No. 11 Taylor Volleyball Set to Host CL Tournament Quarterfinals

Volleyball | Thu, Nov. 3, 2022 at 9:30 AM
| by Jake Chipka

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UPLAND, Ind. –  The No. 11 Taylor (27-5, 16-2 CL) volleyball team is nearing a Crossroads League Tournament Quarterfinal matchup with eight-seed, Grace (10-22, 5-13 CL), set to take place on Saturday afternoon, November 5, at 3:00 pm inside Odle Arena.

Taylor finished the 2022 regular season with its highest regular season win total and national ranking since 2011. The Trojans also posted their best record in Crossroads League play in over a decade, alongside their first undefeated season at home in over two.

After winning its final nine home matches in 2021, Taylor has now won a remarkable 22-consecutive matches inside Odle Arena, which fills the TU faithful with well-founded optimism as the Trojans prepare to encounter Grace Saturday afternoon.

Taylor went 2-0 against Grace in 2022, sweeping the Lancers in both matchups. Along the way, Anna Frey was dominate against her former team, averaging a team-high 4.0 kills-per-set alongside a .422 hitting percentage. Frey’s dominate performance extended throughout the court, as she added 2.50 digs and 1.00 blocks-per-set to her team-high kill numbers against Grace.

Another dynamic performer in TU’s two matches against Grace has been Trojan setter, Kacy Bragg, who posted 9.83 assists, alongside 2.00 digs and 1.33 blocks-per-set in TU’s two wins over Grace.

In the Trojan backcourt, freshman libero, McKaylah Flagle, has embodied a rock-solid presence against Grace, averaging a team-high 5.33 digs-per-set in response to the Lancer attack.

As a team, Taylor has posted a .251 hitting percentage in its two sweeps of Grace, in comparison to just a .117 mark from the Lancers. A significant factor in Grace’s low hitting percentage has been a stout blocking brigade presented by the Trojan defense, as Taylor has out-blocked Grace 17-6 in their two matchups.

By season’s end, a trio of Trojans had placed themselves among the nation’s top performers, including senior right-side hitter, Ryan Czerniak, who finished the regular season leading the nation with a .405 hitting percentage. Meanwhile, Bragg led the nation with 1,273 total assists by season’s end, and Grace Ieremia shared the national lead with 142 regular-season total blocks.

This trio has led Taylor to the third-most total team kills in the nation, alongside the fourth-most…