STEPHENVILLE - The Tarleton volleyball team will open the 2009 home season against Texas Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at Wisdom Gym South in Stephenville.

The TexAnns (0-4) are coming off a rough weekend in Omaha, Neb. after falling in all four matches during the UNO Showcase.  Tarleton opened the tournament with a 3-0 loss to tournament host Nebraska-Omaha before falling 3-1 to Minnesota State-Mankato later on in the afternoon.  Tarleton opened Saturday's play with a 3-0 loss to No. 9 Truman State, then concluded the showcase with a 3-1 loss to Dallas Baptist.

Tarleton opens the season at 0-4 for the first time since 2003 when the TexAnns went 0-4 at the Texas Woman's Invitational in Denton.

Senior middle blocker Shay Gracy had a nice tournament though, leading the TexAnns with 33 kills (2.63/game) and 12 blocks (six solo).  Junior libero Shea McBrearty led the TexAnns defensively with 69 digs (4.93) throughout the two-day tournament.  She had collected a match-high 22 digs in Tarleton's three-set loss to UNO.  Sophomore setter Jessie Hartman led the TexAnns with 69 assists (4.93/game) on the offensive side of the net.

The Rams (1-2) head into Stephenville after a 3-2 win over Southern Nazarene on Saturday, Aug. 29.  TWU opened the season falling 3-0 to Arkansas-Fort Smith and then dropped their match, 3-0, to Oklahoma Baptist.

The Rams are led by Destiny Clemons who has 25 kills, a .171 hitting percentage and three service aces.  Kristen Venhuizen follows with 22 kills and a .164 hitting percentage.  Venhuizen and Kristina Harris lead the Rams with 29 digs while Chelsey Covington follows with 28 defensive digs.  Evoni Darling sets up the Rams offense and heads into Wednesday's match with a team-high 44 assists on the season.

First service is set for 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES

Series History
The Rams lead the all-time series 9-2 that dates back to 1985.  Tarleton's lone two wins have come from the previous three matches against TWU.  The two teams last met on Sept. 30, 2008.  Tarleton won the match 3-0 in Fort Worth.

TexAnns in Home Openers
Tarleton is 15-9 in home openers dating back to 1983.  The TexAnns have won three of their last five home opening matches.

The Other Side
Kaitlyn Lowes, a former TexAnn, has 13 kills, two assists, one service ace, four digs and two blocks in her first season with the Rams.  Lowes played in one match as a freshman for Tarleton back in 2007.