Concord Readies for Three Matches

Concord Stats - West Virginia State Stats - Notre Dame Stats - Alderson-Broaddus Stats - Live Stats - Live Video

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team prepares for a three-match week as it hosts West Virginia State 7:00 p.m. Tuesday before traveling to Notre Dame 7:00 p.m. Thursday and Alderson-Broaddus 7:00 p.m. Friday in Mountain East Conference action.

LIVE COVERAGE
Stats: Live in-match statistics will be available for all three matches.
Video: Live stream will be provided for the contests involving Concord.

RECORDS
CU has a mark of 5-13 overall and is 1-8 in the MEC.
West Virginia State is 20-3 and has won eight of nine MEC matches.
NDC sports a record of 13-11 overall and is 4-5 versus the league.
Alderson-Broaddus 5-11 and 1-8 against conference foes.

HISTORIC NIGHT
In a five-set loss to Frostburg State, freshman outside hitter Hannah Steele recorded her first career 20-20 match as the Pearisburg, Virginia native racked up 21 kills and 20 digs. It was the first 20-20 match for a Concord player since Sarah Jones and Brytni Willis accomplished the feat in the same contest against Charleston in November 2014. By handing out 19 assists versus FSU, senior setter Imani Rodgers became the seventh player in program history to go over 1,500 career assists. And junior middle hitter Amber Hall posted her 500^th career kill. With 501 kills, the Massillon, Ohio native is Concord's active career leader in kills.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
In a sweep of Salem Thursday, Rodgers and Steele both recorded double-doubles in the contest to help power the CU attack. Rodgers finished with 25 assists and 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season while Steele matched Rodgers' dig total to go along with 15 kills. For Steele, it was her third double-double over a fourth-match stretch last week—counting the Frostburg State game. Rodgers and Steele were the first set of teammates at Concord with a double-double in the same match since Ellie Lawrence and Jenna Mounts against West Virginia Wesleyan October 2017. Against Frostburg State, sophomore setter Kristin Lough just missed getting on the board with her first career double-double as she posted 21 assists and nine digs.

DEALING WITH REJECTION
As they have been for much of the season, the Mountain Lions remain one of the best blocking teams in the MEC. Concord ranks third in the conference in blocks per set (1.87). Individually, Hall is eighth in the MEC in blocks per set (0.80) while senior middle hitter Sheridan Herron is ninth (0.77). Furthermore, senior right side Peyton Wiseman is coming off a match where she notched six blocks versus Frostburg State while Hall matched her career high with seven blocks versus the Bobcats. The CU defense will look to slow down the West Virginia State duo of Jenna Dufresne and Gabrielle Bullock who both hit near or above .300 this season. Meanwhile, NDC's Kelsi Palmer is 10^th in the MEC in kills per set (2.75).

OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
West Virginia State shook off a five-set loss against West Liberty to down MEC North leader Wheeling in five sets Friday night. Overall, the Yellow Jackets have won 16 of their last 17 matches having only dropped seven sets over that span. Dufresne is one of the candidates for MEC Player of the Year as she is second in the MEC in kills per set (4.54) and her .315 hitting percentage ranks fifth.

Notre Dame has had 13 of its 24 matches go to either four or five sets. The Falcons are coming off a five-set victory over West Virginia Wesleyan. Thursday night will be just the sixth home match of the season for NDC as it is 2-2 at home and will host West Liberty Tuesday. Amelia Kaeberlein has been one of the best liberos in the MEC throughout her career and is averaging 6.0 digs per set this season, second in the MEC.

Alderson-Broaddus' lone conference win of the season came against West Virginia Wesleyan last Tuesday. Three of the five overall wins for the Battlers have been inside Rex Pyles Arena. Four different players are averaging two or more kills per set, led by Natalie Holter's 2.30. Lainey McGonigle is sixth in the MEC in digs per set (4.42).