DAYTON - The University of Dayton volleyball team will open the road portion of its 2018 schedule this weekend with a trip to Lexington for the Bluegrass Battle hosted by Kentucky. Dayton will open the two-day event with a 10 a.m. tilt against Kansas at Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum.
In Friday's nightcap, Dayton will face off against host No. 16 Kentucky at 8:30 p.m. The Flyers' lone match on Saturday will be against the Cougars of College of Charleston at 1 p.m.
About Dayton
Dayton (3-0) opened the 2018 season by claiming the 2018 Dayton Invitational title with wins over Marshall, Ball State and South Alabama. Senior
Lauren Bruns was named the tournament MVP after averaging 4.36 kills/set for the Flyers, including posting a career-high 24 kills against Ball State. The Flyers boast three of the top five hitting percentages in the Atlantic 10 and, as a team, Dayton leads the A-10 with 3.23 blocks/set.
Scouting Kansas
Kansas (1-1) split its season-opening two-match series against Arkansas last weekend after defeating the Razorbacks, 3-2, in Fayetteville Friday, and then taking a 3-1 loss at home on Sunday. The Jayhawks' Patricia Montero is leading the team with 3.89 kills/set, including a career-high 19 in Sunday's loss. The home-opening loss was the first for Kansas since 2013 (also to Arkansas).
Series Stuff
This match will be the first meeting between Dayton and Kansas.
RPI Rankings
In the final NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI) of 2017, Dayton came in at 55 according to NCAA.com. Kansas was ranked 20 at the end of last season. 2017's first RPI ranking will be released by the NCAA on Oct. 1.
Last Time Out
Dayton went 3-0 over the first weekend of play in 2018. UD picked up a sweep of Marshall in its first game of the season and followed that with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Ball State and South Alabama on Saturday. The Flyers claimed the 2018 Dayton Invitational title and senior
Lauren Bruns was named the tournament's MVP. Joining Bruns on the all-tourney team was sophomore
Brooke Westbeld.
Flyer Facts
•
Tim Horsmon is in his 10th season overall, and fifth since 2007, as head coach of the Flyers in 2018. His record at Dayton is 241-65 and his career win-loss mark sits at 417-229 in 20 seasons as a head coach. Horsmon is the program's second-winningest coach behind only R. Elaine Dreidame who amassed 310 wins 1970-79.
• Over the last nine seasons (2009-2017), the Flyers have recorded a 119-10 (.922) mark in regular season Atlantic 10 Conference play, including a perfect 14-0 mark in 2016, 2015 and 2012 and a 15-0 record in 2010. UD suffered only one conference loss in 2017, 2014, 2011 and 2009.
• Dayton made its 18th-consecutive and 21st overall appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship in 2017. The Flyers have reached conference post-season play every year they have been a member of the A-10 except 1995 and 1999. UD holds a 25-10 record in league tournaments.
• Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title 13 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998). The Flyers have won the A-10 Championship title a league-record 11 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003) and made their 12th NCAA appearance in program history in 2016.
• With two wins at the 2014 Bowling Green Hampton Inn Invitational, Dayton surpassed the 1,000-win mark as a program to become just the 13th NCAA DI team to attain that level of success. The Flyers currently rank 12th all-time in the Division I record book with an overall program tally of 1,111-582 (.656) over 48 seasons (1970).
• The Flyers finished the 2017 season with a 23-8 overall record and a 13-1 Atlantic 10 mark, finishing in second place in regular-season league play. 2017 was the program's 39th winning season and its 30th 20-win season.
