Runnin' Bulldogs Look to Defend Its Home Court with Three Home Contests in Paul Porter Arena This Week
October 07, 2013 | Volleyball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team will look to remain at undefeated at home this season, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Davidson, Presbyterian and Winthrop this week in Paul Porter Arena.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will step out of conference play to host Davidson on Tuesday night, October 8th, at 8 p.m., before hosting both Presbyterian, on Friday night, October 11th, at 7 p.m., and Winthrop on Saturday afternoon, October 12th, at 2 p.m. in Big South Conference play over the weekend.
The Runnin' Bulldogs went 3-0 last week to improve to 9-10 overall and 2-1 in Big South Conference play, marking it the second straight season that GWU has started off with a 2-1 start to the Big South Conference slate.
GWU's current three-match winning streak is the longest of the season for GWU and ties the longest winning streak for a Runnin' Bulldog team since posting three wins in early September in 2012.
Gardner-Webb sophomore libero Anna Pashkova was chosen as the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week on October 7th, as she helped lead Gardner-Webb to a 3-0 record last week with 54 digs and 5.0 digs per set in Big South matches. In GWU's five-set win over Big South preseason favorite Liberty, she registered 23 digs. She followed that up with a 27-dig performance over Radford.
With GWU's back-to-back 3-2 five set wins over Liberty and Radford over the conference weekend last week, the Runnin' Bulldogs made history as it was the first time in their six-year history in the Big South that a GWU team has beaten two straight conference foes on back-to-back days.
The two wins also marks the first time in GWU's history in which the Runnin' Bulldogs have defeated both Liberty and Radford in the same season.
With GWU's 3-2 come from behind win on Friday night, the Runnin' Bulldogs snapped a 15-match losing streak in five set matches and was the first five set win since the 2010 season.
The back-to-back 3-2 five set wins last week marks the first time in the Runnin' Bulldogs' 14-year NCAA Division I history that GWU has recorded two straight five set wins.
Davidson enters play this week at 11-6 overall and is coming off a 3-2 win over UNC Greensboro last Saturday. The Wildcats, who have won five of its last seven matches, are 3-0 versus the Big South thus far this season with wins over CSU, High Point and Winthrop.
Davidson is led by Caroline Brown and her team-high 224 kills and 27 service aces on the year.
Presbyterian is 5-13 overall entering play this week, but leads the Big South at 3-0 in conference play. The Lady Blue Hose have won three straight matches, all of which have come at home in Big South play.
Rachel Hall leads the Lady Blue Hose in kills, while Mary Trimpe leads PC in both digs and service aces.
The Winthrop Lady Eagles enter this week at 10-7 overall and 1-2 in the Big South having loss each of its last two games. Winthrop, who will play at UNC Asheville on Friday night, is 0-4 in true road matches this season.
Alina Sophizhuk leads the Lady Eagles with 202 kills, while five different players have recorded over 100 digs on the year.
Live stats for all three home contests this week will be available at www.gwusports.com.
Tuesday night's match versus Davidson and Friday night's showdown against Presbyterian College will both be video streamed live for free by the Big South Network, presented by State Farm.
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