Volleyball Caps Regular Season at Home with SoCon Title on the Line
11/8/2012 6:48:20 PM | Volleyball
Live video // Live stats vs. Furman // Live stats vs. Wofford
VIDEO: Preview interview with Coach Chad Callihan
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern volleyball team will host its final two regular-season matches in Hanner Fieldhouse this weekend with the Southern Conference South Division title on the line.
The Eagles take on Furman Friday at 6 p.m. in a doubleheader with the women's basketball team and faces Wofford Saturday at 7 p.m., following the Eagles' home football game against Howard. Fans can bring their football ticket stub to Saturday's match and get in for $1. The Eagles will honor seniors Moriah Bellissimo, Meredith Paskert and Kate Van Dyke prior to the match.
Two Eagle wins will give Georgia Southern the South Division title, their first since 2003 and the third in school history. If the Eagles lose either of the two matches and College of Charleston tops UNCG at home Saturday, the Cougars will win the South Division in a tiebreaker.
GSU has locked up either the first or second seed in the South Division for next weekend's Southern Conference Tournament at Davidson Nov. 17-19. All of the matches will be broadcast live on SoConTV, and the championship will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Paskert leads the Eagles in kills with 374, and Bellissimo is averaging 2.81 kills and 3.06 digs per set. Reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Alexandra Beecher is averaging 4.79 digs per set and has moved into the top-5 at GSU for digs in a season with 517.
Van Dyke ranks 24th in the country in assists with 11.25 per set and needs one block to reach 200 for her career. Bellissimo needs five blocks to reach 200 for her career.
Furman (21-8, 9-5 SoCon) leads the all-time series against GSU 29-18, but the Eagles are 5-4 against the Paladins during head coach Chad Callihan's tenure, including a 3-0 win at Furman Sept. 22.
Furman, which sits in third place in the South, ranks first in the league in team hitting percentage (.268), kills (14.39/set) and assists (13.60/set). Caroline Adams leads the conference in hitting percentage (.371), reigning SoCon Player of the Month Chandler Ambrester leads the league in kills (4.34/set) and Jo Wilks leads the league in assists (12.21/set).
The Eagles own a 27-6 all-time record against Wofford (15-12, 5-9 SoCon) and topped the Terriers 3-1 on the road Sept. 21. GSU is 8-1 against Wofford under Callihan and has won the last eight. Amanda Liguori leads the team in kills with 297, Bekah Dorsey leads the squad in assists with 779 and Reagan Styles leads the Terriers in digs with 424.
GSU will play in the Southern Conference Tournament at Davidson Nov. 17, in Belk Arena.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.
