($)

All three matches will be streamed live online, however, there is a fee to watch. The Red Wolves Digital Network will produce the matches and fans can buy a 24-hour pass for a total of $4.95. Click here to go to the RWDN page.

The Hokies started the year off on the right foot opening weekend as Tech claimed the Pepsi Panther Invitational title. Head coach Jill Lytle Wilson starts the season a perfect 3-0 and under her watch, three players made the All-Tournament Team in Stacey Christy, Rhegan Mitchell and Kaity Smith.

Tech currently sits atop the ACC and fourth in the country in hitting percentage, owning a mark of .353. Redshirt senior Stacey Christy has the best hitting percentage in the league with a .462 clip.

Mitchell, who earned Virginia Tech’s Athlete of the Week on Tuesday, is No. 1 in the country for having the most assists in a match (65). Smith has the second-most kills in a match so far across the nation when she tallied 30 against Idaho State, trailing only Lindsey Ruddins of UC Santa Barbara (34).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

OLE MISS
• The Rebels enter the weekend with a 3-1 record after claiming the Rebel Invitational in Oxford. Ole Miss took down Louisiana Tech, Chattanooga and Florida A&M, while losing to North Dakota in five sets.
• Head coach Steven McRoberts’ squad returns three starters and a libero from last year’s team, which compiled a 17-14 record.
• Outside hitter Kate Gibson, who is in the 1,000/1,000 club, leads the Rebels with 55 kills and 64 digs and setter Lauren Bars owns 115 assists. Junior libero Caroline Adams and sophomore Emily Stroup were named to the All-Tournament Team.

ARKANSAS STATE
• A-State, which is hosting the tournament, comes in with a 2-2 record after a weekend at SEC opponent Kentucky’s home court in Lexington. The Red Wolves, under head coach David Rehr’s watch, defeated Cincinatti, but lost to two ranked opponents in No. 13 Kentucky and No. 22 Utah.
• They are the only team in the A-State Invitational to play a mid-week match, claiming a 3-1 victory over Southern Illinois in Carbondale.
• Pacing the Red Wolves are Carlisa May (68 kills, 31 digs) and Tatum Ticknor (77 digs, 14 assists).

SMU
• Heading into the weekend with a 1-2 record, SMU comes off hosting its own tournament last weekend in the SMU DoubleTree Invitational. Mississippi State and Rice got the best of them, but SMU defeated Texas A&M - Corpus Christi to earn its first victory of the season.
• The Mustangs have a balanced attack as three players have 30 kills or more - Katie Hegarty (44), Lauren Mills (43) and Brittany Adams (31). They are coached by veteran Lisa Seifert, who enters her 21st season.

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