WILMINGTON, N.C. - Winners of its last three matches, the UNC Wilmington volleyball team heads out on the road this weekend as they begin a four-match roadswing this weekend with contests against George Mason and James Madison.
The Seahawks and Patriots square off Friday in a 7 p.m. match at the Recreation & Athletic Complex before UNCW meets up with the Dukes Saturday in a 7 p.m. start at the JMU Convocation Center. Live stats are available for both matches and can be accessed by clicking on the link above.
"We have our two toughest road trips coming up and have been mentally preparing for this because all the CAA teams play strong at home," UNCW Head Coach Amy Bambenek. "We are getting better with each practice and each match, so I hope we continue in that direction this weekend against GMU and JMU"
UNCW won both of its matches last weekend as it closed out non-conference play with a 3-0 victory over North Carolina Central before picking up its second straight conference victory with a 3-1 triumph over Georgia State to improve to 13-12 overall and 3-5 in CAA play. Senior outside hitter Lindsey Strucko recorded a team-best 4.00 kills per set as she paced a balanced UNCW attack that combined for a .261 attack percentage and saw five players record at least 1.7 kills per set.
Sophomore setter Kelsey Bendig benefitted from the potent UNCW attack as she turned in a pair of double-double performances with 8.6 assists and 3.83 digs per set.
Defensively, senior libero Ashlyn Morris recorded a team-best 3.86 digs per set as she was one of five players to post most than two digs per set last weekend. Senior middle blocker Paula McConnell and sophomore middle hitter Emily Mohrman led the team's blocking efforts as the duo both recorded nine total blocks during the two matches.
Mason enters the weekend with a 17-7 record overall and a 6-3 mark in CAA play as it sits in sole possession of fourth place in the league standings. Junior Holly Goode leads the Patriots and ranks among the conference leaders in both kills per set (3.11) and attack percentage (.292) as she paces a Mason attack that boasts a conference-best .222 hitting percentage.
Fernanda Bartels quarterbacks the Patriots offense with a team-best 9.44 assists per set and leads the squad with a 2.53 digs per set average as she is one of four Mason players averaging more than two digs per set this season Sophomore Kelsey Bohman paces the GMU blocking unit with a conference-high 1.31 blocks per set, a figure which ranks 27th in the nation.
JMU improved to 9-16 overall and 2-7 in league play last weekend as it knocked off league front-runner Delaware and Towson at the Convocation Center. Freshman outside hitter Danielle Erb leads the Dukes and ranks sixth in the CAA in kills per set (3.00) and junior middle blocker Jessica Zeroual paces the team and is 10th on the circuit in hitting percentage (.265). Junior Lauren Fanelli and freshman Megan Weichmann have shared the setting duties for the Dukes this season as they have combined to record 16.31 assists per set.
Freshman libero Natalie Abel, the reigning CAA Defensive Player-of-the-Week, paces JMU in digs (3.11) while Zeroual and sophomore middle blocker Kelly Turner highlight the team's defensive efforts at the net as both players are averaging 0.66 blocks per set.
UNCW wraps up the road portion of its 2009 schedule next weekend as they head North to take on Northeastern (Nov. 6) and Hofstra (Nov. 8).
