The Temple College Leopards volleyball team will take to the road again on Saturday as they play at Ranger College.
First serve will be at 1 pm.
Temple (8-18 overall, 2-11 NTJCAC) is coming off a thrilling, five-set match against North Central Texas College on Wednesday at Kirby Johnson Court. The Leopards won 3-2, by scores of 18-25, 25-15, 25-20, 21-25, and 15-13. TC had a season-high 122 digs, and second-most kills (64) and assists (62) in the match.
Ranger College (14-9 overall, 9-4 NTJCAC) dropped into a second-place tie with Hill and Vernon following their five-game road loss on Wednesday at Vernon. Scores of that match were 25-21, 19-25, 27-25, 22-25, and 15-11.
When the Leopards and Rangers played in Temple on Sept. 17, Ranger swept Temple, 3-0. Scores of the contest were 26-24, 25-7, and 25-21.
Prestyn Parish had ten kills, Tarryn Allen had 16 assists, and Dafne Sosa had 11 digs for Ranger.
Sarah Rodriguez, Lana Wright, and Grace Schneider each had five kills. Abbie Soileau was a dig short of a double-double with 15 assists and nine digs, and Karlee Williamson added ten helpers.
Temple averages 13.68 digs, 9.33 kills, 8.68 assists, 2.81 blocks, and 1.69 service aces per game through 26 matches.
Through 23 matches, Ranger averages 15.25 digs, 10.78 kills, 10.09 assists, two service aces, and 1.71 blocks per game.
The "Spoiler" role
The Region V playoff return the Leopards envisioned this season is not in the cards. Based on their Wednesday performance, the final five games for Temple sets up a platform for disrupting the NTJCAC playoff scene.
With Wednesday's win over NCTC, the Leopards knocked the Lions from a sixth-place tie with MCC to a seventh-place tie win Collin County Community College, four games out of the final playoff spot with five games to go. It is a steep mountain to climb, considering the traffic ahead of the playoff cut line.
Over the next five games for the Leopards, four of the contests are against the top four squads. The only game that does not figure in is the Leopards' contest against Southwestern Christian College in Terrell on Oct. 25.
TC's Saturday contest with Ranger, Wednesday's home game against Hill College, and the Leopards' final game of the season at Vernon College will play a significant part in all three teams' playoff plans. As of Friday morning, Ranger, Vernon and Hill College are in a second-place tie at 9-4.
The Leopards home match against No. 2 Weatherford College will not have a bearing on the Region V playoffs, but could have an impression on the NJCAA pollsters in the final Division I Top 25 poll of the season.
The Coyotes lead the conference at 13-0 and hold a four-game lead over the second-place pack with five games to go. It is not a stretch to believe the Coyotes will clinch the conference championship and the NTJCAC's No. 1 see before Weatherford arrives to play Temple at Kirby Johnson Court on Oct. 29.
As of the last Top 25 poll, the Coyotes sit second nationally, seven points behind Florida Southwestern State College and seven points in front of Miami Dade College. Incidentally, the two teams weigh in on the only two losses for Weatherford this season.
TC leaders through 26 matches
Matches played: Yasmine Traore, Lana Wright, Kharma Brown, Hanna Ward, and Sarah Rodriguez – 26.
Sets played: Traore and Ward – 91, Wright – 89, Brown – 88, Karlee Williamson – 87.
Kills: Traore – 216, Wright – 158, Brown 127, Grace Schneider – 124.
Total Attacks: Traore – 631, Brown 407, Wright 392, Schneider – 374.
Assists: Williamson – 447, Abbie Soileau – 290, Ward – 65.
Service Aces: Ward – 36, Wright – 30, Williamson – 25, Traore – 24.
Digs: Ward – 357, Traore – 178, Rodriguez – 165, Williamson – 127, Abbie Soileau - 109.
Blocks (Solo): Traore – 41, Wright – 27, Brown – 17, Schneider – 16, Kenedee Pennington – 15.
Blocks (Assist): Wright – 50, Brown – 47, Williamson – 43, Schneider and Traore – 22.
Blocks (Total): Wright – 77, Brown – 64, Traore – 63, Williamson – 46.
Points: Traore – 290, Wright – 240, Brown – 170.5, Schneider – 155, Pennington – 92.5.