Courtesy: Atlantic Sun Conference
ATLANTA – ASUN Conference Volleyball league play continues this weekend with a full slate of action. This weekend’s schedule is highlighted by a number of battle of unbeatens, as FGCU hosts Kennesaw State; a rematch of the 2017 ASUN Championship Final.
Liberty also puts their unblemished ASUN mark on the line when they take on fellow undefeated, Lipscomb. On Saturday, FGCU and Liberty flip-flop opponents, as the Eagles host Lipscomb and Liberty battles Kennesaw State. Stetson looks to continue one of their best starts in recent memory as they host NJIT and North Alabama. Jacksonville returns to action after a week off when they too host the Highlanders and Lions. North Florida gets this weekend off, as they are coming off a stretch of eight games in 16 days.
This weekend, several games will be broadcasted on ESPN3, ESPN+ and Facebook Live. For a full list of video and live state links, check out our full schedule.
FGCU Eagles (11-5, 4-0)
Twitter: @FGCU_VB
Next Three Matches: vs. Kennesaw State (10/5; 7 PM – Facebook Live); vs. Lipscomb (10/7; 2 PM ET – Facebook Live); vs. Stetson (10/9; 6 PM – Facebook Live)
Last Three Matches: at North Alabama (W, 3-0); at NJIT (W, 3-0); at North Florida (W, 3-0)
– The Eagles have yet to drop a set in ASUN play; they have won their last 15 sets dating back to non-conference play
– FGCU leads the all-time series with KSU and has won five of the last six meetings in Fort Myers
– The Eagles are first in the ASUN in hitting percentage with a mark of .258 led by Sharonda Pickering, who is tied for the nation’s lead at .451
– Cortney VanLiew has been one of the ASUN’s best offensive players ranking top-five in kills, kills/set & attacks and top-15 in hitting percentage & service aces
Jacksonville Dolphins (1-15, 0-4)
Twitter: JAX_Volleyball
Next Three Matches: vs. North Alabama (10/5; 7 PM); vs. NJIT (10/6; 6 PM); at Kennesaw State (10/12; 7 PM)
Last Three Matches: at North Florida (L, 3-0); vs. Liberty (L, 3-0); vs. FGCU (L, 3-0)
– Jacksonville hosts North Alabama and NJIT next weekend; JU holds the all-time series with NJIT at 6-0
– Mallory Mattingly is averaging 15.6 kills over her last eight matches; she fourth in the ASUN with 218 kills
– JU is one of the best serving teams in the league ranking first in aces/set at 1.61 and second in total aces with 98
– With 468 assists, Lauren Petersen ranks sixth in the ASUN and fifth in assists/set at 8.11
Kennesaw State Owls (13-4, 4-0)
Twitter: @KSUOwlsVB
Next Three Match: at FGCU (10/5; 7 PM – Facebook Live); at Liberty (10/7; 1 PM – ESPN+); at Jacksonville (10/12; 7 PM)
Last Three Matches: vs. North Florida (W, 3-1); vs Stetson (W, 3-0); at North Alabama (W, 3-0)
– Kennesaw State gets a rematch of the 2017 ASUN Championship Final as they take on FGCU; the Owls won that match 3-0
– This will be KSU’s second-ever match up with Liberty, as they beat them 3-1 back in 2016
– The Owls are one of the best ASUN teams on the block this season ranking second in blocks and third block solos
– KSU comes into the weekend on a seven-game win streak; their second win streak of six or more this season
Liberty Flames (7-10, 4-0)
Twitter: @LibertyWVB
Next Three Matches: vs. Lipscomb (10/5; 6 PM ET – ESPN3); vs. Kennesaw State (10/7; 1 PM – ESPN+); vs. FGCU (10/12; 6 PM – ESPN+)
Last Three Matches: at NJIT (W, 3-0); at North Alabama (W, 3-0); at Jacksonville (W, 3-0)
– Liberty puts its perfect ASUN record on the line this weekend against fellow unbeatens Lipscomb and Kennesaw State
– Setter Hannah Morris is averaging 11.14 assists/set in ASUN play, including a career high 52 assists against NJIT last week
– Casey Goodwin won Defensive Player of the Week last week; She is only the second Flames player ever to win POTW & DPOW in the same year
– Jenna Culhan recorded 11 kills against NJIT last week; she leads the Flames with seven double-digit kill matches this year
Lipscomb Bisons (9-7, 4-0)
Twitter: @LipscombVball
Next Three Matches: at Liberty (10/5; 5 PM CT – ESPN3); at FGCU (10/7 – 1PM CT – Facebook Live); vs. Jacksonville (10/13 – 2 PM CT)
Last Three Matches: vs. Stetson (W, 3-0); vs. North Florida (W, 3-1); at NJIT (W, 3-1)
– Lipscomb’s 4-0 ASUN start is their best since 2015 when they finished 13-1 in conference play
– ASUN Player of the Year, Carlyle Nusbaum, won her 11th ASUN Player of the Week award last week
– Nusbaum leads the league in kills/set with 4.41 and is averaging 18.5 kills over her last four matches
– The Bisons rank first in the ASUN in kills/set and assists/set with a marks of 13.81 and 13.00 respectively
NJIT Highlanders (2-16, 0-4)
Twitter: @NjitVolleyball
Next Three Matches: at Stetson (10/5; 6 PM – Facebook Live); at Jacksonville (10/6; 6 PM); vs. North Alabama (10/9; 7 PM ET)
Last Three Matches: vs. Liberty (L, 3-0); vs. FGCU (L, 3-0); vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (W, 3-1)
– NJIT hits the road for the first time in conference play as they take on Stetson. The Highlanders split the series with the Hatters in 2017
– Adriana Nieto is one of the best liberos in the country and her 5.38 digs/set and 323 total digs rank 20th and 28th nationally
– Madi Busler has posted double-digit kills in two of her last three matches, including 13 last time out
– Liz Benson leads the team in assists with 341. She has 10 matches of 20 assists or more this season
North Alabama Lions (2-11, 0-4)
Twitter: @RoarLions_UNA
Next Three Matches: at Jacksonville (10/5; 6 PM CT); at Stetson (10/6; 5 PM CT – Facebook Live); at NJIT (10/9; 6 PM CT)
Last Three Matches: vs. FGCU (L, 3-0); vs. North Alabama (L, 3-0); vs. Kennesaw State (L, 3-0)
– The Lions take to the road for the first time as an ASUN member, traveling to Jacksonville and Stetson
– Christina Ellwanger leads the team in kills and kills/set with 129 and 2.74
– Madison Ruble posted her best game of the year against Liberty last week with 12 kills and .346 hitting percentage
– The Lions rank in the top half of the ASUN in digs with a mark of 14.43
North Florida Ospreys (6-16, 1-5)
Twitter: @OspreysVB
Next Three Matches: at NJIT (10/12; 7 PM); at North Alabama (10/14; 2 PM ET); at FGCU (10/19; 7 PM)
Last Three Matches: vs. Stetson (L, 3-0); at Kennesaw State (L, 3-1); at Lipscomb (L, 3-1)
– North Florida gets this weekend off after playing a stretch of eight games in 16 days
– Taryn Griffey leads the conference in kills, block solos, block assists and total blocks
– Gabby O’Connell ranks fifth in the ASUN in digs with 229 and sixth in kills with 193
– The Ospreys rank first in the ASUN in kills (1008), assists (951), digs (1,151), block assists (270) and total blocks (170)
Stetson Hatters (10-6, 2-2)
Twitter: @StetsonVB
Next Three Matches: vs. NJIT (10/5; 6 PM – Facebook Live); vs. North Alabama (10/6; 6 PM ET – Facebook Live); at FGCU (10/9; 6 PM – Facebook Live)
Last Three Matches: at North Florida (W, 3-0); at Lipscomb (L, 3-0); at Kennesaw State (L, 3-0)
– With the Hatters’ victory against UNF on Wednesday, Stetson has their first double-digit win season since 2015
– Stetson’s 10-6 mark is their best start through 16 games since the 2014 season when they also started 10-6
– Julie Varga posted her best match of the year on Wednesday with 10 kills, 24 digs and a .325 hitting percentage
– Hao Jin has been one of the best two-way players in the ASUN, averaging 2.39 kill/set (14th) and 1.06 blocks/set (6th)
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