RICHARDSON, Texas – The Eastern New Mexico volleyball team was picked to finish 12th in the newly expanded Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll released by the conference office on Monday.
The Hounds received 307 votes, scoring 12 votes ahead of conference newcomer Dallas Baptist and 16 votes in-front of rival Midwestern State. The poll is voted upon by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and members of the media.
With 11 teams a season ago, the LSC has since expanded to 18 squads in the off-season with Lubbock Christian, DBU, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, Texas A&M International, UAFS and UT Tyler joining the conference this year. The league is broken up into three divisions as Eastern is paired with Angelo State, Lubbock Christian, UT Permian Basin, West Texas A&M and Western New Mexico.
With the expansion, the conference tournament will consist of 12 teams with the top four teams receiving first round byes. The teams that receive the No. 5-8 bids will host a first round match with the quarterfinal, semifinal and championship match being played at the venue of the No. 1 seed.
Eastern will be seeking its seventh consecutive trip to the LSC Tournament under seventh-year head coach Sia Poyer. Last season, the Hounds earned the No. 8 seed in the league tourney after finishing the regular season with a 9-19 record and a 7-13 mark in conference play before falling to top-seeded and nationally 10th ranked Tarleton State in the first round of the LSC Tournament.
The Greyhounds return a talented roster that features All-Lone Star Conference First Team honoree Jasmine Gannon. The junior outside hitter finished second in the LSC a season ago with 384 kills at a 3.31 kills per set ratio while recording the second-most double-doubles on the team with 11.
The Hounds also return senior outside hitter and opposite side hitter Sarah Tuioti-Mariner. The Corona, California product saw action in 11 matches last year, recording 122 kills and 109 digs before having her season cut short due to injury. Tuioti-Mariner was an All-LSC Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore in 2017 after tallying 303 kills, 222 digs and 36 total blocks.
Eastern is bringing back a wellspring of experience at the net in seniors Christelle Kialanda and Lauryn Bresnahan as well junior Julie Tucker. A native of Jarrell, Texas, Tucker was the Hounds’ top blocker at the net with 80 total blocks, including a pair of seven-block matches against UT Permian Basin and Angelo State.
Entering her second season with the Greyhounds, Kialanda will look to build upon a strong 2018 campaign where she finished third on the team in blocks (46) and notched 122 kills. Her fellow senior Bresnahan will also provide a spark at the net after finishing third on the team with 147 kills and fourth with 42 blocks.
Sophomore setter Rae Sapiga will look to move into the starting setter role after turning in a solid freshman campaign. Sapiga recorded 482 assists in 29 matches a season ago, averaging 4.16 assists per set while also leading the Greyhounds from the service line with a team-high 32 aces, the tenth-most in the LSC.
The Hounds will have a strong mix of youth with the experience as Eastern has eight newcomers to the 2019 roster, including seven freshmen.
Eastern will open the regular season with a pair of non-conference tournaments on the road. The Greyhounds will start the year at the Cal State San Marcos Tournament on Sept. 6-7. The Hounds will play Saint Martin’s and Azusa Pacific on the first day of the tourney followed by Bentley and Cal State San Marcos to close it out.
The Greyhounds will play their home and conference opener two weeks later on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m.against Lubbock Christian before taking on Angelo State at noon on Saturday, Sept. 21.
