Charleston Set to Face Hofstra in Marquee CAA Matchup

Saturday, October 16

Charleston, S.C.

1:00 PM

College of Charleston

Hofstra

Charleston Set to Face Hofstra in Marquee CAA Matchup

10/15/2021 4:16:00 PM | Volleyball

Hofstra Match Notes (PDF)

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CHARLESTON, S.C. --- The College of Charleston volleyball team welcomes CAA foe Hofstra to TD Arena for a showdown of conference contenders as the stretch run to the 2021 CAA Championships begins. First serve on Saturday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with Sunday's finale slated to start at noon.

Charleston (11-8, 4-4 CAA) has won three of its last four matches in league action to pull even at 4-4 in conference play following a split with Towson last weekend. Hofstra (11-8, 5-3 CAA) cruised to a pair of sweeps against William & Mary last weekend and has won four of its last six in CAA play.

QUICK SETS

The Cougars snapped a four-match losing streak to Towson with a gritty 3-2 win over the Tigers on Sunday to secure a weekend split.
Charleston enters the second half of the CAA schedule with four wins in its last six matches to pull even at 4-4 with Hofstra, Delaware, Northeastern and UNCW left on the slate.
With three wins in their last four, the Cougars have pulled within two matches of top-seeded Elon with eight matches to play.
Junior Lexi Wierzbicki led the way for CofC in the weekend split with Towson averaging 2.80 kills and 1.10 blocks per set with a pair of double-digit performances. After recording 15 kills and a career-high seven blocks in Saturday's five-set setback, Wierzbicki accounted for 13 slams and four stuffs in Sunday's 3-2 win.
The Cougars' blocking corps delivered in a big way against Towson's potent attack with 25 blocks last weekend. After denying Tiger hitters 11 times on Saturday, Charleston established a new season-high with 14 blocks in its 3-2 win on Sunday, including eight in the first two sets.
Charleston excelled from the service line as well against Towson with 20 service aces in 10 sets. The Cougars delivered a devastating attack on the serve in Sunday's victory setting a new five-set, single-match record in dramatic fashion with their 11th and record-breaking ace coming on the clinching point courtesy of freshman Tynley Smeltzer.
The Cougars are 7-2 this season when junior Gabi Bailey records at least two service aces. She currently ranks third in the CAA and 29th in the nation with 29 aces this season.
Freshman Anna Smith has inserted herself firmly into the starting lineup over the last six matches averaging a team-high 2.56 kills per set over that span with four double-digit performances. The Mendon, Michigan native played a starring role in the Cougars' weekend sweep at William & Mary with 28 kills (4.00/set) and a .317 hitting percentage to earn her first career CAA Rookie of the Week accolades.

SCOUTING THE PRIDE

Hofstra is 11-8 on the season and is tied for fourth in the CAA standings with a 5-3 mark through four weekends.
The Pride rank second in the CAA and 35^th nationally with an average of 2.53 blocks per set paced by conference leader Sarah Pierre, who enters the weekend at No. 9 in the nation (1.52).
Ana Martinovic leads the Pride attack with an average of 2.90 kills per set and is followed closely by Florencia Wolkowyski (2.77). The duo rank fifth and 10^th, respectively, in the CAA.
Beatriz Alves makes the Hofstra offense go entering the weekend ranked fourth in the league averaging 9.36 assists per set. She is also averaging 1.90 digs and 0.53 blocks per frame.
Chiara Cucco paces the back row for the Pride ranking second in the league at 4.76 digs per set.

FAN INFO

Admission is free of charge for all College of Charleston volleyball matches at TD Arena.
Gates will open one hour prior to first serve of the opening match each day.
College of Charleston's clear bag policy is in effect for all matches played at TD Arena this fall. The full policy can be found here.
College of Charleston has instituted a campus-wide policy mandating masks covering an individual's nose and mouth be worn at all times (unless actively eating or drinking) in public areas of all campus buildings.
There is no designated general parking area for games at TD Arena. There are various parking garages and paid lots in the vicinity of TD Arena that all spectators can utilize.
Alcohol will be available for purchase at all CofC volleyball matches this fall with last call prior to the third set of the final match each day.

QUOTABLE
"This is another big home weekend for us as we have reached the midway point of the conference schedule. We need to keep improving on the small details of the game and continue to work on our consistency. The girls have been working hard in the gym and I believe are ready to defend TD Arena." – head coach Jason Kepner