FORT MYERS, Fla. — While riding a seven-game win streak and leading the Atlantic Sun Conference standings, the FGCU volleyball team will face is toughest conference challenge of the season as the Eagles host Lipscomb and Northern Kentucky at Alico Arena this weekend. The Green and Blue will welcome Lipscomb on Friday, Oct. 17 and will host NKU on Saturday, Oct. 18. Both matches are set for 6 p.m.
Friday's match will prove to be the Eagles' most anticipated of the season as the bout pits the league's two undefeated teams against each other in FGCU's first-ever volleyball match broadcast live on ESPN3.
THE GREEN AND BLUE
FGCU enters the weekend with a record of 12-7 with a perfect 5-0 mark in conference play. The Eagles most recently defeated Florida A&M in four sets to increase the win streak to match the longest run of the 2013 season. The five-match conference run is the team's best opening performance since starting the 2012 season with 14-straight wins.
Through 19 contests, the Eagles have maintained an attack percentage of .203 with 13.5 kills per set. In conference games alone, the Eagles have averaged 14.37 kills per set to lead the conference. The team also leads the conference with 12.79 assists per set and holds an average of 15.6 digs per stanza.
The Eagles' attack continues to be extensive as three different members have compiled 220 or more kills thus far. Senior Olivia Mesner (Boca Raton, Spanish River High School) leads the squad with 247 kills on the season, while classmate Jessica Barnes (Winter Haven, Fla./Haines City High School) has added 231 in 75 sets. Junior Elenora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) is third on the team with 226 kills and a rate of 3.10 kills per set. After hitting at an astonishing rate of .543 in three games last week, Mesner was named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Week and currently leads the league with a season rate of .393.
Senior Gigi Meyer (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz High School) has dished out 858 assists in 19 matches and possess the conference's top mark of 11.44 assists per set.
Whitney Masters (Muncie, Ind./Wapahani High School) anchors the defense with 4.13 digs per set and 310 total on the year while Kazarian's 50 blocks are a team high. Rookie Lauren Tutwiler (Louisville, Ky./Assumption High School) and Mesner each add 48 blocks to the team's effort.
LAST TIME OUT
Once again led by an impressive offensive effort by Olivia Mesner, the FGCU volleyball team extended its win streak to seven matches Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over in-state foe Florida A&M. The Eagles fell in set one (25-17) but rallied for three-straight sets (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) to earn the nonconference victory. With the win, the Eagles move to 12-7 on the season, while the Rattlers fell to 7-11. The loss snapped FAMU's seven-game win streak that spanned 24 days.
Mesner led the Eagle attack with 22 kills on 35 attempts. The senior collected just three errors on the night and hit .543. Mesner has now recorded an attack percentage over .500 on four occasions in the last six matches.
SCOUTING LIPSCOMB
Lipscomb travels to Fort Myers as the league's only other undefeated team in conference play. The Bisons hold a record of 11-6 on the year with a 5-0 mark in A-Sun play and are currently in the midst of a five-game win streak after edging UNF in a five-set match last weekend.
The Bisons maintain the league's highest RPI ranking at 49, while the Eagles sit next in line at 104.
As a unit, Lipscomb maintains an attack percentage of .194 compared to its foe's mark of .210. In conference play, the team has recorded 14.3 kills, 13.42 assists and 16.42 digs per stanza and ranks among the top-three in the conference in each category.
Individually, senior Lauren Ford leads the team and ranks second in the league with 3.79 kills per set. The duo of Jewell Dobson and Brittnay Estes add 2.93 and 2.91 kills per set, respectively, while Kayle Ostrom paces the team with 10.85 assists per set. On defense, Bri McCombs' 3.92 digs per set lead the team, while three others add at least 2.21 digs per stanza for an all-around effort. Molly Spitznagle leads the blocking effort with 63 of the team's total 121 blocks on the year.
FGCU is 4-10 overall against the Bisons in A-Sun play, including two losses last season.
SCOUTING NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Following the bout with top-ranked Lipscomb, the Eagles will take on fourth-place Northern Kentucky in a 6 p.m. matchup Saturday. NKU holds a record of 13-5 this season with a 3-2 mark in conference play. The Norse's two losses came at the hands of Lipscomb and Kennesaw State. The team will face third-ranked Stetson Friday night.
Collectively, the Norse have hit a league-leading .226 through 18 matches with 12.9 kills per set. The team produces 12.0 assists and 15.8 digs per set to sit nearly even with its opposition in each statistical category.
Junior Mel Stewart leads the team and ranks second in the conference with 4.39 digs per set, while Keely Creamer's 59 blocks in 67 sets have her pegged at fourth in the league.
The Norse attack is led by 2.78 kills per set from Jayden Julian, while Jenna Ruble and Megan Wanstrath add 2.70 and 2.67 per set, respectively. Taylor Snyder facilitates the offense with 10.36 assists per set.
The Eagles lead the all-time series with NKU 4-1, with two wins during the 2013 season.
FOLLOW LIVE
Fans can view Friday night's contest live and free of charge on ESPN3.com while live stats for will be available via StatBroadcast.
UP NEXT
After the weekend challenge, the Eagles will continue Atlantic Sun competition with the second go around. The team will travel to Stetson Saturday, Oct. 25 for a 3 p.m. matchup with the Hatters. The Eagles previously defeated Stetson 3-0 at home to open conference play.
Friday's contest will feature $3 tickets as the FGCU community prepares for Dunk City After Dark. Fans admitted for the volleyball game can remain in their seats for the basketball event which will begin at 9 p.m. Eagles Club benefit pick up will begin at 5 p.m. and all Eagles Club members will be admitted in to the match free of charge.
ATLANTIC SUN PLAY
In addition to the FGCU volleyball team's undefeated mark in conference play, the Green and Blue has seen widespread success in the Atlantic Sun Conference this fall. The men's and women's soccer programs also currently hold undefeated records thus far with marks of 3-0 and 5-0, respectively, giving the Eagle program an unblemished 13-0 conference record.
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his first year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUIPI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. Botsford is a former professional volleyball player and is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University, where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
