| W&M (3-1, 3-1 CAA) vs. UNCW (1-8, 1-5 CAA) |
| Date |
Fri. March 19 | 5 p.m. , Sat. March 20 | 12 p.m. |
| Location |
Kaplan Arena | Williamsburg, Va. |
| Live Stats |
Stats |
| Live Video |
Watch |
| Social Media |
@WMTribeVB |
| Stats |
William & Mary | UNCW |
| Schedule/Results |
William & Mary | UNCW |
WILLIAMSBURG,VA.- Fresh off an off week, William & Mary volleyball returns to Kaplan Arena this weekend for a pair of matches with UNCW. The Tribe will host the Seahawks Friday at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday at noon to close out the home portion of the spring season.
Coach Doyle's team is looking to build on a strong 3-1 start that featured a series sweep over Elon in Kaplan Arena and a 1-1 split with College of Charleston on the road. UNCW enters the weekend 1-8 on the season, and 1-5 in conference play. The Seahawks, much like the Tribe, split a pair of matches with College of Charleston, but were swept by both James Madison and Elon.
The pair of games will mark the final matches at Kaplan Arena in the illustrious career of graduate student
Kate Dedrick. The Texas native has played in every match for the Tribe since coming to Williamsburg and has collected over 794 kills.
The Tribe's 3-1 mark is the best record to open a season for the program since the 2009 season. William & Mary has been an offensive juggernaut at the halfway point of the year leading the CAA with 13.18 assists per set and ranking second with 13.71 kills per frame led by setter
Kate Van Houten and outside hitter Dedrick. The team also ranks third in the league in service aces per set and fourth in digs thanks in large part to sophomore
Anna Porter.
The Seahawks are led by setter and reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week, Brynn Montgomery. The senior leads the conference with eight double-doubles and posted a 25 assist, 11 kill, 12 dig triple-double last weekend in a four-set loss to Charleston. The versatile setter averages 2.00 kills per set while dishing out 5.70 assists and grabbing 2.67 digs per frame. As a team, UNCW allows opposing offenses just 11.98 kills per set and a .203 hitting percentage.
Dominant Dedrick
Tribe graduate student
Kate Dedrick has been impossible for opposing defenses to slow down this season. The lefty ranks eighth nationally recording 4.82 kills per set and has slammed at least 18 kills in every match this season including a career-high 25 on opening night against Elon. Dedrick has gotten it done on the defensive side of the net as well, recording at least one block in each match and contributing a career-high 13 digs in a W&M win on Feb. 28.
Van Houten Runs the Show
Sophomore setter
Kate Van Houten has been a large part of the Tribe's immense offensive success early in the season. The Arizona native leads the CAA and ranks 13th nationally dishing out 11.24 assists per set. Van Houten has recorded at least 40 assists in each match this season and contributed eight kills and 33 digs.
Magic in the Middle
Middle blockers
Julia Brown and
Madeleine Bertz have been spectacular early in the season for coach Doyle's squad. Brown ranks seventh in the league averaging 3.18 kills per set. The senior has slammed at least 12 kills in three of the Tribe's four contests and hit over .300 in a pair of matches while adding eight blocks. Bertz has returned to form after missing much of 2019 due to injury and matched Brown's eight blocks. The junior has taken advantage of her swings hitting over .300 in three contests this season.
A Pair of Aces
Sophomores
Anna Porter and
Kate Van Houten are tied for second in the conference averaging 0.41 service aces per frame. As a team the Tribe ranks third in the CAA in aces per set having recorded 28 aces on the season and allowing just 13. While Porter and Van Houten pace the team,
Kate Dedrick,
Lauren Merrill,
Maddie Meyers, and
Anne Louise Seekford all have three aces on the year.
Team Defense
Anna Porter leads the Tribe and ranks fourth in the league with 4.71 digs per set but the sophomore libero has gotten plenty of help in the back row.
Kate Van Houten and
Gabi Ganley have both chipped in 30 digs while
Anne Louise Seekford had 16 digs in last Sunday's win over College of Charleston.
Even Eleven
Lauren Merrill is averaging exactly 11.0 kills per match and has finished a pair of matches landing squarely on 11. In two other contests Merrill has recorded 12 and 10 kills respectively.
