Cougars Head North for Key Series at Delaware

Saturday, October 23

Newark, Del.

11:00 AM

College of Charleston

at Delaware

10/22/2021 12:53:00 PM | Volleyball

Delaware Match Notes (PDF)

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CHARLESTON, S.C. --- The College of Charleston volleyball team resumes the road portion of its CAA schedule with a trip to Newark, Del. this weekend to take on Delaware in a key series with the conference tournament only four weeks away. First serve is set for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday in the Bob Carpenter Center.

The Cougars continued their push toward the top of the CAA standings with their second series sweep of the season last weekend against Hofstra and currently sit fifth in the league with a 6-4 mark. Delaware is coming off a split with Northeastern and enter the weekend with a 4-6 record in conference play.

QUICK HITTERS

The Cougars completed their second weekend sweep of the month - and second in CAA play - with a pair of impressive victories over Hofstra last weekend, including a straight-set sweep on Saturday.
With the series sweep, Charleston kept pace in the race for the CAA's regular season title with the Cougars currently sitting fifth in the league standings with a 6-4 mark - just two losses behind second-place James Madison (6-2).
Junior outside hitter Lexi Wierzbicki delivered one of the most dominating weekends of the season against Hofstra, averaging 4.57 kills and 1.00 blocks per set while hitting a blistering .394. She saved her best performance for Sunday with a match- and career-high 19 kills to go along with five kills and four digs. For her efforts, she was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week.
Senior middle blocker Claire Campbell has been one of the most efficient offensive options in the league over the last three matches with a league-best .568 hitting percentage in that span. The Raleigh, N.C. native has accounted for 26 kills on 44 swings with only one error while also accumulating 16 blocks during that stretch.
The Cougars' blocking corps has been on a tear over the last six matches ranking third in the CAA with an average of 2.50 blocks per set in that span while limiting two of the top offenses in the league in Towson and William & Mary.
Charleston's serving has played a key role in the Cougars posting the CAA's best record (5-1) over the last six matches ranking second in the league in aces per set (1.88) in that span. The Cougars, led by Gabi Bailey (10) and Tynley Smeltzer (9) have dropped in 45 aces during that stretch.
Wierzbicki, Bailey and Anna Smith have formed a lethal offensive trio over the last three weekends combining for almost 70 percent (187 of 270) of CofC's kills in that span. All three are averaging more than two kills per set led by Wierzbicki at a 3.54 clip.

SCOUTING THE BLUE HENS

Delaware carries a 9-10 overall record and a 4-6 mark in CAA play into the weekend after splitting a pair of straight-set sweeps with Northeastern last weekend.
The Blue Hens lead the league and rank second nationally in service aces per set (2.20).
Delaware also ranks third in the CAA in kills (12.37) and fourth in hitting percentage (.215).
Ezgi Basaranlar enters the weekend ranked second in the conference in both assists (9.61) and aces (0.51) per set.
The Blue Hens account for four of the CAA's top-10 in aces per set, while Lani Mason ranks third in kills per set (3.26).

QUOTABLE
"This is an important road trip to Delaware this weekend. They play very well at home and have an extremely athletic team. It will definitely be a challenge but one that I think this group is ready for." – head coach Jason Kepner