Emory Volleyball Tackles USC-Aiken & Lee

MATCH FACTS –  After picking up three wins at the UAA Round Robin I last weekend, the Emory volleyball team returns to action on Thursday when it plays at USC-Aiken before returning home for a Friday home encounter against Lee University.  The USC-Aiken Convocation Center will serve as the venue for the second-ever meeting between the Eagles and Pacers and match time is slated for 7:00 p.m.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will be the setting for the 27^th battle between Lee and the Eagles and that contest will also start at 7:00 p.m.

THE COACHES – Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, ’89) is in her 15th year at the helm of the Eagles’ program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 456-120.  She has 11 campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 14 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.  She guided Emory to its first-ever national title in 2008 and was named as the AVCA National Coach of the Year.

USC-Aiken is led by Glenn Cox (Valdosta State, 1994), who is in his third campaign as head coach. Heading into an Oct. 6 match at Lander, Cox had recorded a school record of 38-42.  In nine years of head coaching, which includes a six-year stint at Savannah College of Art & Design, Cox had amassed a career ledger of 148-91.

In her 20th season as the head coach at Lee University is Andrea Hudson (Lee College, 1984).  Following a Tuesday evening win against Shorter College, Hudson has manufactured an impressive school and career won-lost slate of 643-223.  She has directed the Lady Flames to 30 or more victories in 14 of 19 campaigns and appearances to the NAIA National Tournament on seven occasions.

2010 RECORDS – Emory stands 16-2 following its 3-0 record at the UAA Round Robin I last weekend.  The Eagles, ranked No. 3 among Division III programs, opened with a 3-0 triumph over No. 23 New York University on Saturday before registering 3-0 verdicts against Carnegie Mellon and Case Western Reserve University on Sunday.

USC-Aiken, a NCAA Division II member who plays in the Peach Belt Conference, will bring an overall mark of 7-9 into its Lander match.  The Pacers came out on the short end of 3-2 decisions to Catawba and Embry-Riddle, respectively, last weekend.  Six of USC-Aiken’s nine setbacks have been five-set battles.

Lee University’s 3-2 win over Shorter on Tuesday, boosted its record to 18-0. The Lady Flames had recorded 11 consecutive 3-0 victories prior to Tuesday’s contest and have been extended past three sets in just four matches this season.

SERIES RECORDS – Emory and USC-Aiken met for the first time last season with the Eagles claiming a 3-1 triumph at the Woodruff PE Center.

The all-time series with Lee University stands tied at 13 wins apiece.  The Lady Flames topped Emory earlier this year, 3-0, at Lee.

EMORY LOOKS TO KEEP HOME COURT STREAK ALIVE – The three wins this past weekend extended Emory’s home match winning streak to 21.  The Eagles stand 7-0 at the Woodruff PE Center this year and own an impressive 52-4 mark at home since the 2007 campaign.

McCALL PUTS UP STRONG NUMBERS AT UAA ROUND ROBIN I – Amelia McCall enjoyed a fine weekend at the UAA Round Robin I, averaging a conference-leading 4.22 kills, 4.11 digs (seventh in the league) and posting a 27.3 hitting percentage, 10^th on the UAA chart.  McCall led the team in kills in all three matches and recorded double-doubles in every outing, running her streak in that category to five matches. 

In UAA statistics released at the start of the week, she holds down eighth place in kills (3.10 kps) in overall action and stands 11^th in attack percentage (.285)

EAGLES DUO TO SERVE AS CAPTAINS – Serving as captains for the 2010 Eagles will be seniors Natalie Schonefeld and Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL).

NUMBERS TO WATCH –  Junior Natalie Schonefeld (Riviera, TX) totaled a UAA-best 11.78 assists per set last weekend and her total of 106 enabled her to crack the 3,000 career-assists plateau, just the fifth player in school history to achieve that feat … Entering the USC-Aiken match on Thursday, Schonefeld has 3,070 career assists, good for fourth place on the school’s all-time ladder … Schonefeld move past the previous fourth-place holder, Remley Dodge (2002-03) who totaled 3,010 … Junior Jessica McAlvany (Roswell, GA) came up double-figures in kills in all three outings at the UAA Round Robin and has 10 or more terminations to her credit in her last seven matches … A check at the UAA stats reveals that McAlvany is No. 5 among UAA players with a 3.34 kills per set average and 12^th in attack percentage (.283) … Sophomore Breanah Bourque (Houston, TX) continues to lead all UAA players with a 40.2 hitting percentage (169-35—333) … Bourque finished with a glittering 42.0 attack percentage (25-4—50) over the weekend that included a pair of 57.1 hitting percentage outings that came against NYU (8-0—14) and Carnegie Mellon (9-1—14) … Bourque has hit 40 percent or better in nine matches this season … Freshman Sarah Taub’s (Boulder, CO) 10 digs in the NYU match was her fifth performance of double figures in that category this year … Freshman Molly Landers (Kentfield, CA) tied her season best with 18 digs against NYU … Junior Ali Wright (Matteson, IL) stands fifth among UAA players with a 34.5 hitting percentage (128-41—252) while ranking 14^th all-time at Emory with 229 total blocks, three shy of moving into 13^th position.