SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (August 31, 2018) – The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals open their stay at the Westminster Invitational Friday facing Minnesota State, Mankato (3:30 p.m.) and tournament host Westminster College (8 p.m.) inside Behnken Field House.
 
MINNESOTA STATE | Fri., Aug. 31 | 3:30 p.m. CT
-LCU and Minnesota State are meeting for the first time all-time. The Lady Chaps have never faced a Minnesota based program.
- MSU is a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) member. In 2017, they went 15-13 overall and 9-11 in conference. This season, the Mavericks are picked to finish 10^th in the 16-team NSIC.
- The Mavericks opened the season last week in Evansville, Indiana, where they went 4-0 and did not lose a set.  Morgan Olson, Mara Quam, and Anissa Janzig were named to the all-tournament team at the USI invitational. They will play Truman State Friday morning before facing LCU. 
- Mara Quam compiled 60 last week to earn NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
- MSU ranks seventh nationally with 14.3 assists per set. 
 
WESTMINSTER COLLEGE (Utah) | Fri., Aug. 31 | 8 p.m. CT
- LCU and Westminster meet for the second time and in consecutive seasons. LCU defeated WC 3-0 last season (Sept. 1, 2017) in Portland, Ore. LCU is 1-1 all-time against Utah based programs. LCU has never played on Utah soil.
-Westminster just completed their final step to become full status NCAA Div. II members, coming from NAIA, which is a move LCU knows all too well. WC is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is in the same region as LCU. They are preseason picked 11^th in the conference.
-WC played in a four-match tournament last week in Daytona Beach, Fla., where they opened the season 1-4. They will play Fort Lewis prior to facing LCU Friday. 
-Audrey Green posted 10.9 attacks per set in their four matches in Florida, which has her in the top-50 nationally and third in the RMAC. 
 
GAME NOTES
-Lauren Zoller earned Heartland Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after claiming All-Tournament honors at the BritKare Lady Buff Classic hosted by West Texas A&M, as LCU split the opening weekend of play with a 2-2 record. She posted a .291 attack percentage after compiling a team-leading 49 kills (3.27 per set). Zoller posted 17 kills with a .457 attack percentage in LCU's win over Emporia State and closed the weekend with a double-double, 16 digs and 11 kills on .281 hitting, against host West Texas A&M. 
-LCU compiled 28 blocks last week, which has them ranked 50^th nationally. Newcomer Morgan Schwarz had 15 blocks and is second in the conference, ranking 66^th nationally. Jaiden Kennedy (13) ranks fourth in the conference. 
-Maddie DeGuire and Klaire Torrez each co-lead the team and the conference in aces with six.
-Libero Kelsie French eclipsed 2,000^th career dig last Saturday, become the fourth Lady Chap all-time to reach 2,000 digs. French is currently fourth all-time in digs with 2,036, which is a mark that has her second among active digs leaders in NCAA Div. II.
-Against West Texas A&M last Saturday, Ashley Vanfleet had 65 kill attempts. It was the highest individual mark since Channing Castleberry posted an LCU high of 67 on Oct. 21, 2017 against Arkansas - Fort Smith.
-Freshman setter Bradi Marshall heads into Friday's play coming off back-to-back double-double performances.