LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama volleyball team returns to Pruitt Hall this weekend for a pair of Gulf South Conference match ups, hosting Trevecca Nazarene University on Friday and Lee University on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT Friday and 1 p.m. CT Saturday.
West Alabama enters the weekend at 19-2 overall and 6-1 in GSC play following a straight-set victory over Miles College on Tuesday. The Tigers return home tied atop the conference standings with Alabama Huntsville and Trevecca, with all three teams holding 6-1 league records.
The Tigers enter the weekend unbeaten in nine home matches this season as they look to strengthen their position in the GSC standings.
THE MATCHUPS
Friday's contest brings together two teams tied for first place in the GSC standings. Trevecca enters at 9-8 overall and 6-1 in conference play, riding a six-match winning streak after sweeping Montevallo on Tuesday.
Trevecca's offense is led by Katilyn Grant, who has recorded 198 kills while hitting .338 and averaging 3.30 kills per set. Grant delivered 19 kills on 27 attacks with just one error for a .667 hitting percentage in Tuesday's victory over Montevallo. Emma Schnitzer added 12 kills, while Brynne Krangnes directed the offense with 38 assists.
Saturday's match up features a Lee team entering the weekend at 8-6 overall and 4-3 in GSC play. The Flames are coming off a 3-1 loss to Alabama Huntsville on Tuesday after taking the opening set 25-22 before dropping the next three sets 25-17, 25-11 and 25-20.
Lee's offense is led by Jordyn Butler, who has recorded 162 kills while hitting .334 and averaging 2.79 kills per set. Butler added eight kills in Tuesday's loss to Alabama Huntsville, while Payton Danley led the Flames with 11 kills. Esthefany Rabit and Sophia Lippert each contributed seven kills, while Avery Sample anchored the defense with 24 digs.
LAST TIME OUT
West Alabama returned to the win column Tuesday with a 3-0 victory over Miles at Knox-Windham Gymnasium. The Tigers won 25-20, 25-14 and 25-20 to improve to 19-2 overall.
UWA turned in an efficient offensive performance, recording 54 kills with just 11 errors on 106 attacks for a .406 hitting percentage. The Tigers hit above .350 in all three sets, including .455 in the opening set.
Klára Bobánová and Raven Grant each recorded nine kills, while Jazlyn Snow finished with seven kills on nine error-free attacks. Eleven different Tigers recorded at least one kill in the victory.
GOEDEN MAKES HER MARK
Cadence Goeden enters the weekend coming off Player of the Match honors against Miles after recording 10 kills on 23 attacks with just two errors for a .348 hitting percentage.
The senior has appeared in 14 matches and 37 sets this season, totaling 83 kills while averaging 2.24 kills per set. Tuesday marked her first double-digit kill performance of the season, adding another offensive option for a West Alabama team averaging 13.32 kills per set.
KEEF ANCHORS THE BACK ROW
Bailey Keef has provided a consistent defensive presence for West Alabama throughout the season. The senior leads the Tigers with 255 digs across 71 sets, averaging a team-best 3.59 digs per set.
Keef has also handled 328 serve-receive attempts while posting a .936 reception percentage. She added six digs and a service ace in Tuesday's sweep of Miles.
Her defensive contributions will be important against a Trevecca offense averaging 12.23 kills per set and a Lee team that has recorded 720 kills through 14 matches.
MATCH INFORMATION
West Alabama Volleyball vs. Trevecca Nazarene University
West Alabama: 19-2 (6-1 GSC) | Trevecca: 9-8 (6-1 GSC)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 6 p.m. CT
Pruitt Hall Gymnasium | Livingston, Ala.
West Alabama Volleyball vs. Lee University
West Alabama: 19-2 (6-1 GSC) | Lee: 8-6 (4-3 GSC)
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 1 p.m. CT
Pruitt Hall Gymnasium | Livingston, Ala.