Small college notes: Tough stretch awaits Tarleton State volleyball
Opening the season with a 10-2 record, the Tarleton State volleyball team heads into a stretch in which it will face two of the Lone Star Conference’s toughest opponents during a three-game stretch.
The TexAnns travel to second-place West Texas A&M at 7 p.m. Friday, then face Eastern New Mexico on Saturday before returning home to face LSC leader Angelo State on Oct. 3.
“The conference is super competitive and any road win is a big win,” Tarleton State coach Mary Schindler said. “The girls know that they are going to be tough. Part of the dynamic of having five new girls on the roster is they don’t care who they play; they want to win.”
One of the five newcomers is freshman Hailey Roberts, who leads the offense with 187 kills and 146 digs.
“Hailey has had success because she has seniors that have provided her insight into what it takes to be in that role,” Schindler said.
Roberts sits third in the LSC with 3.9 kills per set, followed by Kenya Alexander who is 16th in the conference with 2.51. Alexander leads the TexAnns with a .311 attack percentage, despite playing volleyball for only four years.
“In the next few years I expect a lot of great things from Alexander,” Schindler said. “She has only been playing competitively for a few years and is really playing well.”
Texans eye rebound
The Tarleton State football team faces No. 18 Midwestern State in its home opener at 7 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Texans (1-1) fell out of the national rankings after being upset by Florida Tech last Saturday in the Lone Star Football Festival at AT&T Stadium.
The task doesn’t get any easier against the No. 18 Mustangs (2-0). Midwestern State was ranked No. 3 in the LSC Preseason Poll and downed LSC co-champion Eastern New Mexico 42-17 at AT&T Stadium last Saturday.
Tarleton State has defeated Midwestern State in its recent two meetings, winning by a combined six points.
This story was originally published September 25, 2014 at 11:24 AM.