COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (12-5, 3-0 CAA) at UNCW (8-3, 1-0 CAA)
Match No. 18 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018 | 8:00 PM ET
Wilmington, N.C. | Cape Fear Academy
 
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CHARLESTON, S.C. --- The No. 15 (VolleyballMag.com Mid-Major Poll) College of Charleston volleyball team makes the short trek to Wilmington, N.C. on Wednesday to take on UNCW in CAA action looking to continue its strong start to the conference slate. First serve is scheduled for 8:00 pm on Wednesday evening at Cape Fear Academy, located at 3900 South College Rd in Wilmington, N.C.
 
Series History   
Wednesday's match marks the 29th all-time meeting between CofC and UNCW. The Cougars lead the all-time series, 18-10, including a sweep of the season series in 2017.
 
Scouting UNCW
UNCW enters the week riding an eight-match winning streak with an 8-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in CAA play. The Seahawks rank second in the CAA in blocks (2.38) and third in both hitting percentage (.254) and opponent hitting percentage (.169). Kendall Bender leads the Seahawks and ranks second in the CAA with 1.41 blocks per set.
 
Devon Rachel, Record-Breaker 
Devon Rachel delivered one of the top individual performances in recent memory last Friday at Delaware, setting a new three-set single-match program record with 21 kills. The senior outside hitter put down nine kills in each of the second and third sets - including the deciding point in each frame - while adding 15 digs to record her sixth double-double of the season.
 
Filling the Gap  
Peyton Eisnaugle has quietly developed into one of the Cougars' most efficient hitters over the last five matches, averaging 2.24 kills per set and hitting .471 over that span. The junior middle blocker has put down a career-high 11 kills twice during that stretch against Liberty (Sept. 15) and Delaware (Sept. 28). Eisnaugle currently ranks fifth in the CAA in hitting percentage (.330).
 
Top Marks         
The Cougars are off to a torrid start to CAA play, leading the conference in hitting percentage (.315), kills per set (15.78) and assists per set (14.33). Devon Rachel paces the CAA in kills per set (5.56) in league play, while three Cougars - Peyton Eisnaugle (2nd, .447), Rachel (4th, .391), and Mandy Napierala (6th, .371) rank amongst the top 10 in hitting percentage. Allison Beckman leads the CAA in assists per set (12.22) in league play.
 
Rare Company  
The Cougars are one of only two Division I programs with three active players in the top 50 in career kills, assists, and digs. Allison Beckman is fourth in assists, McKala Rhodes is 23rd in digs, and Kennedy Madison is 40th in kills.
 
Chasing History               
Head coach Jason Kepner is in his 12th year at the helm, and already ranks as the longest tenured coach in program history. Kepner's 276 career wins ranks second on the school's all-time list, trailing only Nancy Wilson's (1974-83) total of 286 victories.