FORT MYERS, Fla. – Following a 3-0 week, FGCU volleyball turns its attention to Bethune-Cookman for the final home non-conference match of the season. The match against the Wildcats is scheduled for a 7 p.m. first serve Tuesday, Oct. 13 inside Alico Arena. With a win, the Eagles will also see their three-match winning streak improve to a season-best four-match winning streak.

The match will be streamed live through the FGCU athletics website and live stats will also be available. Tickets are $5 for youth or $7 for an adult and can be purchased by ordering online or by calling the FGCU ticket office at 239-590-7145. Tuesday's match against the Wildcats is also Tank Top Tuesday and Dirty Birds are encouraged to wear their Dirty Bird tank tops to the match.

THE GREEN AND BLUE

With three wins last week, the Eagles enter Tuesday's match against the Wildcats in sole possession of second place in the A-Sun with a 13-7 record overall and a 4-1 mark in conference play. Vanessa Benke (Toledo, Brazil/College of Central Florida) was named the A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week after posting 59 digs in three matches, including a career-high 27 against Kennesaw State. Offensively, Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) posted consecutive double-doubles as well as recording career-highs in kills and digs.

Marlene Moeller (Lüdinghausen, Germany/Pascal Gymnasium) continued to hit with precision, moving into first place in the A-Sun with a .358 attacking percentage. Moeller tallied 10 kills for the fourth time this season against Kennesaw State while chipping in 11 blocks defensively during the three contests. Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) and Eleonora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) remained in the top 10 in kills and kills per set in the conference while Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic High School) sits second in the conference with 9.90 assists per set.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN

The Eagles and Wildcats meet for the second time this season with FGCU taking the first meeting 3-1 (25-12, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21) back on Sept. 15. Since that time, Bethune-Cookman has won six of its last nine matches and come to Fort Myers with an 8-12 record in 2015 including a 5-0 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. Delicia Pierre and Rhea Simon tallied nine kills against the Eagles in the first meeting and lead the Wildcat offense heading into Tuesday. With 236 kills, Pierre leads the entire team while Simon has added 158 kills in support.

Phylecia Armstrong has 55 blocks this season to lead the Wildcats at the net with five of her blocks coming against FGCU earlier this season. Alexas Thomas and Pierre also pitch in defensively, both tallying more than 40 blocks this season. Normarie Rolon has dug out 225 attacks, the most of any Wildcat in 2015.

Including the match on Sept. 15, FGCU has won all seven meetings since 2007. The Eagles have dropped only four sets to the Wildcats all-time. Carroll and Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) both tallied 13 kills in the win while Rick dished out 43 assists.

RPI Top 100

The Eagles cracked the RPI top 100 for the first time this season. In Monday's RPI rankings, FGCU jumped from No. 143 in last week's RPI to No. 93, surpassing North Florida as the second-highest rated team in the A-Sun. Lipscomb remains the conference's highest-rated team, coming in this week at No. 77. Last season, the Eagles climbed as high as No. 64.

Of FGCU's seven losses, six have come against RPI top 100 teams and four against RPI top 30. FGCU will have one more match against a current RPI top 100 team when the Eagles welcome Lipscomb to Alico Arena Nov. 13.  
 
UP NEXT

FGCU is back on the road to continue A-Sun play with contests at UNF and Jacksonville. The weekend begins with a match against the Ospreys Friday at 7 p.m. The Eagles then face the Dolphins in a rematch of the 2014 A-Sun Championship semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday. The non-conference schedule concludes in Tallahassee with a Monday match up with Florida A&M.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
 
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.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
 
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his second year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program and his teams have combined for an overall 32-18 (.640) record, including a 15-4 (.789) mark in A-Sun play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place finish in the A-Sun. Botsford's team also had five players recognized as All-Conference honorees, to set a new program high. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, 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.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag FeedFGCU to help.