The Emory volleyball team closes out the regular-season portion of its schedule this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 27-28) when it hosts the National Invitational Tournament.
The Eagles will battle four opponents over the two days with the schedule of all the matches as follows.
Friday, October 27
12:00 pm – Randolph Macon vs. Berry College
12:00 pm – Washington & Lee vs. Birmingham Southern
2:00 pm – Birmingham Southern vs. Webster
4:30 pm – Emory vs. Washington and Lee
4:30 pm – Webster vs. Berry
7:00 pm – Emory vs. Randolph-Macon
Saturday, October 28
10:00 am – Washington and Lee vs. Webster
12:30 pm – Emory vs. Berry
12:30 pm – Birmingham Southern vs. Randolph-Macon
3:00 pm – Emory vs. Webster
3:00 pm – Washington and Lee vs. Berry
Before Friday evening's match vs. Randolph-Macon, Emory Volleyball will recognize Hannah Billings in a Senior Night ceremony.
THE COACHES – Emory head coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 22nd year at the helm of the Eagles' program with a school and career mark of 706-158. She has 18 campaigns of 30 or more wins, and has directed the program to 21 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. She has steered the Eagles to five berths to the national semifinals and has a national championship to her credit in 2008. She notched her 700th career win on Oct. 5 following a 3-0 decision over Oglethorpe.
Bryan Snyder (Washington & Lee, '95) is in his 18th season at the helm of the Washington and Lee program. Heading into the weekend, Snyder has guided the Generals to a 483-145 won-lost mark, which includes 16 campaigns of 20 or more wins and 11 trips to the NCAA DIII Tournament.
Now in his 16th year of calling the shots for Randolph-Macon is Bill Rogers. Rogers has compiled a school and career ledger of 367-143. During his run with the Yellow Jackets, he has chalked up 13 campaigns of 20 or more victories and has made six appearances to the NCAA Tournament.
Caitlyn Moriarty (Christopher Newport, '11) is in her second season leading the fortunes of the Berry College program. Moriarty will bring a 46-14 slate into this weekend's action with a pair of 20-win campaigns to her credit.
Webster is led by 17th-year head coach Merry Graf. During her time with the Gorloks, Graf has
392 wins and has guided the program to eight St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles in the last 11 seasons, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Tournament those eight years.
2017 RECORDS – Emory, ranked No. 8 in this week's AVCA Top 25 Poll, claims an overall record of 21-5. In their most recent action, the Eagles ventured to the campus of Birmingham Southern last Sunday where they swept Hendrix before scrapping to a 3-2 decision over the host Panthers. Emory stands 8-0 at the Woodruff PE Center this year.
Washington and Lee stands 20-6 in overall play. The Generals have won their last six contests including two last Saturday against Hollins and John Wesley. W&L is 10-5 in road/neutral affairs.
Randolph-Macon has been successful in its last five encounters, raising its record to 19-4. The Yellow Jackets hosted and swept Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday. R-MC sports an 11-4 record in away/neutral matches.
Ranked No. 24 in this week's AVCA Poll, Berry invades Atlanta with a 23-4 mark. The Vikings are coming off home sweeps of Sewanee and Agnes Scott this past Sunday. BC is 13-4 away from its home court.
Webster has won 17 of 25 matches this season and most recently notched a 3-1 outcome at MacMurray College on Oct. 19.
CARR STEPS UP – With injuries forcing a number of key players out of action, sophomore Sara Carr (Birmingham, AL) has stepped up in a big way. The 5-foot-11 Carr has pounded out double-figure kills in her last six matches (12 on the year), averaging 4.33 kills per set in that stretch. In addition, Carr posts a solid .325 hitting percentage (104-21—255) in her last six outings, while averaging 3.62 digs set.
Heading into this weekend, Carr leads the team and is fourth among UAA players in kills average (3.15 kps) and is ninth on the league ladder in hitting percentage (.278).
McKNIGHT A KEY CONTRIBUTOR – Sophomore Morgan McKnight (Manassas, VA) has recorded a team-leading 15 matches of double-figure terminations, having reached double digits in four of her past five matches.
The 5-foot-10 outside hitter holds down the No. 2 spot on the team's scoresheet and is sixth in the conference in kills average (3.02 kps). Earlier in the season, she registered a career-high 16 terminations against Case Western Reserve (Oct. 14) at the UAA Round Robin II.
THOMPSON SETS SCHOOL MATCH RECORD FOR DIGS – Sophomore libero Elyse Thompson (Tallahassee, FL) came up big in the five-set win over Birmingham Southern last Sunday, registering a school-record 38 digs, which bettered the previous standard of 35 that she shared with Molly Landers (vs. Wash U, 2011).
Thompson is used to putting up impressive digs totals with seven outings of 20 or more and four of 30 or higher this yaer. She is averaging 5.05 digs per set, good for third place on the UAA ladder and among the top 100 in all of Division III. Her total of 434 digs places her 10th on the Eagles' all-time seasonal ladder.
EMORY DEFENSE TOUGH TO CRACK -- Emory has held 10 opponents to less than a .100 hitting percentage with two of those foes finishing with a minus effort. Emory has enjoyed an edge in hitting percentage on 19 occasions this year and has seen the opposition hit just .134, the top mark in the UAA.
NOTES & NUMBERS – Sophomore Carly Saitman (Hidden Hills, CA) registered a career-best seven (2-5) total blocks in the Birmingham Southern match, the third-highest mark by an Emory player this year … Freshman Leah Saunders (Simpsonville, SC) banged out 12 kills vs. Birmingham Southern, her 10th contest of double figures this year … Saunders stands 15th among UAA performers in kills average (2.48 kps) … Sophomore Mady Arles (Richmond, VA) doled out a personal-best 35 assists against Birmingham Southern … Emory leads the UAA and is No. 4 in the D-III ranks in kills per set (13.79) … The squad's total of 1,269 kills paces the conference and is 23rd nationally.