BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team battles its first full weekend of Big South action on October 3rd and 4th, visiting Radford on Friday night and High Point on Saturday afternoon

GAME INFORMATION
Game 17: Gardner-Webb (7-9, 0-1 Big South) at Radford (4-11, 0-1 Big South)
Game 18: Gardner-Webb (7-9, 0-1 Big South) at High Point (4-7, 1-0 Big South)
Stream: Both matches on ESPN Plus
Opening Serve: 6:00 pm on Friday, 2:00 pm on Saturday

WEEKEND NOTES

• The Runnin' Bulldogs opened Big South play last Friday night with a narrow 3-2 defeat at co-Big South favorites, Winthrop. GWU battled back from multiple deficits and a was tied as late as 8-8 in the fifth set before Winthrop pulled away
• Gardner-Webb has already surpassed last season's win total in year two under head coach Alex Hinsey, entering the weekend at 7-9 overall, up from a 5-23 record in 2024
• As a team, Gardner-Webb enters the weekend ranked second nationally in total team digs with 1087 and digs per set with a mark of 17.82
• Graduate libero Nalani McBride has been excellent for the Runnin' Bulldogs and currently leads the team, conference and country as an individual with 339 total digs so far
• Sophomore outside hitter Samia Sayd and freshman outside hitter Haedyn Crumbley continue to pace Gardner-Web on the attack, with 116 and 112 kills respectively. Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Sandstrum will join them with over 100 kills this season on Friday, entering the match at Radford with 99 so far
• GWU has a pair of setters above 250 assists to this point in the season, with sophomore Olivia Lefebvre recording 276 and redshirt junior Sloane Rooney at 291 to lead the team
• Junior middle Milla Lugo is approaching the 100 block club, with 91 in her college career between Mary Washington and Gardner-Webb. The Anderson, S.C. had 12 in her freshman season in NCAA Division III and 79 since joining the Runnin' Bulldogs last year
• The Runnin' Bulldogs run a heavy rotation of freshmen and sophomores, with 11 having played more than 10 sets this year to this point
• Gardner-Webb is still searching for its second road win of the season, entering with a 1-5 mark after toppling Navy back on September 12th. The Runnin' Bulldogs however, are 6-3 on a neutral floor
• On the volleyball court, Gardner-Webb has defeated Radford on eight different occasions, including three times in the Dedmon Center and most recently, on the road, in October of 2023