Volleyball Returns to Action at TAMIU

2/23/2021 2:03:00 PM

St. Mary's (2-2, 2-2 LSC) at Texas A&M International (1-5, 1-5 LSC)
Tuesday, February 23 • 6 p.m. • Laredo, Texas
Wednesday, February 24 • 6 p.m. • Laredo, Texas
Video Stream
Live Stats
Game Notes
NO FANS PERMITTED

Opening Tip
•    After the winter storms ravaged Texas, the 2021 schedule was again adapted in order to play all the scheduled matches. The Rattlers will now play Texas A&M Kingsville on Feb. 28 and Mar. 13.
•    The Rattlers travel to Laredo for a pair of rematches against Texas A&M International. St. Mary's has won nine of its last 10 over the Dust Devils, including two to begin the 2021 spring season.
•    Junior OH Alissa Tolbert has recorded a double-double in each of the first four matches of the season. She ranks 12th in the Lone Star Conference in kills per set at 2.78.
•    St. Mary's is receiving votes in the latest (Feb. 17) AVCA Division II poll. The Rattlers are one of seven Lone Star Conference teams currently ranked or reveiving votes in the poll.

On Tap: After a week off due to the storms, the St. Mary's volleyball team heads to Laredo for a pair of matches against Texas A&M International. The Rattlers started the 2021 spring season with a pair of wins over the Dust Devils, winning the season opener in five and returning the next evening to sweep TAMIU in three sets. 

Scouting The Dust Devils: Texas A&M International is 1-5 on the season and 1-0 at home. Mackenzie Catalina leads TAMIU with 4.36 kills per set and a .252 hitting percentage, while Regina Tijerina leads with 4.52 digs and Carly Unruh averages a team-best 0.72 blocks per set.

Last Time Out: St. Mary's dropped a pair of heart-breaking five set matches at St. Edward's. The Rattlers had the 2-0 lead in both matches before dropping the next three. Both juniors Julia Deais and Alissa Tolbert totaled 20 kills over the two nights, while senior Catherine Cruz tallied 46 digs. Deias also led the team with six total aces and nine blocks. Freshman Aislan Lennon averaged 4.9 assists per set to pace the Rattlers and fellow freshman Josie Disponette hit a team-best .321 (13-4-28).

Receiving Votes: The Rattlers are receiving votes in the latest AVCA Division II poll. The team garnered 23 votes in the third weekly poll and is one of seven Lone Star Conference teams either ranked or receiving votes. In the second poll, the Rattlers were ranked #22, the first time since joining Division II the Blue & Gold appeared in the top 25.

Double Double, Toil & Trouble: Junior OH Alissa Tolbert has recorded a double-double in kills and digs in each of the first four matches of 2021, bringing her career total to 22. It is the first time since 2014 a Rattler has started the year with four straight double-doubles as Kelsey Huber notched four kill-dig double-doubles and ended the year with 10. The school's DII record for consecutive double-doubles to start a season is six by Breann Alexander in 2002. Alexander ended that year with 25 kill-dig doubles. Tolbert's 22 career double-doubles also rank ninth on the school's Division II list.

Career Marks: In the matches last week, several Rattlers obtained milestones:
• Junior Julia Deais notched the 100th block of her career with her final one.
• Senior Lindsey Kaufman recorded her 400th career assist and stands at 419.
• Junior Alissa Tolbert tallied her 500th dig and has 514.

Closing In: The five returners on the 2021 team are all closing in on career milestones:
• Senior Catherine Cruz needs 12 digs for 600 in her career.
• Junior Julia Deais needs three digs for 100.
• Senior Lindsey Kaufman needs 81 assists for 500.
• Junior Rachel McDonald is just one block shy of 100 for her career.
• Junior Alissa Tolbert next match will be career number 60. She is 68 kills shy of 600.

Getting Better With Age: Junior MB Julia Deais has had a strong start to the 2021 season and she currently ranks 40th in the nation in blocks per set with 1.00 and 55th in the country in aces per set with 0.44. Both totals put her in the top 10 in the Lone Star Conference and both averages are well above her first two years with the Rattlers.