Volley Cats Open Season Friday in Vette City Classic
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Bethel Lady Wildcats open their 2022 season Friday and Saturday in Bowling Green. Kentucky. The Cats will play four games in two days in the Annual Vette City Classic.
The Cats meet Reinhardt Friday morning at 11:30 a.m. Bethel plays Truett McConnell at 7 p.m. Friday night.
Union College will be the foe Saturday at 2 p.m. The Cats wrap up play Saturday night at 7 p.m. versus Indiana Southeast.
Tickets must be purchased in advance.
https://www.mid-southconference.org/hometown-ticketing
Live Stats:
https://naiastats.prestosports.com/composite
Tournament Page:
https://www.mid-southconference.org/2022-msc-vette-city-classic
Bethel finished 10-15 last year but like several other sports was on the cusp of a winning mark. Bethel played hard throughout the season and a case can be made of the team being ever so close in so many matches that could have gone in the favor of the Cats. Bethel was 3-13 in the MSC.
The Cats will need to replace several key members of the squad who closed out their careers last season. Makayla Franks, Lani Turner, Lucy Acuff, and Addison Coulter were honored on Senior Day last year. Coulter led the team with 27 blocks.
Bethel's Hannah McGowan was named to the 2nd all-conference team. Kameshia Moxley earned honorable mention status. Both are back and expected to have even more success this season.
McGowan led the team with 327 kills. She also had 36 assists. The senior from New Orleans had 257 digs. Moxley finished with 153 kills and 40 digs. Nayeli Vilchez is back after leading the squad with 473 assists. Ashely Sommerfeld will be back after finishing with 107 kills. Other key returners will be back including Sami Parker who had a team high 271 digs. Parker was also a vocal leader on the team. Dominika Skoncezna returns after being fourth on the squad with 182 digs. Brookelyn Davis was fifth in digs and will be depended on to continue to progress. Madelyn Woods, Lydia Dykes, Madison Hughes, and Alexi Lipsey also return and will be expected to make significant contributions.
Cat Stats:
Last Year-3.99 kills per set (ranked 15th in NAIA for 2021 season)
Career Stats- ranks second in career kills (1,470), ranks third in career digs (1,278), ranks fourth in career receptions (1,619), ranks fifth in career kills per set (3.80)
Career Stats- ranks eighth in career attack percentage (0.256)
Career Stats- ranks 10th in career attack percentage (0.241)
Career Stats-ranks 5th in career assists per set (5.44) through her first season at BU
Newcomers to watch include freshman middle blocker, Clara, Presmanes and transfer right-side/setter Logan Kalei Otu. Both players bring a dynamic game that will boost team performance.
The Lady Wildcats have 28 scheduled matches this year. The slate includes two tournaments to begin the season, nine home contests and 15 games against Mid-South Conference competition.
Bethel opens the 2022 campaign with four matches at the Vette City Classic in Bowling Green, Ky. The Volley Cats take on Reinhardt and Truett McConnell on Aug. 19 and Union (Ky.) and Indiana Southeast on Aug. 20. The following weekend, the Volley Cats travel to East Tennessee for four matches in the Milligan Mountain Madness. BU faces host school Milligan and Blue Mountain on Aug. 26 and Keiser and St. Andrews on Aug. 27. The month closes with a road game at Fisk in Nashville on Aug. 30.
The Lady Wildcats host Freed-Hardeman in the home and conference opener on Sept. 6. Bethel visits the Bluegrass State with road matches at Campbellsville on Sept. 13 and at defending MSC tournament champion Lindsey Wilson on Sept. 17. BU returns home to entertain UT Southern on Sept. 20. The Volley Cats travel to Mississippi University for Women on Sept. 22 before coming back to McKenzie for a three-game home stand. Bethel welcomes conference foes Cumberland (Sept. 24) and Thomas More (Sept. 30) to Crisp Arena.
October starts with another home game for the Volley Cats. Bethel hosts Fisk on Oct. 4. BU then sets out a four-game road swing with matches at Georgetown (Oct. 7), at Shawnee State (Oct. 8), at UT Southern (Oct. 11) and at Cumberland (Oct. 13). The Lady Wildcats finish the month with four of their next five contests at home. Lyon visits McKenzie on Oct. 15. A short road trip to battle Freed-Hardeman in Henderson is set for Oct. 18. The final three home matches of the year follow as Bethel entertains Mississippi University for Women on Oct. 21, Lindsey Wilson on Oct. 24 and Campbellsville on Oct. 26.
BU closes out the regular season on the road at Pikeville on Nov. 4 and at University of the Cumberlands on Nov. 5.