Islanders Travel to UTRGV for South Texas Showdown

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – On a season-long, six-match winning streak, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi steps out of Southland Conference play for the final time with a trip to UT Rio Grande Valley for the South Texas Showdown presented by NavyArmy Community Credit Union.
 
The Islanders (11-6, 6-0 SLC) and Vaqueros (12-7, 3-2 WAC) are meeting for the third time this season. A&M-Corpus Christi has won each of the previous two meetings, a 3-2 clash at the Baylor Invitational and a 3-1 victory on the Island.
 
In the South Texas Showdown, the Islanders hold a narrow lead at 9-8. Tuesday represents the last meeting in the series until basketball season.
 
GETTING NOTICED
 
Islander juniors Brittany Gilpin and Kate Klepetka each picked up Southland Conference Player of the Week honors after the Blue and Green defeated Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State to remain unbeaten in Southland play.
 
Gilpin recorded 27 kills in the two matches and committed just five errors on over 80 swings to hit .310 for the week. She also played solid defensively, adding three digs per set. Gilpin currently sits fifth in the conference, averaging 3.26 kills per set.
 
Klepetka racked up an impressive 54 digs between the two matches last weekend, averaging 6.75 per set. The libero notched 21 digs in the sweep of Stephen F. Austin before piling up 33 against Sam Houston State.
 
AGAINST UTRGV
 
In the two matches against UTRGV this season, the Islanders are hitting .222 as a team while holding the Vaqueros to a .165 clip.
 
• Brittany Gilpin leads the Islanders with 36 kills against the Vaqueros, averaging four per set.
• Madison Fitzsimmons and Claire Karsten each average 2.50 kills per set against UTRGV.
• Defensively, the Islanders racked up 20 team blocks in the two bouts with the Vaqueros.
• Fitzsimmons and Madeleine Doud both average better than a full block per set against UTRGV.
 
SCOUTING UTRGV
 
The Vaqueros are led offensively by Ragni Steen Knudsen, Bojana Mitrovic and Alisha Watson. All three of the attackers average 2.98 kills per set or better.
 
• Steen Knudsen has 263 kills on the season to lead all Vaqueros.
• Mitrovic has been the most dangerous against the Islanders with 36 kills, averaging four per set.
• Mitrovic also led the Vaqueros with 10 block assists against the Islanders.
• Libero Fatoumata Dacosta piled up 51 digs in the two matches against the Islanders, averaging 5.67 per set.
 
BUSY WEEKEND
 
After the Tuesday bout with UTRGV, the Islanders return home to face Houston Baptist on Thursday and Lamar on Saturday in Southland Conference play.