No. 5 SMU begins ACC play at home against No. 12 Stanford and Cal as the Mustangs look to extend a 13-match winning streak at Moody Coliseum.
No. 5 SMU volleyball enters ACC play with momentum, confidence and one of the longest home winning streaks in the country.
The Mustangs open conference action Friday night against No. 12 Stanford at Moody Coliseum before hosting California on Sunday afternoon.
SMU finished nonconference play 8-2 and enters the weekend riding back-to-back sweeps of Rice and Yale.
The Stanford matchup represents another major early-season test.
SMU has already faced five ranked opponents through its first 10 matches, including three victories over top-10 teams.
Friday will be the sixth-ranked opponent on the schedule and the beginning of a 20-match ACC slate.
The Mustangs also bring a 13-match home winning streak into the weekend, the longest in program history and tied for the fourth-longest active streak nationally.
SMU’s defense has been one of the biggest reasons for its strong start.
The Mustangs held Rice and Yale to a combined .106 hitting percentage last week, including just .091 by Yale. Natalia Newsome was dominant offensively as well, hitting .652 for the week.
Newsome has been one of the nation’s most efficient attackers all season. She enters ACC play hitting .524 with 75 kills and only nine errors, building on a career hitting percentage of .458.
Favor Anyanwu has added another unexpected weapon from the service line. After recording only one ace before this season, Anyanwu already has eight aces through 10 matches, including seven last week.
SMU also received an emotional boost with the return of Jadyn Livings, who recorded her first kill of the season after returning from the ACL injury she suffered in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Stanford arrives in Dallas at 7-3, with the all-time series tied 1-1. SMU won last year’s meeting in Palo Alto in four sets.
California enters the weekend 10-1 and riding an eight-match winning streak before facing Pittsburgh on Friday.
SMU has already established itself as a national contender. Now the Mustangs get the opportunity to prove it against ACC competition.
