Volleyball 8/31/2017 5:49:00 PM

RADFORD VOLLEYBALL TRAVELS WEST FOR CACTUS CLASSIC

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TUCSON, Ariz. – The Radford volleyball team travels to Tucson, Ariz., to compete in the Cactus Classic, hosted by Arizona. The Highlanders open competition on Friday against Grand Canyon and Eastern Kentucky at 1 p.m., ET and 7:30 p.m., ET, respectively. The Cactus Classic will conclude on Saturday as Radford faces the host Arizona at 4 p.m., ET.

SETTING THE STAGE
• Location: McKale Center (Tuscon, Ariz.)
• Time: Grand Canyon – 1 p.m. ET | Eastern Kentucky – 7:30 p.m. ET | Arizona – 4 p.m. ET (Saturday)
• Live Stats
• Live Video

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
• The Highlanders are coming off a 3-0 performance on opening weekend after sweeping the competition at the Lehigh Fall Classic.
• Maddie Palmer, Valerie Gonzalez, Amaya Rousseau and Haley Kleespies were named to the all-tournament team.
• Palmer tallied 35 kills, a .378 hit percentage, 28 digs, five total blocks and one double-double for the weekend, which landed her Big South Conference Player of the Week.
• Gonzalez was right behind Palmer with 30 kills and a .323 hitting percentage. Defensively, she had five total blocks.
• Rousseau was stellar on the defensive side of the net totaling 10 blocks for the tournament and is averaging one block per set for the season.
• Kleespies totaled 91 assists and is averaging 9.10 per set. She has also contributed two service aces and 15 digs.
• Radford is leading its opponents 129-88 in kills and is outhitting its opponents .334 to .078.
• The .334 hit percentage is 11^th best in the country and the .078 hit percentage opponents are held to is seventh best.
• The Highlanders are averaging 2.1 service aces per set – 14^th best in the nation – and 2.6 blocks per set.
• Marci Jenkins picked up her 155^th victory at Radford and moved into sixth place all-time in Big South volleyball history.

SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
• Series: First meeting
• Grand Canyon (3-0) picked up wins over Syracuse, Siena and Niagara in the Syracuse Tournament last weekend.
• The Antelopes have 159 kills, 151 assists, 24 aces, 17 total blocks and 204 digs on the young season.
• A trio of players have combined for 111 kills this year. Claire Kovensky leads the team with 44 kills and is averaging four kills per set.
• Randahl Powers is second on the team with 35 kills and Teagan DeFalco is third with 32.
• Emma Ahren is averaging 5.63 digs per set and has totaled 63 this season.

SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY
• Series: Eastern Kentucky leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: August 31, 2013 | L, 2-3)
• Eastern Kentucky (2-2) began the season with two wins against San Diego State and CSUN in the Aztec Invitational before falling 3-0 to Portland State in the tournament finale.
• Last time out, the Colonels dropped a five set match to UNLV in Las Vegas.
• Offensively, EKU is hitting .175 as a team and has 190 kills. On the defensive end they have 198 digs and 28 total blocks.
• Nikki Drost leads the team with 54 kills and is averaging 3.18 per set. She has a .270 hitting percentage for the season.
• Ciera Koons has 17 total blocks this year, which is one per set and both lead the team.

SCOUTING ARIZONA
• Series: First Meeting
• Arizona (3-2) opened the season 2-1 at the LUV Invitational hosted by Lipscomb. The Wildcats picked up a win over East Tennessee State, before suffering a four-set loss to host Lipscomb and concluded the weekend with a sweep of Middle Tennessee.
• Ranked preseason No. 24 in the AVCA Top 25, Arizona dropped out of the most recent rankings due its lone loss but is still receiving votes.
• Kendra Dahlke leads the Wildcats with 3.30 kills per set this season, but is hitting .157.
• Julia Patterson is averaging 10.09 assists per set and has totaled 111 for the year.
• Arizona as a team has 33 total blocks in 11 sets and is averaging three per set, which ranks 22^nd in the country.

UP NEXT
Radford will travel to Columbia, S.C., to compete in the Carolina Classic on Sept. 8-9. The Highlanders will face Miami (OH), Eastern Kentucky and host South Carolina.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Valerie Gonzalez: RS; 6' 1"; Junior

#3 Haley Kleespies: S; 5' 8"; Junior

#20 Maddie Palmer: OH; 6' 0"; Senior

#8 Amaya Rousseau: MB; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#5 Valerie Gonzalez
: 6' 1"; Junior
: RS

#3 Haley Kleespies
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S

#20 Maddie Palmer
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OH

#8 Amaya Rousseau
: 6' 1"; Junior
: MB