Georgia Southern (2-1) at Tussle in the Triad Dates: Sept. 2 (1 and 4 p.m.), Sept. 3 (1 p.m. on ESPN+) Live Stats: vs. S.C. State | vs. UNCA | vs. UNCG Live Video: ESPN+ (vs. UNCG Only) Series History vs. S.C. State | Series History vs. UNCA | Series vs. UNCG

 

Georgia Southern	UNC Asheville	UNCG	South Carolina State
Roster	Roster	Roster	Roster
Stats	Stats	Stats	Stats
Schedule	Schedule	Schedule	Schedule

Probable Starters (based on last match):
#1 Ashlyn Lovett
#7 Emily Jarome
#11 Megan Vickery
#13 Baylor Bumford
#15 Robin Rosser
#20 Callaway Cason
#21 Paige Powers

• Coming off a 2-1 opening weekend at the Bash in the Boro, Georgia Southern plays its first matches away from home when the Eagles take part in the Tussle in the Triad Friday and Saturday. The Eagles take on South Carolina State and UNC Asheville Friday before meeting host UNCG Saturday.

• Emily Jarome finished the weekend with 40 kills and 16 digs while hitting .321 to earn all-tournament honors, and Ashlyn Lovett was named all-tournament after posting 42 digs and averaging 4.67 per set. 

• Lovett ranks third in the Sun Belt in digs, and the Eagles are holding their opponents to .095 hitting, which ranks 15th in the country. Jarome ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in kills (4.44/set).

• Georgia Southern leads the all-time series against all three opponents this weekend. GS is 19-7 against South Carolina State with the last meeting coming in 2018. The Eagles are 4-2 all-time against UNC Asheville, and GS topped the Bulldogs 3-1 in the last meeting in 2019.  UNCG and Georgia Southern competed 29 times against each other as members of the Southern Conference, and the Eagles hold a 15-14 edge in the series. This will be the first meeting since Georgia Southern joined the Sun Belt in 2014.

• Georgia Southern finished the 2021 campaign with a 17-11 record, the most wins for the program since the 2013 season, and their nine Sun Belt victories were the most since joining the league in 2014. Their 11 home wins were the most since 2013, when GS went 13-2 in Hanner Fieldhouse.

• Georgia Southern returned 15 letterwinners, including 2021 first-team All-Sun Belt selection Baylor Bumford and Freshman of the Year Ashlyn Lovett, and added three transfers and two freshmen to the 2022 roster. The Eagles were picked third in the East Division in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, and Bumford garnered preseason all-league accolades.

• The Eagles' roster has been bolstered by three transfers who are making an impact this season. Emily Jarome was a three-time All-CAA selection at Towson and led the Tigers to three CAA Tournament Championships and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances. Jarome's Eagle debut was her 100th career match, and she has 1,073 career kills, 791 digs, 178 blocks and 91 aces. Grace Underwood transferred from Delaware where she logged 147 blocks in 58 career matches, and Callaway Cason transferred from Ole Miss.

• Bumford is one block shy of 200 for her career, and Lovett is 14 digs away from 500.

• The Sun Belt lost two programs and added four in James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss, and the league slate features Friday and Saturday matches against the same opponent. The league is separated into East and West Divisions, and teams will play two matches against each team in its division and four matches against teams in the opposite division. League standings and Sun Belt Tournament seeding will be determined by each team's record inside its own division, and all 14 teams will play in the league's championship Nov. 16-20, at the Foley Sports Complex in Foley, Alabama. This will mark the second consecutive year that the Sun Belt Tournament will take place in Foley, and each of the tournament's matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.

• Georgia Southern plays on the road next weekend at the Sunshine Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, before returning home to play host to Queens, Saint Francis and Chattanooga Sept. 16-17, in the GATA Challenge in Hanner Fieldhouse.