>>11.06.06
Comets Dominate All-Conference Teams; Sanders Coach of the Year
RICHARDSON, TX - Eight of the 11 players on the 2006 University of Texas at Dallas volleyball roster have been selected for recognition on the American Southwest Conference all-conference awards, including the three top honors in the ASC East Division.
Coach Marci Sanders (pictured right) was named the East Division Coach of the Year while junior Brittany Fowler and freshman Kyleigh Irish were named the ASC East Division Player and Newcomer of the Year, respectively.
Fowler and Irish were also both honored as UTD's representatives on the prestigious, eight-member ASC All-Conference team, which includes players from both divisions. The pair were first-team All-East Division selections along with junior teammate Anna Aronovich.
Five Comets earned second-team All-East Division honors, including senior Shelley Paull, sophomore Jessie Harpham and freshmen Patricia Allen, Nealy Mincher and Kathryn Adams. UTD had more all-division honorees than any other ASC school.
Sanders, who started the UTD volleyball program just three years ago, guided the 2006 team to a 24-7 record and 15-2 mark against the ASC this season. The Comets advanced to the championship game of the ASC tournament before falling.
Fowler, a junior from New Braunfels, was the ASC East Division pre-season Setter of the Year and averaged 8.61 assists per game in 2006. Irish, a freshman from San Antonio, led the Comets with 0.62 aces per game and a total of 334 kills during the season. She is UTD's third consecutive winner of the Newcomer of the Year award. Fowler won the honor in 2004 as a freshman and Harpham was honored in 2005.
>>FOUR NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE
RICHARDSON, TX - Four volleyball players were among 32 University of Texas at Dallas student-athletes from fall sports named to the 2006 American Southwest Conference fall Academic All-Conference teams. To qualify for the ASC Academic All-Conference team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.0 overall grade point average, have lettered in their sport athletically and be in at least their second full year of enrollment at the university.
The UTD volleyball players honored for the fall were:
VOLLEYBALL
Anna Aronovich; Jr.; Undeclared; Katy, TX
Elise Donelson; So.; Government/Politics; Plano, TX
Jessica Harpham; So.; Mathematical Studies; Richardson, TX
Krissy Seaman; So.; Mathematical Studies; Mansfield, TX
>>11.03.06
UTD's Dream Ends In ASC Title Match
SEGUIN, TX - The UTD volleyball team, in just its third season of existence, advanced to the title game at the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, but came up empty in a 3-1 loss to Hardin-Simmons.
The Comets' advanced to the title game with a pair of impressive wins in Friday's first two rounds, knocking off Sul Ross State in a quarterfinal match, 30-22, 23-30, 30-23, 30-28; then upsetting ASC West Division champion Texas Lutheran in the semifinals, 31-29, 24-30, 30-24, 30-27.
The Comets got a dominating performance from senior Shelley Paull and freshman Kyleigh Irish. Paull pounded down 20 kills and hit .529 in the Sul Ross match, then added 15 more against TLU. Irish took over in the semifinal match with TLU, pounding down 22 kills.
But the utlimate goal of the tournament - the ASC championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national playoffs - was not to be. In the championship match Saturday, UTD did get off to an impressive start, but couldn't sustain its momentum.
The Comets (24-7) jumped out big early on the Cowgirls (19-14), building a 22-10 lead on the way to a 30-17 win in Game 1. But the error-prone HSU team turned the tables in the second game of the match. UTD repeatedly got called for setting errors and other mistakes on their way to a 30-26 loss. The Comets did pull to within a point at 25-26, but HSU picked up the final four points of the game to tie the match at 1-1.
In Game 3, UTD also had an early lead, but let HSU overcome the deficit. The Cowgirls were up on the Comets 18-24 when UTD charged back to pull within two points at 23-25. But HSU again came up with the late run to score a 30-24 win and take the advantage in the match at 2-1.
UTD trailed early in the the deciding Game 4, but fought its way back to a 21-20 lead after going on an 11-5 run midway through the match. From there, the score see-sawed back and forth with eight ties and two lead changes before the Comets tied the score at 28-28. That would be the last points UTD would get on the night as HSU scored the final two points to claim the championship.
Irish, who had been UTD's most dominant player in the semifinal game, led the Comets with 16 kills despite tiring late. Shelley Paull, playing her last match as a senior, had 11 and was named to the all-tournament team along with Brittany Fowler, who finished with 50 assists.
UTD now pins its hopes on a rare at-large bid into the national tournament, but has the prospects of returning all but one player from its young roster next season to look forward to. NCAA tournament bids are announced on Monday.
GAME REPORTS...
>>10.31.06
UTD FALLS TO ANOTHER RANKED TEAM
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD volleyball team lost just its sixth match of the season Tuesday night, again coming up short against a ranked team in a three-game loss to #17 Austin College.
The Lady 'Roos (29-6) cruised past the Comets, 30-21, 30-22, 30-24, with an efficient attack that featured 49 kills with just 8 attack errors over the three games. By contrast, UTD had 45 kills, but 20 errors.
The match marked the fifth loss for UTD against nationally-ranked teams this season. It was also the final regular season home match for senior Shelley Paull, who led UTD with 10 kills. Patricia Allen and Kyleigh Irish each added eight while Nealy Mincher and Jessica Harpham had seven each.
UTD was outgunned in both of the first two games of the match, falling far behind early. In the third game, the Comets showed some spark in racing to an early lead and building a 15-11 margin halfway through. However, the Lady 'Roos went on a five-point run to make it 15-16; then broke a 24-24 tie by scoring the final six points of the match.
>>10.24.06
COMETS WIN FIRST ASC EAST TITLE
LONGVIEW, TX - The UTD volleyball team, just three years after its inception in 2004, claimed at least a share of the American Southwest Conference East Division championship Tuesday night with a 3-0 sweep over LeTourneau.
The Comets' 30-16, 30-23, 30-21 win over LeTourneau (9-18, 3-13) finished off UTD's regular season East Division record at 15-2 overall, and improved its overall mark to a program best 22-5 - UTD's first winning record in the short, three-year history of the program. The 15-2 mark also insured that the Comets will do no worse than share the 2006 East Division title with East Texas Baptist, which is currently 14-2 with one regular season match remaining.
If the two teams end up tied, ETBU will hold the tiebreaker edge on UTD (based on two wins over the Comets) and take the East Division's No. 1 seed position at the ASC Championship Tournament Nov. 3-4. UTD would be the East Division's No. 2 seed. Texas Lutheran University, the No. 1 seed out of the West Division, will serve as the tournament host in Seguin.
UTD dominated LETU in its East Division finale, laying down 51 kills with a .324 attack efficiency. Shelley Paull and Patricia Allen (above) both hit over .444 and combined for 25 kills. Brittany Fowler got credit for 44 set assists while Kyleigh Irish added 12 kills.
>>10.24.06
UTD GETS TWO MORE PLAYERS OF WEEK
RICHARDSON, TX - Nine of the UTD volleyball team's 11 players have now been honored as American Southwest Conference East Division Players of the Week after the team took two more awards last week.
Junior Brittany Fowler was selected the ASC East Division Setter of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 12.7 assists per game in a five-match stretch for the Comets. Freshman Katherine Adams took Defensive Specialist of the Week honors after totaling 81 digs over the week.
Fowler, a junior from New Braunfels, TX, never had less than 39 assists in UTD's 5-0 week, and twice went over the 50 mark. Adams, a freshman from Houston Clear Brook HS, averaged 4.05 digs per game, and also contributed five aces and two assists for the week.
>>10.21.06
COMETS COMPLETE SWEEP OF ASC WEST
TYLER, TX - The UTD volleyball team was in top form over the weekend at the final American Southwest Conference Crossover Tournament of the season, knocking off four ASC West Division opponents in the UT-Tyler Patriot Center.
Senior Shelley Paull and freshman Kyleigh Irish combined for 122 kills over the four-match weekend while freshmen Nealy Mincher and Patricia Allen had over 40 kills apiece, pacing the Comets to a 21-5 overall record and a 14-2 mark in ASC East Division play. UTD still has a chance at winning the division outright after division-leader East Texas Baptist dropped to 13-2 with a loss to Texas Lutheran at the other Crossover Tournament being played in Marshall. UTD has only one conference match left (Tuesday at 3-12 LeTourneau) while ETBU must play back-to-back matches against UT-Tyler.
UTD struggled a bit on the opening day of the Crossover Tournament, but still came away with a pair of wins. The Comets lost their opening game, 19-30, to Sul Ross State; but took the match with a 30-22, 32-30, 30-28 rally. Irish had 17 kills, but committed 13 attack errors. Paull and Mincher combined for 27 kills with only 10 errors on 65 attempts.
The Comets' stiffest test came in the Friday nightcap, as UTD faced off against the No. 2 team out of the ASC West, Hardin-Simmons University. The two teams took the match to the wire before UTD prevailed, 30-28, 28-30, 30-26, 26-30, 19-17. Irish paced four Comets in double-figure kills while Brittany Fowler had 58 assists in the match.
The victories were a little less taxing on Saturday. The Comets opened the day with a three-game win over McMurry, 30-12, 30-16, 30-22. UTD got its final win of the meet against Howard Payne, defeating the LadyJackets, 30-19, 30-26, 30-22.
>>10.17.06
UTD HOLDS OFF UMHB UPSET BID
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD volleyball team found itself in unfamiliar territory Tuesday night, but battled back from an 0-2 start to hold off a determined Mary Hardin-Baylor team in five games. UTD (17-5, 10-2) narrowly escaped the Crusaders (6-15, 4-9) by rallying for a 23-30, 27-30, 30-21, 30-26, 15-13 win.
Freshman Kyleigh Irish led the team with 21 kills in 49 attacks, including the deciding kill to end a four-point rally in the deciding Game 5 with a shot that fell in after rolling along the top of the net. She also had 26 digs to lead UTD.
Nealy Mincher (15 kills, 11 digs) and Patricia Allen (13 kills) added to the 70-kill night.
The win, however, did not come easy for UTD, which committed 26 attack errors, 12 service errors and 8 ball-handling errors. The Comets dug themselves a hole by committing 11 errors in Game 1, then falling behind 12-18 in Game 2 before waiting too long to rally in a 27-30 defeat.
After the long intermission, UTD came out and took control of Game 3, never trailing in a 30-21 win. But the fight was not over for UMHB, which built a 25-23 lead in Game 4. Facing elimination, UTD bounced back with a 7-1 finish off a pair of Irish kills, four UMHB attack errors and a clinching kill from Shelley Paull to get a 30-26 win.
The deciding Game 5 was a nip-and-tuck affair, and was tied at 11-11 after a Mincher kill. But UMHB got the next two points and was up, 13-11, before Mincher pounded another scoring shot and then assisted on a block that tied the game at 13-13. The Crusaders then gave the Comets a point with an attack that went into the net, and Irish finished the match with the deciding kill in a 15-13 win.
>>10.17.06
COMETS GET ANOTHER POW WINNER
RICHARDSON, TX - Freshman Patricia Allen became the seventh member of UTD's volleyball roster to win an American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week award this season when she was named Hitter of the Week for her play in three ASC matches last week.
For the week, the freshman from San Antonio Judson HS had a .491 hitting percentage, knocking down 34 kills in just 55 attempts with only seven errors. Allen hit over .857 in a 3-0 win over UT-Tyler, putting away 12 kills in 14 attempts with no errors. She added six digs and four blocks on the week.
Allen is UTD's fourth Hitter of the Week award winner and the seventh overall weekly winner of the conference awards.
>>10.14.06
COMETS MISS CHANCE TO TAKE OVER LEAD
RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas volleyball team saw a chance to lead the American Southwest Conference East Division for the first time in program history evaporate as ASC power East Texas Baptist overpowered the Comets for a 3-1 win.
The four-game win was ETBU's second of the season vs. UTD and gave the Lady Lions an 11-1 conference record with just a few remaining games. UTD, which still has the best overall record in the ASC at 16-5, fell to 9-2 against ASC competition.
Kyleigh Irish paced the Comets in their 3-0 win over Mississippi College on Friday night with 13 kills in just 19 attempts (.632 attack pct.), adding 13 digs. UTD won that match easily, 30-18, 30-21, 30-25 as Patricia Allen pitched in 10 kills.
The competition level stepped up several notches Saturday against ETBU. whose only ASC loss had been an early-season road defeat at the hands of Mississippi College. There was no margin for error, and the Comets unfortunately contributed more than 40 total miscues (24 attack errors, 8 service errors, 2 blocking errors and more than 10 ball-handling errors).
UTD came out smoking in the first game of the match, pulling away to a 30-23 win. But the tables turned completely in Game 2 with the Lady Lions coming up with 15 kills on the way to a 30-17 win.
The pivotal game in the match, though, was Game 3. UTD jumped ahead in the game 10-4, but saw ETBU fight its way back to a 22-22 tie. The game continued between a one-point margin and tie the rest of the way before the Lady Lions took their only lead of the game at 29-28, then got the game-winner to take a come-from-behind, 30-28, win. UTD then let Game 4 get out of hand early, falling behind 15-6 early. Faced with match point at 29-14, the Comets did rally for four points before dropping the game and the match, 30-18.
Allen, Shelley Paull and Nealy Mincher combined for 37 kills, but had 15 attack errors between them.
>>10.10.06
PAULL WINS ASC WEEKLY AWARD
RICHARDSON, TX - Senior Shelley Paull is the latest member of the UTD volleyball team to win weekly American Southwest Conference honors after being named the ASC East Division Hitter of the Week.
Paull, a senior middle blocker from Baytown (TX) Lee High School, paced the Comets through a 4-0 week last week with 40 kills and a .330 hitting percentage. She also chipped in 12 blocks and five digs.
UTD opened the week with a Tuesday road victory at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, then swept through three matches at the first ASC Crossover Tournament of the season - defeating Schreiner University, ASC West leader Texas Lutheran University and Concordia-Austin.
>>10.10.06
UTD WINS 7TH STRAIGHT
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD volleyball team won its seventh consecutive match Tuesday night, easily handling the University of Texas-Tyler in three games, 30-13, 30-26, 30-26.
The win improved the Comets' overall record to 15-4, but more importantly gave UTD an 8-1 mark in the American Southwest Conference East Division standings. UTD will host a rematch with East leader East Texas Baptist on Saturday night. The Comets have not lost a match since falling in five games the first time they met ETBU.
Freshman Patricia Allen led a group of Comets, knocking down 12 kills in just 14 attack attempts (.845 attack percentage) despite playing only the first two games of the match. Kyleigh Irish and Shelley Paull each had nine kills while Brittany Fowler and Jessica Harpham combined to put up 36 assists. Kathryn Adams and Anna Aronovich each contributed 17 digs.
The Comets jumped on the Patriots (6-10, 5-3) early and gave themselves a comfortable lead in all three games. UTD took the first game easily, 30-13, after scoring 12 of the first 13 points of the game. Allen was seven-for-seven in attacks during that game.
Game 2 got a little more competitive than the Comets wanted. After jumping ahead 25-17, Tyler rallied to pull to within 29-26 before UTD got the game-winning shot. The same scenario repeated itself in the final game of the match. The Patriots led early, and kept things tight before the Comets went on a 17-5 run to move out to a 27-15 lead. Again, UTT pulled to within 29-26 before falling.
>>10.07.06
COMETS SWEEP FIRST CROSSOVER TOURNEY
SEGUIN, TX - The vastly-improved University of Texas at Dallas volleyball team officially got the attention of the remainder of the American Southwest Conference by sweeping through the ASC's first 2006 Crossover Tournament, hosted by Texas Lutheran University.
UTD won all three matches against ASC West opponents at the weekend tournament, including a defeat of ASC West co-leaders and tournament host TLU in a five-game match. The Comets, who have the best overall record in the ASC at 14-4, improved to 7-1 in league play with a 3-1 defeat of Schreiner University Friday and 3-2 win over tough Concordia-Austin Saturday afternoon.
The Comets had big weekends out of several players - including freshman Kyleigh Irish, who had 29 kills, 7 aces, 5 blocks and 41 digs over the three-match weekend. Junior Brittany Fowler tallied 85 set assists over the weekend. Senior Shelley Paull led the team with 34 kills over the three matches.
UTD opened the tournament with a business-like 3-0 win over Schreiner Friday afternoon. The Comets posted a 30-26, 30-21, 30-20 win over the Lady Mountaineers behind a team .248 attack percentage while holding SU to just .059.
The Saturday showdown with TLU lived up to its expectations as the longtime ASC West power and tournament host Lady Bulldogs (who were 7-1 in conference at the time) gave the Comets a battle. UTD took the advantage by winning the first two games of the match, 30-25 and 30-28, but saw TLU battle back for a pair of 30-22 wins. In the deciding Game 5, the Comets were able to come away with the 15-12 win as TLU had only four successful kill attempts.
After the emotional battle with TLU, UTD almost got caught in a letdown with Concordia-Austin, which entered the tournament with a 1-15 overall record. UTD dropped its first game of the match, 30-23, but came back for 30-24 and 30-13 wins in the next two games. Still, the CUA women rallied for a 30-26 win in the fourth game and forced a deciding Game 5, which UTD narrowly won at 15-12.
Unfortunately for the Comets, they still trail East Texas Baptist (9-1 in conference) in the ASC East Division chase after the Lady Lions also swept through four games at their weekend Crossover Tournament in Alpine. UTD and ETBU meet head-to-head for the second time this season Saturday. (The Comets also host home matches this week against UT-Tyler and Mississippi College).
The Crossover Tournaments allow ASC teams to play several of their cross-division opponents over a weekend at a centralized location.
>>10.03.06
UTD FIGHTS OFF UMHB TO IMPROVE TO 4-1
BELTON, TX - The UTD volleyball team improved to 4-1 in American Southwest Conference East Division play with a hard-earned 3-1 win over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Tuesday night.
The Lady Crusaders (3-11, 1-5) rallied in the opening game of the match to take a 30-28 win; but UTD rallied for 30-24 and 30-22 wins in the second and third games of the match. The Comets (11-4, 4-1) then finished off UMHB in Game 4, holding on for a 32-30 win.
Freshman Patricia Allen led the team with 11 kills while classmates Nealy Mincher and Kyleigh Irish pitched in 10 eachy. Jessica Harpham and Brittany Fowler combined for 43 assists and Anna Aronovich had 22 digs. Shelley Paull paced the net defense with five blocks (1 solo, 4 assisted).
The win kept the Comets within striking distance of ASC East leader East Texas Baptist, with the first ASC Crossover Tournaments scheduled for this weekend.
>>09.26.06
COMETS CLOSE IN ON EAST LEAD AFTER WIN
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD volleyball team has run its 2006 weekly conference award total to five now after sophomore Jessica Harpham and junior Anna Aronovich were named American Southwest Conference Players of the Week for their performances last week.
Harpham, a sophomore setter/hitter from Richardson High School, posted a triple double against Mississippi College - scoring 10 kills, 13 assists and 13 digs with a .588 attacking percentage in 17 attempts Saturday. During the Comets' 2-1 stretch last week, she hit .415 and added four service aces. She was named the ASC East Division Hitter of the Week
Aronovich, a junior from Katy, got the ASC East Division Defensive Specialist of the Week award after averaging 6.6 digs per game in three conference matches last week. She had a high of 37 digs in UTD's narrow, four-game loss to East Texas Baptist on Friday.
>>09.23.06
UTD SPLITS TOUGH ASC EAST ROAD TRIP
MARSHALL, TX & CLINTON, MS - The UTD volleyball team took its quest for an outright American Southwest Conference East Division title on the road, and came home with a little unfinished business.
The Comets (9-4, 2-1) fell 3-1 in a Friday night slugfest with longtime East Division power East Texas Baptist as the Lady Lions eeked out a 35-33, 30-21, 28-30, 30-26 victory over UTD. The Comets did salvage some redemption on Saturday, knocking off Mississippi College by the same 3-1 count. After a relatively easy 30-12 win in the opening game of the match, UTD had to struggle the rest of the way. MC took Game 2, 30-25, but the Comets held off the Lady Choctaws, 30-27 and 30-25 to claim the win.
The freshman dynamic duo of Kyleigh Irish and Nealy Mincher combined for 33 kills against ETBU. Irish pulled off the double-double with 17 kills and 24 digs. Brittany Fowler had 26 assists and a 13-dig night.
Fowler added 37 assists to her weekend totals (63 in two matches) in a four-game win over Mississippi College. Mincher and sophomore Jessica Harpham each had 10 kills and Harpham added 13 assists.
>>09.19.06
COMETS OPEN ASC WITH WIN OVER LETU
RICHARDSON, TX - Freshmen Nealy Mincher and Kyleigh Irish made quite an impression in their home debut with the UTD volleyball team Tuesday night. The duo combined for 21 kills as the Comets (8-3, 1-0) won their American Southwest Conference opener over LeTourneau, 3-0.
Mincher was error-free from the net, hitting 11 kills in just 23 attempts for a .478 attack percentage. Irish, who was named the ASC East Division Defensive Specialist of the Week earlier in the day for her play last weekend, continued her hot streak, knocking down 10 kills. In the final two games of the match, the Comets were successful on over 40 percent of their attack attempts with just seven errors in 81 attacks.
UTD struggled a bit in its opening game against the LadyJackets, who came in with a 5-3, 0-2 record. But a run late in the game, spearheaded by three Mincher service aces, put the Comets back in the drivers' seat in a 30-22 win.
In the second game, Mincher, Irish and Co. cranked up the attack, slamming down 22 kills including four each from the two freshmen and senior Shelley Paull. UTD won Game Two easily, 30-18.
In the final game, the LadyJackets would not go down quietly as they battled throughout. The game remained tight until a 19-19 tie. UTD then went on a run, opening up a 29-21 lead and finishing off the match with a 30-23 win.
>>09.19.06
IRISH THIRD PLAYER OF WEEK HONOREE
RICHARDSON, TX - UTD freshman Kyleigh Irish has become the third member of the Comets' volleyball team to win American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week honors this season. Irish, a freshman from San Antonio O'Connor HS, was named the ASC East Division's Defensive Specialist of the Week after her performance at the tough Southwestern University Tournament over the weekend.
In spite of the fact that the Comets were facing nationally-ranked competition and lost three of four matches at the tournament, Irish totaled 63 digs through the four matches and had 12 blocks. She recorded a double-double (21 kills, 22 digs) in a five-game loss to No. 15 Austin College. For the weekend, she also was credited with 44 kills and 11 service aces.
>>09.16.06
RANKED TEAMS HAND UTD FIRST LOSSES
GEORGETOWN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas volleyball team saw its undefeated start to a much-improved season come to a sudden halt over the weekend, but not without good reason. UTD (now 7-3) hung tough, but dropped matches to three of the top-ranked teams in the country at the tournament.
UTD gave all three teams a battle, but fell to NCAA Division III No. 13 Southwestern, No. 15 Austin College and the 14th-ranked team in the NAIA, Houston Baptist. Southwestern, AC and UTD all entered the tournament undefeated.
The Comets did salvage a 3-0 win over Bridgewater State (GA). Freshman Kyleigh Irish was named to the All-Tournament team.
In its tournament opener, UTD dropped its first match of the season to host Southwestern. The 13th-ranked Lady Pirates were challenged by the Comets in the first two games, but still prevailed with a 30-22, 30-27, 30-17 win.
In the second match, UTD came out swinging against former American Southwest Conference nemisis Austin College, and almost pulled off the upset with Irish, Brittany Fowler and Patricia Allen combining for 44 kills. The Comets took a 30-28 win in the first game, but AC rebounded to tie the match with a 30-16 win in the second game. UTD went back on top in the third game, winning 30-25; and almost won the match in Game 4. However, the Lady 'Roos won a tight 30-28 decision to send the match to the fifth game. AC took the deciding game, 15-11.
UTD bounced back in its first game on the second day of the tournament, putting up a hard-earned 30-23, 30-21, 30-26 victory over Bridgewater State. Nealy Mincher pitched in 10 kills.
Mincher again added 10 kills in the three-game loss to Houston Baptist, but the rest of the team added just 12 more and the Comets dropped a close 20-30, 30-32, 15-30 match.
>>09.12.06
UTD WINS 6TH STRAIGHT TO OPEN SEASON
WAXAHACHIE/IRVING, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas volleyball team continued its early season roll with a pair of non-conference victories over the weekend. The Comets (6-0) took straight three-game victories over both Southwest Assemblies of God University and the University of Dallas to run their consecutive game win streak to 18.
The Comets have not lost a game since their season-opening 29-31 loss to Mississippi College (UTD rallied to win that match, 3-1).
Freshman Patricia Allen led a group of newcomers who have sparked the team's success with 20 kills in the two matches. She had 11 kills in the 30-25, 30-25, 31-29 win Saturday over previously-unbeaten SWAGU. Then Tuesday night, she contributed 9 kills along with four block assists in a 30-17, 30-17, 30-18 road win at the University of Dallas .
>>09.03.06
COMETS OFF TO HOTTEST START IN HISTORY
ATLANTA, GA - The UTD volleyball team opened its 2006 season with four straight victories over the weekend at the Oglethorpe University, the first time in program history the Comets have had a winning record after their opening weekend tournament.
UTD opened the tournament on Saturday with its only blemish of the weekend, losing its opening game to Mississippi College, 28-30; but bounced back to dominate the Lady Choctaws, 30-17, 30-25, 30-18. The Comets (4-0) made quick work of Agnes Scott College (GA), winning 30-8, 30-11, 30-24.
On Sunday, UTD continued its winning ways. The Comets knocked off Milllsaps College (MS), 30-20, 30-24, 31-29; then got another three-game victory over Piedmont (GA), 30-25, 30-15, 30-24.
Junior setter Brittany Fowler and freshman outside hitter Nealy Mincher were named to the six-player All-Tournament team.
>>SEASON PREVIEW
NEW TALENT RAISES EXPECTATIONS
In its first two seasons of existence, the UTD volleyball program has taken giant steps forward, qualifying both seasons for the post-season American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament. But just getting there has never been the ultimate goal of Coach Marci Sanders, who started the UTD program in 2004.
Sanders and her UTD squad want to win it all. And this season, the Comets may have the solid core of seasoned veterans as well as the influx of talented newcomers to do just that.
The Comets, who finished their second season at 16-17, but were 12-6 against ASC competition, will enjoy a team strength they have not had in their first two seasons - depth. The Comet roster has 12 players, three more than it ended the season with last year.
“When you have a small roster, you aren't able to substitute like you want,” Sanders explains. “You end up with players having to play out of their strongest positions just because you really don't have anyone else to put in in their place. It hurts your team strategically, and your players tend to get worn down more quickly when you aren't able to make substitutions.
“This season, we not only have the players we need to allow us to shuffle our lineup on the floor," she continues, "but we have players who are more versatile..and in many cases, more talented than we have had in the past.”
The last statement applies not only to the newcomers, but to the returners, as well. “Everyone has improved from last year,” Sanders says. “We've got talented young players coming in who are really pushing the returning players. But those players are improved as well. Competition like this makes evereyone better.”
Chief among the returning talent are the pair of combination hitter/setters who have won the last two American Southwest Conference East Division Freshmen of the Year awards. Junior Brittany Fowler, who won the award in 2004 and was a first-team All-ASC performer last season, averaged 2.24 kills and 3.67 assists last season. Last year's freshman winner was sophomore Jessica Harpham, who was a second-team selection with 2.23 kills and 5.72 assists.
Also back are defensive specialist junior Anna Aronovich (6.32 digs per game), sophomore outside hitter Krissy Seaman (2.09 kills, 4.19 digs), as well as senior Shelley Paull and sophomore Karen Hinkley. All saw plenty of time on the court last season.
They will be pushed, however, by a crop of six incoming players who have already raised the bar on team talent. Most of the newcomers come from strong high school and/or club programs, and most have plenty of skins already on the wall.
M/OH Patricia Allen is a three-time all-district player who was MVP at San Antonio Judson High School. She's joined by a high school rival from crosstown O'Connor HS, Kyleigh Irish, a 5-10 outside hitter. Nealy Mincher was the Outstanding Hitter and runner-up district MVP on a team from Austin McCallum HS that went deep into the state playoffs three straight years.
Katherine Adams, a freshman defensive specialist was all-district and one of the league's top defensive players at Houston Clearbrook HS. She'll be pushing for playing time at libero. Elise Donelson, another defensive specialist, comes from nearby Plano East HS. Elaine Brown, who will also play softball for the Comets, was an all-district outside hitter at The Woodlands HS.
“All of these young women will have a chance to contribute this season,” Sanders says, “both the newcomers and the returners. Everyone has a much better understanding of the game and how it needs to be played to win”
UTD should also benefit from a schedule that is "not quite as tough" as it has been in the past, when the Comets traditionally opened the season against an assortment of strong Division II programs. “This year, I expect us to win. And, unless I'm mistaken, I think our players are expecting the same thing,” she said.
>>08.15.06
FOWLER WINS PRE-SEASON RECOGNITION
RICHARDSON, TX - University of Texas at Dallas volleyball player Brittany Fowler has been selected as the co-winner of the 2006 American Southwest Conference Pre-Season Setter of the Year honor for the ASC East Division.
Fowler, a junior from New Braunfels, TX, is a returning first-team member from the 2005 All-East Division team. She was also honored in 2004 as a freshman as the ASC East Division Newcomer of the Year. The pre-season honors were awarded through voting by the division's volleyball coaches and sports information directors.
The voters also predicted that UTD Coach Marci Sanders' squad would take another step forward in the program's three-year history, and finish second in the ASC East Division standings behind perennial powerhouse East Texas Baptist. The Comets, who were 16-17 and 12-6 last season, finished just eight points behind ETBU (66-58) in the poll points standings, and received three first-place votes.
The rest of the East Division poll included (3) Mary Hardin-Baylor, (4) Texas-Tyler, (5) Mississippi College and (6) LeTourneau. In the ASC East Division, Hardin-Simmons was picked to win the division followed by Texas Lutheran, McMurry, Sul Ross State, Concordia-Austin, Schreiner and Howard Payne. Last season's ASC East Division and league champion Austin College is no longer a member of the ASC.
UMHB senior Amanda Crawford was the ASC East Division Pre-Season Hitter of the Year, while Jill Boyd of ETBU was selected East Division Defensive Specialist of the Year.
