Volleyball Travels to Alabama This Weekend for ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational

Match #7
Chicago State vs. Savannah State
Friday, Sept. 9, 2016 - 3:30 p.m, ET
Lockhart Gym - Montgomery, Ala.
Live Stats

Match #8
Chicago State vs. Troy
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 - 1 p.m, ET
Lockhart Gym - Montgomery, Ala.
Live Stats

Match #9
Chicago State at Alabama State
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 - 2:30 p.m, ET
Lockhart Gym - Montgomery, Ala.
Live Stats

This Week: The Chicago State volleyball team continues the tournament portion of its non-conference schedule this weekend with the ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational, hosted by Alabama State, at Lockhart Gym in Montgomery, Ala. CSU opens the tournament on Friday afternoon against Savannah State at 3:30 p.m., Eastern Time before closing play on Saturday against Troy (1 p.m., ET) and the host Lady Hornets (2:30 p.m., ET).

Scouting Chicago State: Chicago State heads into the weekend with a record of 0-6 following last weekend's Kansas Invitational where it fell to three Power Five conference opponents in the fourth-ranked Jayhawks (3-0), Arkansas (3-1) and Maryland (3-0). Junior outside hitter Juma Armando (Toronto, Canada/Archbishop Romero) and senior right side hitter Dzeni Hadzisehovic (Belgrade, Serbia/First Private School for Catering and Tourism) are tied for the team lead in kills with an average of 2.40 a set, while freshmen outside hitter Alexandria Cliff (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) and freshman middle blocker Sofia Gruden (Washburn, Ill./Metamora) have each produced 12 total blocks to tie for top honors on the team. Junior setter Kelsey Taylor (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian School) is averaging a team-leading 3.65 assists a set, freshman defensive specialist Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden) has tallied a team-high five service aces and senior defensive specialist Kiana Chaney (Roseville, Calif./Woodcreek) has recorded 3.25 digs a set.

Scouting Savannah State: Savannah State currently holds a 0-8 following a three-set loss to East Carolina in its home opener last Sunday. SSU also dropped four contests last weekend at the Bash at the Boro Invitational to The Citadel (3-0), Charleston Southern (3-1), host Georgia Southern (3-0) and Jacksonville State (3-0). Freshman middle blocker Dominique Ingram leads SSU in kills and total blocks, and senior setter Caitlynn Masoe has produced a team-leading 11 service aces. The Lady Tigers are led in assists by junior setter Alee Quint with 4.56 helpers per set and senior libero Alexis Washington is averaging a team-best 3.12 digs a set.

Scouting Troy: Troy comes into the weekend sporting a 3-4 season record after posting a 2-2 mark during a four-match homestand last week. The Trojans finished 1-2 in last weekend's Trojan Invitational with a 3-0 win over Southern followed with a 3-1 loss to Valparaiso and a 3-0 defeat to defending WAC champion New Mexico State. Sophomore outside/right side hitter Jordyn Saulsberry and senior middle hitter Leah Causey lead Troy with 2.50 kills and 0.96 blocks per set, respectively. Sophomore setter Alicia Hinrichs and junior libero Avalon Nero are tied for the team lead in service aces with seven, while freshman defensive specialist/libero Bethany Cullity is averaging a team-best 2.71 digs a set and junior setter Reina Terry has dished out an average of seven assists per set.

Scouting Alabama State: Playing in its second home tournament of the season, Alabama State brings a 1-6 record into this weekend's slate of matches after dropping three-set contests last weekend to host Arizona, Pepperdine and SMU at the Wildcat Classic in Tuscon, Ariz. The Lady Hornets are led by junior middle blocker Briana Dorsey's 1.88 kills and 0.80 blocks per set to go along with a .259 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Kori Kutsch is dishing out an average of 3.12 assists per set, senior defensive specialist/libero Jamie Coleman, the reigning SWAC Defensive Player of the Week, has produced a team-leading 3.04 digs a set and junior setter Justus Tuiolosega leads ASU with a team-high seven service aces.

Road Warriors: CSU plans to log in a lot of mileage over the first four weeks of the season with tournaments in Tennessee, Kansas, Alabama and Colorado to go along with a mid-week contest at Western Illinois on Sept. 13. The Cougars kick off their home schedule in less than two weeks on Sept. 20 against UIC at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center before taking on UMKC in their WAC opener three days later at the Jacoby Dickens Center.

Up Next: CSU continues its road swing on Tuesday, Sept. 13 with a non-conference contest at in-state rival Western Illinois before traveling to Boulder, Colo., that weekend to compete in the Omni Invitational against host Colorado, Colorado State and New Orleans.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Kiana Chaney: DS; 5' 7"; Senior

#9 Alexandria Cliff: OH; 6' 0"; Freshman

#3 Juma Armando: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#12 Megan Klavitter: DS; 5' 3"; Freshman

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic: RS; 6' 5"; Senior

#5 Kelsey Taylor: S; 5' 8"; Junior

#7 Sofia Gruden: MB; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Kiana Chaney
: 5' 7"; Senior
: DS

#9 Alexandria Cliff
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OH

#3 Juma Armando
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#12 Megan Klavitter
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: DS

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic
: 6' 5"; Senior
: RS

#5 Kelsey Taylor
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S

#7 Sofia Gruden
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: MB

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned