Upstate Returns Home This Weekend to Host FGCU and Stetson
10/10/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
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Spartanburg, S.C. – After spending the last three games on the road, the USC Upstate volleyball team returns to the G.B. Hodge Center this weekend for two Atlantic Sun contests with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and Stetson Hatters.
The Spartans begin the weekend Friday evening at 7 p.m. against FGCU before wrapping up Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. with Stetson. Friday night's contest will also be Think Pink Night hosted by the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the event in support of breast cancer awareness.
Upstate last played at the Hodge Center on Sept. 26 in a 3-0 loss to ETSU. The Spartans enter with a 1-13 overall record and 1-4 mark in A-Sun play. Last weekend, Upstate fell on the road to conference opponents Lipscomb (3-0) and Northern Kentucky (3-2).
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Eversgerd, who leads the team with 158 kills, picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the season with a match-high 18 kills and 15 digs at Northern Kentucky. She has recorded three double-doubles in her last five matches played. Eversgerd also leads the team defensively with 163 digs. Sophomore setter Lexi Gober also collected her sixth double-double of the year at NKU with 52 assists and 13 digs. Like Eversgerd, Gober has three double-doubles in her last five matches. Sophomore middle blocker Javon Gates ranks first on the team with 29 total blocks and is second with 20 block assists.
FGCU, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Dave Nichols, is currently 7-10 on the season and 4-1 against conference opponents. The Eagles lead the all-time series 3-0 dating back to 2010. FGCU won both meetings last season, 3-0 in Fort Myers and 3-0 in Spartanburg.
Stetson is led by third-year head coach Tim Loesch. The Hatters sport a 13-7 overall record and 4-1 conference mark, and play at ETSU Friday evening. Upstate will look to remain unbeaten all-time against Stetson, as the Spartans lead the series 4-0. The all-time series began in 2010 with Upstate winning both matches by identical 3-1 scores. Last season, the Spartans swept the Hatters in both contests.
Upstate will return to action Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. as it hosts the Mercer Bears.
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