Volleyball Experiments With Multiple Lineups During Day One

CANYON, Texas – Despite the final results on the scoreboard, fans of St. Mary's Volleyball saw several positives in the young team in the first two matches of the season on Friday at the Britkare Lady Buff Classic.
 
The Rattlers (0-2) dropped a three-set match to 12th-ranked Northwest Missouri State (25-16, 25-12, 25-19) in the morning and then lost a close four-set decision to UC-Colorado Springs (25-17, 24-26, 25-19, 26-24). StMU returns to the court at "The Box" on Saturday for two more matches as they play #14 West Texas A&M at 11:30 a.m. and Adams State at 4:30 p.m.
 
One of the big highlights for the Rattlers was their block defense as the team averaged 2.79 blocks per set. Senior Sadie Hough (Cleburne, Texas) tallied seven blocks in five sets, while junior Lindsey Ogle (Houston) and freshman Dallasstar Johnson (San Antonio) each had six blocks in six sets.
 
Ogle also led the way with 14 kills, while freshman Landri Withers (Stephenville, Texas) chipped in 13. Nine of Withers' 13 kills came in the morning match as she paced the team. Ogle posted 11 of her kills against UCCS, while freshmen Laurene Robinson (Bedford, Texas) and Johnson each added six.
 
Freshman libero Alyssa Koehl (New Braunfels, Texas) averaged 3.29 digs per set in her first collegiate action, recording double digits in each match with 12 against the Bearkats and 11 against the Mountain Lions. She also had only two reception errors in 39 attempts.
 
All 17 active players on the roster saw action in at least one set and setters Cali Nims (Corpus Christi, Texas) and Abbey Stiffler (York Pa.) each played in all seven sets, as did Koehl and Withers. Two others played in six and four saw action in five sets as Head Coach Laura Ulrich experiments with different lineups with 11 newcomers to the team.
 
INDIVDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• Freshman Alyssa Koehl recorded double figures in digs in both matches, recording 12 against NWMSU and 11 against UCCS.
• The Rattlers averaged 2.79 blocks per set on day one, well above last season's average of 1.9 per set.
• Lindsey Ogle recorded double figures in kills for the seventh time in her career with 11 in the afternoon contest. 
• The Rattlers served five aces against UCCS, with Dallasstar Johnson serving two of them. Setters Cali Nims and Abbey Stiffler each recorded one, as did libero Alyssa Koehl.