The Teams: Tarleton State (13-13, 4-8 WAC) vs. Grand Canyon (18-5, 11-1 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Volleyball Gym
Time: 6 p.m. CT 
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
 
The Texans and the Lopes will go head-to-head in a match hosted by Tarleton State Thursday at 6 p.m. This will kickstart the final weekend at home for Tarleton Volleyball in the 2023 season. The battle between both Purple and White teams will mark the fifth meeting in program history and the second time the Texans have hosted the match. 
 
Quick hits
• Tarleton State is tied with Utah Tech for eighth place going into the match. 
• Matti Theurer claimed the first WAC award for the Texans on Oct. 18, as she claimed the title of WAC Libero of the week after seeing two new season-highs against UTA.  
• In the last match for the Texans, Utah Valley saw three consecutive sets over Tarleton State for a win.   
• This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams. The overall record in 4-0 in favor of Grand Canyon. In the most recent match between the two teams, the Lopes took the match in three sets. The first meeting between took place on Jan. 25, 2021, in Arizona and ended in three as the home team took the match. The following day, the Texans took a set, but GCU sealed the deal on the match with a 3-1 final. In the 2022 season, Tarleton State hosted the match, but the visitors claimed the four-set battle. The most recent match took place this season when the Lopes hosted the Purple and White for a quick three-set match. 
• Junior Allison Bryant leads the team with 312 kills and 336.5 points. 
• Sophomore Emma Burke has compiled 34 aces to lead the Texans. She has also amassed 105.0 total blocks for the 2023 season.  
• Sophomore Megan Hodges leads the team with 620 assists on the season. She has also compiled 217 digs and 30 service aces in the 2023 campaign.
• Rajini Fitzmaurice is consistently a key player for Tarleton State. With an impressive new season high of 22 kills in the match against the Redhawks, Fitzmaurice has now seen 15 matches with 10+ kills for her overall total of 278 kills for the season. The Florida, native, has compiled 21 aces for the Texans. Fitzmaurice has totaled 194 digs and 318.5 points.  
• The Purple and White have compiled some impressive numbers with 1,325 kills, averaging 12.9 kills per set. The Texans have amassed 1,218 assists, 161 aces and 1,471 digs averaging 14.3 digs per set. The Tarleton State defense consists of 30 solo blocks, 313 block assists and186.5 total blocks.
 
Notables
 
Watch list
Allison Bryant joins the Purple and White as a transfer from Palm Beach State. The junior outside hitter has quickly made her mark as a member of the team as she leads the Texans in kills with a total of 312. Bryant's season-high comes from a five-set battle against the UIW Cardinals where she racked up 24 kills throughout the duration of the match. The Kelseyville, California, native, has compiled 10-plus kills in 18 out of 24 matches played for the Texans. She also leads the team with 336.5 points on the season.

In her second season with the Texans, Megan Hodges has quickly put up some impressive numbers. Leading the team with 620 assists, Hodges has made it clear she is here to compete. The setter is in second place for digs with 217 on the season.

Sophomore Emma Burke is a vital part of the Texan's defense. She leads the team and is ranked second in the WAC with 105.0 blocks. The middle blocker is fourth on the team with 197 kills. The returner is a consistent, key player for Tarleton. Burke also leads the Texans in service aces with 34. 

Defensive specialist Matti Theurer has seen time in each set for the Texans so far this season. Leading the defense with 414 digs, the junior averages 4.02 digs per set. The libero has also amassed 21 aces on the season. 

Another notable returner is junior Grayson Schirpik. The outside hitter from Leander, Texas, is third on the team with 206 kills on the season, averaging 2.02 kills per set. Schirpik also ranks fourth on the team in points with 239.0. In the 2022 season, Schirpik was a vital power for the Purple and White.

Rajini Fitzmaurice has pulled some serious weight for the Texans in recent matches. Fitzmaurice sits in second for most kills on the team with 278 and season high of 22 kills in the match against Seattle U. The outside hitter is tied for third on the team in service aces with 21 on the season. Fitzmaurice is also in third for digs with 194 on the season, with a career high of 17 against UTSA.
 
WAC preseason poll
Tarleton was picked to finish 9th out of 11 in the Western Athletic Conference. With 28 points, the Texans were picked to follow up Southern Utah (34). Tarleton State will go to battle against Grand Canyon, who is projected to win the league, on Sept. 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. 
 
WAC awards
On Oct. 18, Matti Theurer claimed the first WAC award of the season for the Texans as she was named Libero of the Week. In the match against UTA, Theurer saw multiple new season-highs with four aces and four points tallied for the Purple and White. She compiled 39 digs in two matches and averaged 4.17 digs per set. She also contributed eight assists in two matches. 
 
 Two-way player
Megan Hodges (S) currently leads the team in assists with 620 and assists per set with 6.02 on the season. Hodges is tied for second most digs with 217 and averages 2.11 digs per set. 
 
 Second year stride
In her second season as a Texan, Emma Burke has been a powerhouse player for the Purple and White. In the 2022 season, Burke saw time in 28 matches but the sophomore has surpassed her numbers from the previous season with 26 matches played for Tarleton State so far. The middle blocker has compiled 197 kills in comparison to her total of 126 in the previous season. With 35 collegiate career aces, 34 coming from the 2023 season, Burke is tied for fourth in the WAC in service aces. The Texas, native, has tallied 44 digs on the season to top her total of 14 in the 2022 season. Burke sits at an impressive 105.0 total blocks on the season so far to surpass her 67.0 total blocks in the previous season. She has also compiled 290.5 points on the season so far in comparison to her 167.0 total previously. 
 
New school, new numbers
With several newcomers putting on the Purple and White for the first time, the newest members of Tarleton Volleyball have seen impressive numbers to greatly contribute to the team's success. Rajini Fitzmaurice comes to Tarleton State from Liberty University. In her first season for the Texans, the outside hitter has quickly become a leading force for Tarleton State compiling 278 kills for the Texans to top her previous career high season at Liberty of 163 in 2019. Fitzmaurice has beat her previous career high of 18 aces in the 2019 season. The Lake Mary, Florida, native has tallied 21 aces in her first season at Tarleton State with five set conference matches remaining for the Purple and White. With a 318.5 point contribution to the team, Fitzmaurice has beaten her previous record in a season with 206.0 points in her first season at Liberty in 2019.