FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU volleyball team (17-6, 7-1 ASUN) hits the road this weekend for two more crucial matches in ASUN play. The team will face North Florida (9-16, 1-7 ASUN) on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing Jacksonville (13-8, 7-1 ASUN) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in a matchup between two of the three teams currently tied for first in the ASUN standings.

FGCU, Jacksonville and Kennesaw State are currently tied atop the ASUN standings, and it's about as close as you can get head-to-head. FGCU handed Jacksonville its lone ASUN loss in Alico Arena on Oct. 13, while Kennesaw State was the last team to defeat FGCU on Sept. 29 before the Eagles started their current eight-match winning streak. Jacksonville defeated Kennesaw State in four sets on Oct. 6.

For FGCU, this weekend's doubleheader starts a four game road trip that will also see the team face NJIT and USC Upstate next weekend. The team then closes out the regular season at home against Lipscomb and Kennesaw State on Nov. 10-11.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
FGCU enters this weekend having won eight straight matches, and the last seven have been in straight sets, which gives the Eagles a 22-set winning streak dating back the final set against Lipscomb on Sept. 30. It is the second longest sets won streak in the NCAA Division I era behind 30 straight from Sept. 1 to Oct. 5, 2007. The longest streak among Division I postseason eligible teams is the current streak, which surpasses the 17 straight sets the 2012 team won from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9 of that season. The longest overall sets won streak, including the Division II era, is 38, which took place from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30, 2006.

In ASUN matches only, FGCU leads the conference in kills per set (14.31), hitting percentage (.286), assists per set (13.68), total blocks (64) and blocks per set (2.56). They are second in solo blocks (16), third in digs per set (15.48) and fourth in total assists (342). The Eagles have played the fewest sets in ASUN play as six of their seven wins have come in straight sets.

Individually, Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) currently ranks among the conference's top five in kills per set (2nd, 4.45), total kills (2nd, 334) and hitting percentage (3rd, .313). Daniele Serrano (Sanford, Fla./Seminole HS) continues to lead the ASUN in hitting percentage at .397. In addition to those two, Cortney VanLiew (.240) and Kaitlan Krivdo (.237) give FGCU four of the conference's top 15 players in hitting percentage. Krivdo (Hope Mills, N.C./Grays Creek HS) checks in at 17th in total blocks with 43 - just one spot behind Sharonda Pickering (Sea Cow's Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands/Elmore Stoutt HS) with 47. Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) leads the ASUN in assists per set at 11.22. Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) is second in digs per set (4.38) and fourth in total digs (333). VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) ranks fourth in kills per set (3.39) and fifth in total kills (251).

Senior Courtney Stephens (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park HS) is 14 digs away from becoming just the fifth player in program history with 1,000 in a career. Two players coming off big matches are Snowy Burnam and Ciara DeBell. Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) had 12 kills while hitting .429 along with three digs, and DeBell (Ocala, Fla./Vanguard HS) had a season-high seven kills while hitting .545 with two solo blocks and one dig in the win over Stetson on Oct. 21. Alayna Ryan (Fort Myers, Fla/Fort Myers HS) has at least two digs in seven matches this year, and she is sixth on the team in aces with 11.

SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE
As a team, Jacksonville ranks in the top three in the ASUN in digs per set (1st, 16.07), opponent hitting percentage (2nd, 0.180), team attacks per set (2nd, 36.35) and team digs (3rd, 1,318). Individually, Mallory Mattingly leads the ASUN with 852 total attacks, which is 88th best in the nation. She is also third in the ASUN in aces (25), kills per set (3.42) and points (305.0). She is fourth in kills (263). Alleah Stamatis is second in the ASUN in assists with 710. Mackenzie Swan is third in the ASUN in digs with 354 and fourth in digs per set at 4.32. Amarrah Cooks ranks fifth in hitting percentage at .306, and she's tied for fifth with 13 solo blocks.

Jacksonville, who faces Stetson on Friday prior to the FGCU matchup, hasn't played since sweeping North Florida on Oct. 20. In that match, Natalie Wehner posted a double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs. Jessica Armstrong hit .800 over 10 attempts, while Stamatis had 39 assists, six digs and two blocks. Swan added 19 digs. Two others also had 10 digs, including Mattingly, who finished one kill shy of a double-double.

This weekend is the first set of home matches this year in Jacksonville's Historic Swisher Gymnasium since Hurricane Irma forced renovations. The Dolphins played their first seven home matches at North Florida, where they compiled a 5-2 record including four straight victories entering this weekend.

FGCU is 15-10 all-time against Jacksonville, including the three set victory just less than two weeks ago. The Eagles have won four straight in the series, and the two teams have evenly split the 10 road matches in the series. FGCU holds a 12-6 record in ASUN regular season matches.

SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
North Florida enters Friday's match tied for last place with NJIT in the ASUN standings. The team's lone conference win came in a five-set duel with Stetson on Oct. 13, and the Ospreys have split their past four matches overall. In ASUN matches only, North Florida has the third most attack errors (conversely FGCU has the fewest with 109). They are tied for the third most digs in ASUN play and are fourth in digs per set.

Offensively, North Florida is led by Alana Shoff (.306) and Taryn Griffey (.299), who are fourth and sixth, respectively, among ASUN individuals. Katarina Raicevic ranks fourth in the ASUN in aces with 23, and she had three in the first matchup against FGCU this year. Ashley LaBorde leads the UNF defense with 411 digs. Like Stephens for FGCU, she is closing in on 1,000 career digs as she's 47 away. Shoff (100) and Griffey (74) are also first and third, respectively, in the ASUN in blocks.

FGCU is 20-5 all-time against North Florida, including a three-set win on Oct. 14 in Alico. The Eagles have won six of the past seven in the series and hold an 8-3 record on the road. In ASUN regular season matchups, FGCU is 18-2 against UNF.

CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOKS

Kills (Career)
1. 1,234 - Amanda Carroll (.264) - 2015-present
2. 1,167 - Brooke Youngquist (.246) - 2004-07
3. 1,132 - Olivia Mesner (.331) - 2011-14
4. 961 - Jessica Barnes (.194) - 2010-11, 13-14
5. 926 - Kaitlin Holm (.227) - 2011-13
6. 837 - Ericka Fonseca (.363) - 2005-06
7. 725 - Jill Hopper (.203) - 2011-13
8. 700 - Heather Van Olst (.212) - 2004-06
9. 693 - Eleonora Kazarian (.225) - 2014-15
10. 678 - Ana Kokanovic (.281) - 2007-08

Points (Career)
1. 1,421.5 - Amanda Carroll (1,234k 88a 34-131b) - 2015-present
2. 1,338.0 - Olivia Mesner (1,132k 4a 62-280b) - 2011-14
3. 1,327.5 - Brooke Youngquist (1,167k 99a 11-101b) - 2004-07
4. 1,087.5 - Kaitlin Holm (926k 40a 38-167b) - 2011-13
5. 1,045.5 - Jessica Barnes (961k 43a 13-57b) 2010-11, 13-14

Attack Attempts (Career)
1. 3,147 - Amanda Carroll (1,234-403-3,147) - 2015-present
2. 3,139 - Brooke Youngquist (1,167-396-3,139) - 2004-07
3. 2,725 - Jessica Barnes (961-433-2,725) 2010-11, 13-14
4. 2,449 - Kaitlin Holm (926-371-2,449) - 2011-13
5. 2,356 - Olivia Mesner (1,132-353-2,356) 2011-14

Attack Percentage - minimum 150 attempts (Career)
1. .403 - Cara Ziegler (312-56-636) - 2006-07
2. .383 - Daniele Serrano (327-60-697) - 2016-present
3. .363 - Ericka Fonseca (837-184-1,801) - 2005-06
4. .331 - Olivia Mesner (1,132-353-2,356) - 2011-14
5. .325 - Audrey Campbell (292-71-679) - 2007-08

Assists (Career)
1. 4,408 - Gigi Meyer (474 sets) 2011-14
2. 3,311 - Maggie Rick (315 sets) - 2015-present
3. 3,108 - Chandra Lefever (201 sets) - 2006-07, 09
4. 1,809 - Laura Manovill (56 matches*) - 2004-05
5. 1,475 - Roberta Santos (180 sets) - 2007-08

Digs (Career)
1. 1,965 - Whitney Hendry (116 matches*) - 2004-07
2. 1,687 - Whitney Masters (483 sets) - 2011-14
3. 1,652 - Holly Youngquist (418 sets) - 2008-11
4. 1,367 - Brooke Youngquist (107 matches*) - 2004-07
5. 986 - Courtney Stephens (419 sets) - 2014-present
6. 947 - Gigi Meyer (474 sets) - 2011-14
7. 884 - Heather Van Olst (89 matches*) - 2004-06
8. 852 - Amanda Carroll (306 sets) - 2015-present
9. 765 - Chandra Lefever (201 sets) - 2006-07, 09
10. 681 - Vanessa Benke (164 sets) - 2013-15

Service Aces (Career)
1. 139 - Ana Kokanovic (178 sets) - 2007-08
2. 99 - Roberta Santos (180 sets) - 2007-08
    99 - Gigi Meyer (474 sets) - 2011-14
    99 - Brooke Youngquist (107 matches*) - 2004-07
5. 92 - Whitney Hendry (116 matches*) - 2004-07
6. 88 - Jill Hopper (246 sets) - 2011-13
    88 - Amanda Carroll (306 sets) - 2015-present
8. 87 - Courtney Stephens (419 sets) - 2014-present
9. 78 - Whitney Masters (483 sets) - 2011-14
10. 75 - Chandra Lefever (201 sets) - 2006-07, 09

Solo Blocks (Career)
1. 62 - Olivia Mesner (428 sets) - 2011-14
2. 51 - Ericka Fonseca (63 matches*) - 2005-06
3. 45 - Ashley Yance (296 sets) - 2005-09
4. 38 - Kaitlin Holm (359 sets) - 2011-13
5. 36 - Devon Watts (60 matches*) - 2004-05
6. 35 - Kristy Hartley (29 matches*) - 2004
7. 34 - Amanda Carroll (306 sets) - 2015-present
8. 27 - Daniele Serrano (193 sets) - 2016-present
9. 23 - Melissa Duffield (22 matches*) - 2005
    23 - Jacqueline Cowden (171 sets) - 2009-10

Block Assists (Career)
1. 280 - Olivia Mesner (428 sets) - 2011-14
2. 242 - Ashley Yance (296 sets) - 2005-09
3. 196 - Ericka Fonseca (63 matches*) - 2005-06
4. 180 - Marlene Moeller (301 sets) - 2013-16
5. 176 - Karina Mambuca (233 sets) - 2012-13
6. 167 - Kaitlin Holm (359 sets) - 2011-13
7. 159 - Lauren Tutwiler (208 sets) - 2014-15
8. 153 - Devon Watts (60 matches*) - 2004-05
    153 - Eleonora Kazarian (213 sets) - 2014-15
10. 142 - Daniele Serrano (193 sets) - 2016-present

* Set information not available for this player.

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 fourth season at the helm of FGCU volleyball. In 2016, Botsford's squad produced one of its most successful seasons ever at 27-6, with the win total representing the most in Division I program history and falling just two shy of the all-time mark. His teams have combined for an 84-34 (.712) overall record, including a 39-11 (.780) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish, and he improved that win total to 21 in his second season. Botsford has coached 15 All ASUN selections in his three seasons. 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. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), 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.

IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.