Weekend MatchUPs
October 29, 2021 | 6:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (11-12; 7-3 Big South) at Gardner-Webb (7-13; 4-6 Big South)
Porter Arena | Boiling Springs, N.C.
 
October 30, 2021 | 2:00 p.m.
USC Upstate (11-12; 7-3 Big South) at Winthrop (11-9; 6-4 Big South)
Winthrop Coliseum | Rock Hill, S.C.
 
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
 
Series History
vs. Gardner-Webb: Meeting for the 17^th time in the Spartan's D1 era (2007-pres.), Upstate and Gardner-Webb are continuing one of Upstate's longest series in the D1 era. The Spartans lead the series 9-7 and have captured seven of the last eight matches in the series, including sweeping the Runnin' Bulldogs on October 9 at the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
vs. Winthrop: Saturday's meeting between Upstate and Winthrop marks the 10^th overall meeting in a series that began in 2014. The Eagles lead the series 7-2, but the Spartans captured the lone meeting this season between the two clubs on October 8, downing Winthrop in four sets at the Hodge.
 
Last Time Out
October 19, 2021: USC Upstate 3, Presbyterian 1
October 23, 2021: USC Upstate 3, Charleston Southern 0
 
Players to Watch
Upstate: Tallying a career-best 10.0 points behind eight kills and two service aces, senior setter Allie Hamsher neared her seventh double-double of the season, also adding 11 assists against Charleston Southern last Saturday. Her eight kills against the Buccaneers came on 10 attack attempts as she hit a career-best (min. 10 attacks) .800 in the match. Hamsher also enters the weekend ranked second in the Big South in service aces per set in conference play, averaging 0.49 per set (18 in 37 sets).
 
Gardner-Webb: Despite seeing her streak of double-figure dig matches snapped Saturday against High Point, libero Mikah McIntosh ranks 19^th in the NCAA in digs per set, averaging 5.12 per set. She ranks third in the Big South in total digs, collecting 353 on the year while posting double-digit dig matches in 11 of her last 12 matches.
 
Winthrop: Setter Jana Owens enters the weekend leading the Big South in assists per set, passing out an average of 9.78 per set this season. She's posted 20-plus assists in each of her last 17 matches, dating back to the opening weekend of the season while also tallying 11 double-doubles on the year.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Following its two-game road trip, Upstate returns to the Hodge for the final time in the regular season November 5-6. The Spartans host Campbell and Hampton in a pair of Big South contests, hosting the Camels on November 5 at 6 p.m. ET and the Pirates on November 6 at 2 p.m.
 
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