By: by KSU Sports Information
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KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's volleyball team will try to ride the momentum from a pair of wins last weekend as it plays host to Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast this weekend in a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference matches. First serve against Stetson is set for 7 p.m. Friday while the Owls host FGCU this Saturday at 3 p.m.
"While their record doesn't show it yet, Stetson is a much-improved team from last season," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "We learned how tough the Hatters can be after they pushed us to five sets last season down in DeLand. With Florida Gulf Coast, you know you're going to be facing a solid team every time they step on the court. Dave Nichols does a great job of coaching and bringing talent down to Fort Myers, and the results speak for themselves. We know we will be in a fight come Saturday, but there's no one else I'd rather go in to a fight with than this team."
The Owls (7-12, 2-2) swept the road trip to Jacksonville, Fla., for the first time in program history last weekend. Senior Alyssa Lang led the way with a pair of double-doubles as the Owls defeated North Florida and Jacksonville by a 3-1 margin last Friday and Saturday.
Lang, a Richmond, Va., native, is on the verge of some personal history. The outside hitter needs just 24 kills to reach the 1,000-kill mark for her career. Lang tallied 553 of those kills at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County before transferring to KSU prior to her junior season. Lang is also on pace to reach 1,000 career digs. The senior needs 63 digs prior to the end of the season in order to reach that mark. She is currently averaging 3.04 digs per set.
Stetson (4-10, 0-3) has played each of its A-Sun brethren from Florida to start the season, and while the Hatters have lost each match, the scores have shown that the Hatters are a much better team than in previous years. Against Jacksonville Sept. 24, the Hatters went all the way to five sets before falling in the finale to the Dolphins, 15-13. Last weekend against FGCU, the Hatters took the first set and very nearly stole set two before falling in four sets to the Eagles. Kaley Melville has been a whale of an attacker for the Hatters, leading the team with 3.45 kills per set.
The Eagles (8-7, 3-0) are one of three undefeated teams currently in the A-Sun. The Eagles have played a very difficult schedule to this point, losing to No. 3 Southern California and No. 5 Penn State. Still, FGCU has won six of its last seven contests, and even took a set from Penn State in the loss during that seven-match streak. Freshman Jill Hopper leads the Eagles offensively with 3.05 kills per set.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink this Friday for KSU's annual "Dig Pink" match, highlighting the fight against Breast Cancer. Saturday is Girl Scout Day at the Convocation Center, with pre-match clinics taking place leading up to the 3 p.m. match. For more information on Girl Scout Day, click
here.
Saturday's match will be available via
ASun.TV.
