Logan Volleyball Team Having Strong Season; Dugger Leads Nation in Digs

The John A. Logan College volleyball team wrapped up regular-season play on October 27 with a record of 34-13. It has been a strong campaign for the Lady Vols. In September, Logan won the John Wood Tournament and then took first place at the Illinois Valley Invitational without losing a game. The Lady Vols also captured the title at their own round robin tournament on October 20 and received votes in the latest NJCAA Top-20 Division II poll.

Defensively, Caitlin Dugger, a sophomore from Marion, leads the nation in digs per game with 10.1. Freshman Christy Long of Carbondale and Jan Foote, a sophomore from Norman, Oklahoma, also rank in the top 10 nationally in digs with 7.4 (sixth) and 6.9 (eighth) per game, respectively. Sophomore Marta Kowalska of Chicago averages 1.57 blocks per game for the Lady Vols, which places her ninth in the nation, and Tara Ryterski, a freshman from Nashville, Illinois, ranks 22nd with 1.34 blocks per contest.

On offense, Christy Long averages 3.3 kills per game to lead Logan. Jan Foote provides 2.5 kills per game and is also ranked No. 19 nationally in aces per game, averaging .73.

"Our success has been a team effort," said Fae Ragan, head volleyball coach at Logan. "Before the season began, I had a goal for us to win 30 matches, and these players have exceeded my expectations. We've continued to improve throughout the season and I'm optimistic about our chances in post-season play."

The Lady Vols are the No. 3 seed in the Region 24 Tournament and will play their first round match at home against No. 6 seed Rend Lake College on Tuesday, October 30, at 6 p.m.