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No. 9 Lady Saints prepare for Top 20 matchup in Colby
Posted: Sep 21, 2017

No. 9 Lady Saints prepare for Top 20 matchup in Colby

COLBY, Kan. – The No. 9 Seward County volleyball team will travel north Saturday (Sep. 23) to battle No. 20 Colby in a match that could help decide the conference champion down the road. The match features two teams that are currently undefeated in the Jayhawk West.

The Lady Saints (16-1, 5-0) are coming off their fourth straight sweep of a Jayhawk West opponent with their 3-0 win over Butler Wednesday night. Seward led the entire match, except for a brief one-point deficit in the first set.

Midway through the season, the Lady Saints lead the Jayhawk West in kills per set (14.42), kill percentage (.278), assists per set (12.59), service aces per set (12.59), and points per set (19.2).  Their kills/set, service aces/set and points/set all rank first in the NJCAA as well, with their assists/set ranking third.

Four Lady Saints currently lead the Jayhawk West in multiple categories. Freshman right side, Giovanna Tapigliani, ranks first in total kills (207), sophomore outside hitter Mariana Nasimento ranks first in kill percentage (.434), sophomore setter Giovanna Kuntze leads in assists per set (10.65) and service aces per set (0.55), and freshman middle hitter Luz Sierra leads in blocks per set (1.33).

Kuntze currently ranks third in the country in assists per set and total assists (586). The setter she will be facing off with, Melanie Loiseau, currently leads the nation in total assists with 594.

Colby (16-2, 6-0) is coming off a tight four set win in Cloud County, 17-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-15.  The Trojans are a freshman heavy team, with only three of their fourteen players being sophomores. The Trojans are led on offense by freshmen Julie Archer (3.37 kills/set), Brennah Gaston (3.08 kills/set), and Karleeann Ramos (3.05 kills/set).

Defensively, freshman libero Nina Gorgijevska leads the Jayhawk West in digs per set (4.87). The Lady Saints have won two straight against Colby, with their last loss coming a season ago in their first matchup, losing in consecutive sets. Seward leads the all-time series 18-12.

For more information on the Seward County volleyball team, visit SewardSaints.com.