FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU volleyball has one non-conference match before Atlantic Sun play begins. The Eagles face Georgia Southern Friday, Sept. 25 to begin of string of five straight matches on the road. The weekend concludes with the start of A-Sun play Saturday, Sept. 26 against Stetson. FGCU's A-Sun opener will also be streamed live on ESPN3.

FGCU begins the weekend 7-6 and looks to end a three-match losing skid before the start of conference play. The Green and Blue are coming off of a second place finish in A-Sun play in 2014.

The Green and Blue

FGCU dropped three matches last weekend. The weekend began with a 3-1 defeat to FAU Thursday, Sept. 17. Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) fell four blocks shy of a triple-double, recording career-highs in kills (20), blocks (6) and digs (13). The competition grew tougher as the Eagles faced the Ohio Bobcats in consecutive days, falling 3-1 in both matches. Carroll ended the week with 60 kills, 37 digs and eight blocks including the Eagles' match against Bethune-Cookman. Her three double-doubles during the week cemented Carroll's second A-Sun Freshman of the Week honor of the season.

Carroll moved into fourth place in the A-Sun in kills per set and total kills. Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic High School) continues her solid freshman campaign, entering the weekend with 450 assists, good for third in the conference. Vanessa Benke (Toledo, Brazil/College of Central Florida) made appearances as an outside hitter and as a libero, moving into fourth in the A-Sun in digs. Elisa Anne Aldrich (Charleston, S.C./Wando High School) sits in a tie for third in total blocks with 47.

Prior to their second place finish in 2014, the Eagles have finished in the top half of the A-Sun in every season except for one since entering the conference in 2007. FGCU has won three regular season A-Sun titles (2007, 2008, 2012) and finished two games off Lipscomb's 13-1 pace last season.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

Georgia Southern enters Friday's match with a 5-8 overall record including a 2-4 mark in Statesboro, Ga. GSU has been outhit .169 to .175 despite 261 combined kills from Megan Chevalier and Stephanie Spencer. Meanwhile, Katie Bange and Kat Minnerly both have accumulated more than 230 assists on the year for Georgia Southern.

Defensively, GSU looks to Lauren Reichard to lead the way. Reichard has compiled 52 blocks in 2015 and is helped by 46 blocks from Crysten Curry and 36 blocks from Bange. Additionally, Alex Beecher provides the energy for the floor defense with 266 digs.

Friday will be the first meeting between the two programs.

STETSON

The Hatters are coming off of a 3-1 loss to Bethune-Cookman Tuesday, Sept. 22 to fall to 5-8 on the year. Stetson features a trio of hitters with 100 or more kills in 2015. Haley Trippett leads all Hatters with 133 kills while McKenna Foster and Madison Akins recently reached triple digits. Kayla Weller's 359 assists helps power the offense. Also contributing is Roxy Lake with 112 assists.

Stetson has held opponents to a .189 attack percentage thanks in part to Madison Fitzsimmons' A-Sun leading 52 blocks and Shelby Connors 41 blocks. Trippett also leads the floor defense with 126 digs, but four others have 75 or more digs.

The Eagles lead the all-time series 13-2 including a sweep of the season series in 2014. FGCU won seven straight meetings from 2007 to 2011 before dropping a 3-2 contest in DeLand later in 2011. The Green and Blue also defeated the Hatters in the A-Sun Tournament in 2013.

UP NEXT

The Eagles continue A-Sun play with a contest against newcomer NJIT Friday, Oct. 2. The road trip continues when the Eagles head to Nashville to face the 2014 regular season champions, Lipscomb Sunday, Oct. 4. FGCU will have one more road contest against FIU Tuesday, Oct. 6 before returning to Alico Arena.

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 26-17 (.604) record, including an 11-3 (.786) 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.