ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team hits the road to face Salem 7:00 p.m. Friday then heads to South Euclid, Ohio to face Mountain East Conference foe Notre Dame 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
Â
LIVE COVERAGE
The Salem University Sports Information Department will provide live statistics and video for Friday's match. The Notre Dame College Sports Information Department will provide live statistics and video for Saturday's game.
Â
SERIES HISTORY
Salem: Concord leads 22-3
Notre Dame: NDC leads 7-3
Â
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST SALEM
September 1, 2022: Concord 3 – Salem 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 21, 2021: Concord 3 – Salem 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
September 30, 2021: Concord 3 – Salem 1 (Salem, W.Va.)
November 6, 2019: Concord 3 – Salem 0 (Salem, W.Va.)
October 17, 2019: Concord 3 – Salem 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
Â
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST NOTRE DAME
October 22, 2022: Notre Dame 3 – Concord 1 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 28, 2021: Notre Dame 3 – Concord 1 (South Euclid, Ohio)
October 17, 2019: Notre Dame 3 – Concord 1 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 5, 2018: Notre Dame 3 – Concord 0 (South Euclid, Ohio)
October 13, 2017: Notre Dame 3 – Concord 1 (Athens, W.Va.)
Â
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 13-6
MEC Record: 4-2
Home Record: 5-3
Away Record: 3-2
Neutral Record: 5-1
Â
SERVE 'EM UP
In the opening match of the Concord Triangular Tuesday against Glenville State, freshman setter
Paige Richmond tied Imani Rodgers (2018) and
Hannah Steele (2021) for a program record of eight service aces in one match. Richmond served five of her eight aces in the 12-0 run to open the first set. She served her other three aces in the second set to help the Mountain Lions sweep the Pioneers 3-0 and improve to 4-2 in MEC play. Richmond currently ranks second in the Mountain East with 0.57 aces per set.
Â
TRENDSETTER
Freshman outside hitter
Meg Williams has either led or tied for the lead in kills in 18 of Concord's 19 matches this season. The lone exception was Tuesday's match against Glenville State where freshman outside hitter
Chloe Thompson led CU with 16 kills to Williams' 11 kills. As a freshman, Williams leads the MEC in total kills (296) and kills per set (4.29). She checks in just outside the top 10 in the conference in hitting percentage, as she is hitting .245 in 2023. Thompson also cracks the top 10 in kills per set in the conference (3.28), and is second among qualified Mountain Lion hitters with a .218 hitting percentage.
Â
PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
CU swept Salem 3-0 in the opening game of the Concord Classic in 2022. Senior middle hitter
Csayjah Whitelow totaled six kills and two blocks in the match. Senior middle hitter
Kyndra Pilant collected four kills and one block, and sophomore right side
Maddie Bohan picked up one block and three digs. The Mountain Lions dropped their lone contest against NDC last season in Athens, 3-1. Pilant led all CU players in the match with 17 kills while adding nine digs, two assists, two blocks, and one ace. Bohan saw action in two of the four sets picking up three digs and two blocks.
Â
SALEM AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 5-12
Home Record: 2-4
Away Record: 1-8
Neutral Record: 2-0
Â
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The Tigers' offensive attack is led by freshman outside hitter Valentina Poti and freshman right side Noemi Combi who have tallied 155 and 146 kills on the season, respectively. Senior right side Nakyia Middleton has added 124 kills and 48 blocks. Junior outside hitter McKenzie Clyncke has moved into a setter role for Salem as she leads the team in assists with 294. Freshman libero Alayna Cox leads the back row for the Tigers, pacing the team with 251 digs paired with 14 service aces.
Â
NOTRE DAME AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 4-10
MEC Record: 2-3
Home Record: 2-0
Away Record: 1-4
Neutral Record: 1-6
Â
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Notre Dame returns to Murphy Gymnasium on the heels of a 3-1 victory over Salem on Tuesday. Freshman right side Sydney Bray ranks second in the MEC with 4.02 kills per set. Bray ranks first in total points per set in the conference at 4.72. Junior defensive specialist/libero Jayme Zoeckler sits at third in the MEC in assists per set (9.20) and aces per set (0.42). Junior libero Kiley Kalina leads the Falcons in digs with 211 on the season which places her eighth in the conference in digs per set (3.96).
Â
