Georgia Southern (8-4, 0-0) at Arkansas State (5-7, 0-0)
Dates: Sept. 23 - 7 p.m. ET, Sept. 24 - 2 p.m. ET | First National Bank Arena
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Live Video: Friday - ESPN+ | Saturday - ESPN+
Series History |
Probable Starters (based on last match):
#1
Ashlyn Lovett
# 5
Jordan Christy
#7
Emily Jarome
#13
Baylor Bumford
#14
Grace Underwood
#20
Callaway Cason
#21
Paige Powers
• Georgia Southern opens the Sun Belt Conference schedule at Arkansas State this weekend. This year's league slate features Friday and Saturday matches against the same opponent.
• Arkansas State leads the all-time series against the Eagles, which began in 2013, 8-3, but Georgia Southern has won the last two. Both of those contests have been on the road and during the
Chad Willis era. The Eagles topped the Red Wolves 3-0 in their lone meeting last season.
• GS is 1-1 on the road this season and 3-3 away from home (road and neutral).
• Georgia Southern ranks 19th in the country in aces (2.03/set), and fifth in opponents' hitting percentage (.131). GS leads the Sun Belt in both categories and ranks fourth in the league in digs (15.18/set).
•
Ashlyn Lovett ranks fifth in the nation in aces (0.75/set) and 19th in digs (5.06/set) and leads the Sun Belt in both categories.
Emily Jarome ranks 10th in the Sun Belt in kills (3.28/set).
• 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. The Eagles were picked third in the East Division in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, and Bumford garnered preseason all-league accolades.
• Bumford is 38 blocks shy of 300 for her career, and Lovett notched her 500th career dig at the Tussle in the Triad.
• 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 1,151 career kills, 851 digs, 189 blocks and 93 aces.
Grace Underwood, Jarome's club teammate on East Coast Power, transferred from Delaware and has 250 career kills and 174 blocks.
Callaway Cason transferred from Ole Miss and ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in assists (9.67/set).
• The Sun Belt lost two programs and added four in James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss. 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 returns home to face Old Dominion next weekend. It will be the first volleyball meeting between the schools. Friday's match is set for 6 p.m., and first serve for Saturday is slated for 1 p.m.
