Charleston Hits the Road Once More for Weekend at Delaware

Saturday, September 30

Newark, Del.

1 PM

College of Charleston

Delaware

Photo by: AlSamuels.com

Charleston Hits the Road Once More for Weekend at Delaware

9/29/2023 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball

09.30.23 Delaware

NEWARK, Del. – College of Charleston volleyball hits the road after a brief home weekend with Stony Brook as Delaware awaits for a two-match series in the Mid-Atlantic to close the book on September.

Both sides enter fresh off a weekend split winning Saturday and dropping Sunday in their series sweep quests. Charleston swept Stony Brook in the Saturday match before falling Sunday in three sets while Delaware played five-set thrillers in both matchups with preseason favorite Towson, taking the opener Friday night and coming up just short in the Sunday finale.

The series between Charleston and Delaware has been one of runs as the Cougars won the first 10 meetings, but the Blue Hens' recent success has brought the series back to a 14-8 margin in favor of the Cougars. Charleston won the only two meetings prior to joining the CAA and lead the regular season matchups 14-6.

Charleston is 4-1 this season when taking the second set, sweeping in all four of those wins versus Le Moyne, George Washington, Charleston Southern and Stony Brook.

Weekend Schedule

Charleston at Delaware | Saturday, September 30 at 1:00 p.m.
Charleston at Delaware | Sunday, October 1 at 1:00 p.m.

Video: FloVolleyball
Live Stats: CofCstats.com
Cougars on Social Media: Twitter // Instagram

Charleston collected CAA win No. 100 in their sweep of Stony Brook Saturday becoming just the second program with 100-plus conference wins since the Cougars joined the league prior to the 2013 season. Charleston's 66% winning clip also ranks second in that span with only one season below .500 in league play.

Tynley Smeltzer was also named CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Charleston backline with 6 digs per set and her third 20-dig performance over the first four CAA matches of the season. Since stepping into the libero roll, Smeltzer leads the entire CAA with 5.63 digs per set collecting 90 in 16 sets played – a full half dig better than the rest of the league. Her efforts have headlined Charleston's second-most digs per set average in the CAA through 15 matches – along with near 2-plus digs per set from Emma Appleman, Lexi Wierzbicki, Chandler Manusky, Jasmin Goei and Elli Kinney.

On the block, Sofie Vogel and Bella Sinacori average over a block per set with Wierzbicki just under one per set and Vogel's 15 total leading the way. Their performances at the net along with the backline have led Charleston opponents below a .200 attack percentage in three of four matches and rank fourth in the league with a .179 mark.

Charleston's offense continues to get balanced efforts with three different Cougars leading individual matches in kill totals over the first four CAA matches. In fact, six Cougars have at least two points per set since CAA play started with Anna Smith and Lexi Wierzbicki averaging at or north of 3 kills per set.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Delaware (9-3, 2-2 CAA) returns home after two five-set matches with four-time champion Towson last weekend splitting with the Tigers. The Blue Hens are led by 2022 CAA Player of the Year Lani Mason who currently sits second in both kills and points per set in the league while adding over two digs per set. Mason headlines a Blue Hen attack that ranks third in the CAA in hitting percentage (.263).

Kirah Johnson's .429 attack percentage also ranks among the best in the CAA as the senior middle blocker is on pace to set career-high marks across the board for a strong Blue Hen attack. Her efforts defensively at the net have the Blue Hens second in blocks per set (2.54) alongside redshirt-freshman Asia Murray's 1.4 blocks per set.