UD Leads A10 in Standings, Nation in Wins
By: Katie Obear – Staff Writer
At 20-1, the Dayton volleyball team boasts the best record in the nation for all NCAA Division I women’s volleyball teams. Since their only loss to Loyola Marymount on Sept. 16, the Flyers are riding an eight-game winning streak and have a 7-0 record in Atlantic 10 play.
In the team’s match last week against Fordham, UD swept the Rams, 3-0. Sophomore middle blocker Kendyll Brown recorded 12 kills to zero errors and had four blocks during her time on the court.
Earlier last week, the team downed the University of Rhode Island 3-1 in a high-stakes road game. At game time, both teams were undefeated in A10 play.
Since the victory, the Flyers now sit atop the Atlantic 10 standings, and Rhode Island follows behind with a 5-1 conference record.
The team has been continuously at the top of the conference since their 2014 season.
“Either way we are going to have continue to get better,” said head coach Tim Horsmon. “I’m not sure we are where we need to be and we are for sure not capped out in terms of how good I think we can be, so I think we are in a good position but we need to continue to grow as a team.”
In the match against Rhode Island, Brown recorded a career high of nine blocks and the Flyers saw notable performance by freshman Jamie Peterson who led the team in attack with 14 kills.
For Oct. 3-9, Brown was named the Atlantic 10 Volleyball Co-Defensive Player of the Week, her first career weekly honor. In Dayton’s two games that week, Brown recorded 20 kills and 13 blocks while hitting at a .704 percentage.
Brown also currently leads the Flyers in blocks, with 73 total for the season.
“I think coach has expected me to step up into that role, it’s just a matter of time before I did it,” Brown said. “It feels good that all the hard work is paying off. You have to come in every day with the thought that I just need to get one percent better, and if you focus on getting one percent better with each performance every day then you reach your goals, and I hope to keep performing that way.”
The team was on the road Oct. 14 and 16 when they took on VCU and Davidson.
UD defeated VCU on Friday night, 3-1 and swept Davidson on Sunday 3-0.
The ladies continue to be the only unbeaten team in A10 conference play. The Flyers return home Friday, Oct. 21 to play LaSalle, and stay home for a game against Duquesne on Sunday, Oct. 23.
This will mark the Flyers’ first return back Frericks Center since their match against George Mason on Sept. 25.
The Flyers were ranked 34th in the latest NCAA rating percentage index (RPI) poll. They also received votes for the top 25 in the coaches poll.
Dayton looks to keep its momentum moving forward in an attempt to win the A10 for a third straight season.
“Our kids made a commitment to play in one of the best volleyball programs in the country,” said Horsmon. “And they set high goals to achieve those goals they have to perform every weekend and be able to play and compete every weekend no matter if we are home or away.”