WILMINGTON, North Carolina - The UNCW volleyball team opens a four-match road swing Tuesday as it makes a mid-week visit to long-time rival Charleston Southern.
Match time for the Seahawks and Buccaneers is set for 6 p.m. at the Buccaneer Field House. Live stats and pay-per-view video are available for the match and can be accessed by clicking on the links above.
UNCW heads out on the road with a 2-4 overall record after posting its second straight 1-2 finish in tournament play last weekend at the UNCW Courtyard by Marriott Tournament. The Seahawks defeated South Carolina State in straight sets and suffered losses to UCF and UNC Greensboro in the two-day event at Hanover Hall.
Senior outside hitter Kelli Clear was named to the all-tournament team as she paced the UNCW attack with a 3.00 kills per set average and a .233 attack percentage. Junior middle blockers Kimberly Friedl and Emily Mohrman also had solid weeks on the attack as Friedl averaged 1.56 kills per set and hit .344 while Mohrman averaged 1.44 kills and posted a .324 hitting percentage. Junior setter Kelsey Bendig averaged 6.11 assists per set and paced the Seahawks defensive efforts with a 2.56 digs per set average. She posted her second double-double of the season during the tournament as she recorded 23 assists and 10 digs against UNC Greensboro.
Playing for the first time in a week, Charleston Southern brings a 2-3 overall record into Tuesday's matchup after posting a 3-2 victory over cross-town rival The Citadel last Tuesday. Senior outside hitter Amanda Hill serves as the focal point of the Buccaneers attack as she has averaged more than one third of the team's kills per set to date(4.58/12.05). A two-time All-Big South selection, Hill also plays a key role in the team's defensive efforts as she has averaged a team-high 3.63 digs. Hill is one of three players who is averaging more than three digs per set as she is joined by senior libero Tricia Rodl (3.56) and senior outside hitter Emily Libertowski (3.12) in that category. Junior setter Amy Nokes quarterbacks the CSU offense as she has averaged 8.84 assists per set in her first season as the squad's primary setter.
UNCW holds a 22-11 edge in the all-time series between the two programs that dates back to the 1980 season. The 33 previous meetings between the two programs marks the fourth highest number of matchups between the Seahawks and a non-conference opponent as only East Carolina (65), Coastal Carolina (53) and Campbell (40) have squared off against the Seahawks on more occasions
The two programs have only met twice in the past ten seasons with their most recent matchup coming in the Georgia Southern Bash in the 'Boro Tournament during the 2008 season, a contest that saw the Buccaneers post a 3-1 victory over the Seahawks. Charleston Southern has won each of the past three meetings, with the Seahawks last victory in the series coming in a 3-1 triumph on Nov. 2, 1999 in Wilmington.
After its contest with the Buccaneers, UNCW will travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for the Butler Invitational Sept. 10-11. The Seahawks will face host Butler, Army and Xavier in the two-day event.
