LAWTON – The Cameron volleyball team makes their home debut on Tuesday and then begins Lone Star Conference play this weekend in a busy week.
The Aggies look to snap their current losing streak in front of their home fans by hosting non-conference foe Southeastern Oklahoma State on Tuesday, Sep. 15 at 5:30 p.m. They then begin their conference season with a trip south to face Texas A&M-Kingsville on Friday, Sep. 17, at 6 p.m. and Texas A&M International on Saturday, Sep. 18, at 1 p.m.
FAN INFORMATION
Cameron Athletics' administration has decided to make all admission completely FREE for the 2021-22 athletic year. Seating is open, besides set aside spots for Gold Club members, and masks and social distancing are encouraged in the Aggie Gym but not required. All three matches will be streamed on the LSC Digital Network (PPV). Visit JavelinaAthletics.com and GoDustdevils.com for health and safety information for this weekend's matches.
FIRST SERVE
Cameron spent their second weekend of the season in Kansas last week at the Fort Hays State Tiger Classic, but they were unable to come away with a win in their four matches. However, the Aggies battled in most of their sets, scoring 20+ points in eight of the 13 frames. CU is now looking to stop a seven-match skid in their first home match of the fall.
AT THE LINE
The Aggies have had success at the service line in their first nine matches, averaging 1.5 aces per set as a team. They tallied 20 aces in their win over Minot State and had eight last weekend against Black Hills State.
Alanni Carter leads the team with 11 aces this season, while
Arianna Navarrete has 10. Libero
Presley Shearin is third on the team with nine, one per match, and freshman setter
Noemie Narbonne has eight.
SETTING THE FUTURE
Cameron has had to put their first-year players into the action early this season and none more than Narbonne. The French setter leads the team with 4.00 assists per set, to go along with her eight service aces. She already has had two double-doubles, including a season-best 20 assists with 10 digs against Emporia State on Saturday. Narbonne is not the only freshman making an impact,
Jacee Stelter is fifth on the team with 25 kills in eight matches played, while utility player
Anjolie Navarrete has averaged 1.65 assists and 1.45 digs per set to start the season.
LEADING THE ATTACK
Cameron's attack has been mostly dominated by two players in the first nine matches: Carter and Ari. Navarrete. Carter, a junior from Los Angelas, Calif., leads the Aggies with 79 kills and has a .124 attack percentage. Navarrete, a sophomore from Tucson, Ariz., is right behind her with 74 kills and has had a team best 14 kills in a match twice this season. They both have over 240 attacks, with the next closest player sitting at 109.
NEW GIRLS ON THE BLOCK
Under head coach
Brandon Stephenson, the Aggies have been one of the top blocking teams in the conference. That trend has not changed as Cameron is averaging 1.9 blocks per set to open the season. That effort has been led by a pair of new faces in
Jessica Lipkit and
Taylor Hervey. Lipkit, a sophomore from Brazil, leads the team with 24 blocks and Hervey, the sophomore from Kansas City, Kan., has a team high 0.95 blocks per set.
SCOUTING THE SAVAGE STORM
Southeastern Oklahoma State has started the season with a 2-4 record, going 1-2 in each of their first two weekends of matches; one of their wins came in three sets against Emporia State. They also have a match on Tuesday night against Northwestern Oklahoma State before heading to Lawton to face the Aggies. Sophomore Skylor Lewis leads the offense with 4.13 points per set, with 82 kills and 11 aces this season. Ruthie Forson is the main setter with 203 helpers already and has also chipped in 45 kills on her own.
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS
After a solid spring season and starting out this fall with a perfect 5-0 record, Texas A&M-Kingsville finds themselves receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top-25 rankings. TAMUK has a balanced attack led by sophomore Jackie Alanis, averaging 3.52 kills per set with a .259 attack percentage. LSC Preseason Setter of the Year Emily Witt is averaging 8.44 helpers to start 2021 and Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Ayanna Jackson has totaled 23 blocks in five matches, same as Tammy Jo Grohman.
SCOUTING THE DUSTDEVILS
Texas A&M International has had a rough start to the fall, going 0-7 in the first two weeks of the season. Of those seven matches, they have won just three sets, taking Biola to four and UC Colorado Springs to five sets. Senior Mackenzie Catalina leads the team with 4.15 points per set, 89 kills, and seven aces. Fellow senior Maison Kosse has a team-high 9.27 assists per frame, while defensively Carly Unruh (16) and Hanna Thompson (14) lead the team in blocks.
LOOKING AHEAD
Cameron will follow their first weekend of conference matches on the road with two at home next week. The Aggies host Lubbock Christian on Friday, Sep. 24, and then top-5 ranked Angelo State on Saturday, Sep. 25.
