MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University's volleyball team begins the second half of Sunshine State Conference play Friday and Saturday when the Buccaneers host Rollins and No. 2 Tampa at Health & Sports Center.
The Bucs (8-11, 1-7 SSC) meet Rollins (17-6, 4-4) at 7 p .m. Friday. Catch the broadcast and Live Stats by clicking HERE. Barry will host last year's NCAA Division II runner-up Tampa (21-1, 8-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday. Live Video and Live Stats are available HERE.
Barry ranks first in the Sunshine State Conference in aces per set as a team. Tampa is sixth and Rollins seventh. But even just as critical is how many points a team is giving away on the serve. The Bucs have had 166 service errors. It's opponents in matches against the Bucs have given away 129 points on the serve.
Rollins is 16-5 in matches decided in three or four sets. The Tars are 9-2 in those matches. Tampa is 19-1 in matches decided in three or four sets with its lone loss coming to then No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul in the second week of September.
Barry has won all of its matches in three- and four-setters, claiming just one in a four-set verdict.
Tampa leads the SSC in hitting percentage at .298, Rollins is fifth at .204 and the Buccaneers are seventh at .189. The Spartans also lead the league in kills and blocks -- the two most critical ways to score. Tampa is averaging 2.6 blocks per set. Rollins is fifth at 1.95. Barry is seventh at 1.73.
The Tars are averaging 18.05 digs per set, which ranks second in the SSC. Tampa is digging 14.21 balls per set, while the Bucs are scooping up 13.53.
Last year, Barry went 6-2 in SSC play in the second half of the season.
NET NOTES
UP NEXT: Barry University hosts Rollins 7 p.m. Friday and No. 2 Tampa 4 p.m. Saturday, marking the second straight weekend the Bucs play at home.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: Rollins had a five-match win streak snap last week when the Tars dropped two league matches to No. 2 Tampa and Florida Southern, both by 3-1 scores ... Camille Indest has 308 kills, which leads the Sunshine State Conference, and a .379 attack percentage, which is second in the SSC ... Jessica Wilson has 175 kills, a .329 attack percentage and a team-best 75 blocks ... April Jackson has 635 assists ... Collyn Welsch has 430 digs ... Tampa has won 14 straight matches entering Friday's contest vs. Florida Tech in Melbourne ... Tampa's Berkley Whaley is the two-time reigning SSC Player of the Week ... She has 243 kills while hitting .305 this season ... Jessica Wagner is the Spartans' leading blocker (84) ... Four regulars are attacking at over .300 clips for Tampa, with two others hitting .294 or better ... All six of those attackers have exceeded 100 kills this season ... Kahley Patrick is the team's primary setter (557 assists).
3 to 5 ODDS: Barry is 7-7 in three-set matches ... When the match extends into four or five sets, the Bucs are 1-4, with the lone win coming in four sets.
ACES ARE WILD: Barry’s 1.92 aces per set leads the SSC ... Rollins is seventh at 1.42 ... Bucs Fr. S Jenny Trinidad leads the league at .46 aces per set.
SETTING THE TABLE: Fr. Jenny Trinidad has recorded over 30 assists in five of her last six matches ... She matched a season-high of 46 in the Bucs’ loss to Eckerd Saturday.
CARRERO’S TORPEDOS: Sr. OH Ashley Carrero has recorded double-digit kills in five straight matches ... She has double figures in eight matches this year ... Her 18 kills vs. Eckerd on Saturday is a season-high for the Bucs ... Her career-high is 27 kills vs. Nova Southeastern on Oct. 2, 2012.
ISOLATING IVANA: Fr. MB Ivana Didanovic has hit .300 or better in her last four matches ... She leads Barry with a .319 attack percentage ... Her .571 attack percentage vs. Florida Tech on Oct. 23 is a season-high for the Bucs.
WALL OF DEFENSE: The Bucs have outblocked their past four opponents ... Barry had 10.5 blocks against Florida Tech and nine more against Eckerd last week ... Barry’s season-high is 12 blocks against Christian Brothers.
DIGGIN’ IT: Barry has been outdug by its opponents, 944-866, this year ... The Bucs had a season-high 67 digs vs. Florida Tech, but the Panthers had 70 last week ... In the win over No. 19 West Florida, Barry had 64 to the Argos’ 70.
SECOND HALF: Barry enters the second half of SSC play this week.