GSU looks to spike EU and UNCG

  • Photo by: Mark Barnes IIFreshman setter Katalin Minnerly (1) taps the ball over the net.

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Jackie Gutknecht

This weekend, the Georgia Southern University volleyball team (14-6) will face off against Southern Conference rivals the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (10-8) and Elon University (9-12) at home.

GSU is on a two game win streak and looks to use this streak as momentum to serve, set and spike the UNCG Spartans on Saturday, who are also carrying a two game win streak.

UNCG currently has a 3-2 record on the road whereas GSU has a 5-2 record at home.

GSU currently has one loss in the SoCon, bringing its conference record to 5-1, while UNCG holds a conference record of 4-2.

Eagles’ senior setter Kate Van Dyke out ranks the Spartan setter with 813 season assists and an average of 11.29 assists per set. Spartans’ sophomore setter Emily McMurtrey has 656 season assist and averages 8.75 assists per set.

Spartans’ lead hitter, junior outside Karrian Chambers, is leading the team with 215 season kills and averages 3.26 per set. Eagles’ senior outside Meredith Paskert leads the flock with 244 season kills and averages 3.21 per set.

The Eagle’s second game of the weekend will be Sunday against the EU Phoenix. EU holds a regular season record of 9-12 and a SoCon record of 2-4 and is currently recovering from a loss in its last game against Samford University.

With only three seniors, compared to the five on EU, the Eagles are a young team.  Leading the Eagles is GSU freshman libero Alexandra Beecher who has 352 season digs and averages 4.63 digs per set. Beecher also leads the team in service aces with 24 this season.

Eagle defense will need to keep an eye out for Phoenix sophomore middle Kris Harris who averages 0.74 blocks per set and has 49 total blocks this season, but Phoenix defense will also have to be on guard because Eagles sophomore middle Kym Coley leads the team with 62 blocks and an average of 0.89 per set.

The Eagles have 10 games left in the regular season play against all SoCon teams and then look to finish the season with the mid November SoCon Tournament.

Eric Harrison contributed to this article.