MATCH FACTS - After turning in an impressive performance last weekend at the University Athletic Association Round Robin I, the No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team returns to the Woodruff PE Center on Friday when it hosts NCAA Division II member Armstrong Atlantic State.  Action gets underway at 6:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 14th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 424-114.  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.

Armstrong Atlantic State is led by Will Condon (Clemson, ‘96) who is in his second year at the helm of the Pirates' program.  Condon, who guided AASU to a spot in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight last year, has manufactured a school record of 41-12.  In 10 years as a head coach, which includes an eight-year stint at USC-Aiken, Condon posts a career won-lost ledger of 202-112.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 3 nationally among Division III  teams,  has won its last 10 matches and stands 18-2 on the year (3-0 UAA).  Last week, the Eagles rang up a 3-0 record at the UAA Round Robin I, topping the University of Chicago (3-0), New York University (3-1) and Carnegie Mellon (3-0).  Heading into Friday evening's affair, the Eagles have a fine 12-1 record in matches played at the Woodruff PE Center this season.

Armstrong Atlantic State, a member of the Peach Belt Conference, comes to town with an overall mark of 13-5.  Last weekend, the Pirates recorded a 3-1 win at Francis Marion before coming away with a 3-0 triumph at UNC-Pembroke.

SERIES RECORDS - The series between Emory and Armstrong Atlantic State stands tied at two wins apiece. Friday's match will represent the first meeting since the 1993 season.  

EMORY TOUGH AT THE WOODPEC - Emory has proved to be a tough opponent on its home court at the Woodruff PE Center.  Since 1992, the Eagles have compiled an overall record of 246-45, good for an 84.5 winning percentage.  Since the 2004 campaign, Coach McDowell has seen her club fashion a classy 86-13 slate (.868).  Last season, Emory finished with a mark of 11-1 in home matches.


EMORY SOLID AT ROUND ROBIN I - The Eagles were solid both offensively and defensively at last weekend's UAA Round Robin I.  In the three matches Emory hit 26.9 percent (117-36-301) while holding the opposition to 16.4 percent (115-61-329).  The Eagles finished with 34 total blocks (3.4 bps) compared to 15 for their foes. Serving proved to be a big ally for Emory as it registered a total of 25 aces, led my senior Alysse Meyer's eight, while opponents totaled seven.

NUMBERS TO WATCH - Through matches played Oct. 4, the Eagles rank as the UAA leader in hitting percentage (.303) and stand third in kills (13.19 kps) ...  Emory has four players among the league's top 10 in hitting percentage with freshman Alex Duhl leading the pack at 40.4 percent (94-20-183), good for third place on the league's chart ... Sophomore Jessica McAlvany holds down the fourth position at 36.0 percent (188-53-375) while sophomore Alexndra Wright (31.1 percent) and senior Alysse Meyer (29.3 percent) are seventh and ninth, respectively ... Sophomore setter Natalie Schonefeld is second in the conference with a 10.89 assists per set average ... The Eagles hit 44.7 percent, their second-highest average on the year, in the Carnegie Mellon match on Sunday ... Emory finished with double figures in total blocks in all three matches of the Round Robin I and will enter Friday's match with eight outings of 10 or more blocks ... Sophomore Brannan O'Neill was named Emory's Player of the Week after averaging 4.60 digs per set ... O'Neill, whose 3.46 digs per set average tops the team and is ninth in the UAA, totaled 17 digs against Carnegie Mellon, her second-highest total of the season ... O'Neill has 765 career digs to her credit and she is 30 shy of moving past Stephanie Turner (1991-94) and into 13th place on the school's all-time list ... Alysse Meyer's 11 kills in the Carnegie Mellon contest represented her fifth performance of double figures in that category this season ... Meyer claims 1,442 career terminations and she is just seven shy of surpassing Megan Williams (1997-2000) and moving into third place on Emory's all-time ladder ... Meyer is also working her way up the Eagles' all-time chart with her 152 service aces ranking 11th ... McAlvany's 10 kills against NYU was her 11th match of double digits in that category.

ON THE HORIZON - Following Friday's battle against Armstrong Atlantic State, the Eagles pack their bags and venture to Lee University for Saturday affairs against Covenant College (1:00 p.m). and Lee (7:00 p.m.).  Emory then ventures to North Alabama for Monday matches against the University of Puerto Rico (4:30 p.m.) and North Alabama (7:00 p.m.)

EAGLES TRIO TO SERVE AS CAPTAINS - Serving as captains for the 2009 Eagles are senior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA), Natalie Schonefeld (Riveria, TX) and junior Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL).