BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Off to a historic start, the best in Atlantic Sun
volleyball will be on tap this weekend inside the John W. Pope, Jr.
Convocation Center, as Campbell takes on Belmont and Lipscomb in a
weekend series. The Camels will face Belmont at 7 p.m. on Friday,
followed by Lipscomb, the A-Sun's "Match of the Week," at 2 p.m. on
Saturday.
At 11-5 overall and 5-1 in A-Sun play, the Camels currently stand
second in the league, while Belmont (9-8, 5-2 A-Sun) and Lipscomb
(11-3, 7-0 A-Sun), who have represented the conference in the NCAA
Tournament in each of the past three years (Belmont in 2006 and
2008, Lipscomb in 2007), come into the weekend in fourth and first,
respectively.
Campbell, winners of five of their last six contests, are off to
the third best start in program history (since 1986), trailing only
the 1997 and 1998 squads, who collected 16-0 and 12-4 records,
respectively. The Camels' 5-1 A-Sun start, meanwhile, ties a school
record, matching the 1998 and 2000 teams' efforts.
Leading the Camel charge has been senior middle blocker Ashley
Weers, who owns an A-Sun best .381 attack percentage. The
Littleton, Colo. native records 2.64 kills and 0.86 blocks per set
with four service aces on the season, accounting for her team-high
3.24 points per frame average. In a 3-0 win over North Carolina
Central on Tuesday, Weers notched 12 kills, hitting over .400 for
the eighth time this season.
Weers' partner in the middle, junior Caitlin Bendy, also ranks
among the A-Sun's best in attack percentage, listed fourth on the
list with a .323 rate. Bendy also ranks second in the conference
with 1.12 blocks per set, while sophomore setter Hope
Leatigaga is sixth in the league at 7.77 assists per frame.
All three teams on display in Buies Creek this weekend lead the
A-Sun in at least one category, with Campbell topping the list in
blocks (2.14 per set) and Belmont in service aces (1.92 per set).
Lipscomb, meanwhile, leads the league in four categories, including
hitting percentage (.264), assists (13.68), kills (14.80) and digs
(16.64).
Belmont will bring a five match winning streak into Gilbert Craig
Gore Arena Friday night that includes three straight conference
wins. The Bruins were in action on Tuesday as well, downing
Tennessee State in three sets. The Bruins held the Lady Tigers to a
season low .052 hitting percentage (33-27-116), while handing out
10 blocks.
Leading the Bruins has been the trio of Maggie Johnson, Channing
Salava and Megan Clements. Johnson, a sophomore outside hitter,
averages 3.43 kills while sophomore setter Salava posts 9.33
assists per frame. Clements, a junior libero, adds 5.00 digs per
set, good for second in the A-Sun.
Lipscomb, the A-Sun's top-ranked team, is on a steak of its own,
winning its past eight contests, including the past 24 sets. The
Bisons took a sweep from Evansville Tuesday night in Nashville,
Tenn., as freshman outside hitter Kaycee Green tallied a
career-high 18 kills on 31 attempts with just one error for a .548
attack rate. Junior middle Alex Kelly, the A-Sun's reigning Player
of the Year, recorded 13 kills and 12 digs. Junior setter Jake
Pease notched 39 assists, nine kills and six digs for the
Bisons.
Kelly ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage, behind
CU's Weers, at .361, while leading the league in kills at 4.45 per
set. Green is 10th on the kills list at 2.74, while
Pease is the conference's top setter with 11.77 assists per set.
The Bisons will face East Tennessee State on Friday night before
heading to Buies Creek.
The Camels will head to Jacksonville, Fla. next weekend, Oct. 9-10,
traveling to North Florida on Friday, followed by Jacksonville on
Saturday afternoon.
