GWU Volleyball to Host 'Black Out' on Wednesday Night; Open Up Conference Play at UNCA on Friday
September 19, 2011 | Volleyball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team will host a "Black Out" on Wednesday night, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will welcome the Catamounts of Western Carolina to town for a 7 p.m. non-conference match up in Paul Porter Arena. On Friday night, the Runnin' Bulldogs will open up conference play on the road at UNC Asheville at 7 p.m.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (3-9) are coming off a weekend in which GWU went 1-2, posting a 3-0 win over the Wofford College Terriers on Saturday afternoon at the Spartan Classic hosted by USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C.
Senior libero Evan Moffitt was tabbed the Big South Defensive Player of the Week, as she posted 68 digs, an average of 5.23 per set, and five service aces over GWU's three matches and was named to the Spartan Classic All-Tournament Team. Moffitt also recorded her 1,000th career dig on Friday night, in a 3-2 loss to Western Carolina, becoming on the fourth player to record 1,000 career digs or more in GWU's Division I volleyball history.
Wednesday night's match with the Catamounts will be the second time these two teams have met in less than a week, as Western Carolina (5-9) held on to defeat GWU 3-2 in a five-set thriller last Friday night at the Spartan Classic.
The home match is the first for GWU since the Runnin' Bulldogs defeated Montreat College 3-0 back on August 31st, putting the Runnin' Bulldogs at 1-0 in Paul Porter Arena thus far this season.
However, Western Carolina, who is 5-9 thus far this season, have won three out of their last four matches and are 4-0 versus the Big South thus far this season, including the win over GWU last Friday night.
While GWU is only 1-3 thus far this season against the Southern Conference, the overall series versus the Catamounts since 2000 is knotted up at 4-4, with Wednesday's match looking to be the tiebreaker for both teams.
On Friday night, the Runnin' Bulldogs will hit the road once more, this time traveling to UNC Asheville (5-6) for its Big South Conference opener against the Bulldogs at 7 p.m.
These two foes have already met once this season in non-conference action, as Asheville defeated GWU in five-sets, 3-2, at the Gamecock Invitational back on September 3rd in Columbia, S.C.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are only 2-9 versus the Asheville Bulldogs since 2000, and with their win over GWU already this season, UNCA has won seven straight over GWU, as Gardner-Webb last beat UNCA back in 2006.
Gardner-Webb is winless in true road contests thus far this season, while UNCA has yet to host a home match this season.
Among UNCA and GWU's common foes thus far in 2011, the Bulldogs of Asheville are 1-3, while the Runnin' Bulldogs of GWU are 0-4.
Wednesday night's home match will be a "Black Out", as the GWU athletics department, in conjunction with the volleyball program and student activities, encourage fans of all ages to wear black to the contest to help "black out" Paul Porter Arena.
Live stats for the Western Carolina match on Wednesday night can be accessed by going to www.gwusports.com. Live stats for the UNCA match on Friday night can be accessed by going to www.uncabulldogs.com or you can click on the link on the volleyball schedule page at www.gwusports.com. Both matches are slated to be video streamed live over the Big South Network presented by State Farm and can be viewed by going to www.bigsouthsports.com.
To view the complete week five volleyball match notes click on the attached pdf or go to the weekly notes link on the top menu of the volleyball home page.
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| Week Five Volleyball Match Notes |
