Weekend MatchUPs
October 8, 2021 | 6:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (6-11; 2-2 Big South) vs. Winthrop (9-5; 4-0 Big South)
G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
October 9, 2021 | 2:00 p.m.
USC Upstate (6-11; 2-2 Big South) vs. Gardner-Webb (6-8; 3-1 Big South)
G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
TV (Friday Only): ESPN+ (PXP: Brock Bowling; Analyst: Sarah Gildersleeve)| Via WatchESPN.com and the ESPN APP
 
Series History
vs. Winthrop: Friday's meeting between Upstate and Winthrop marks the ninth overall meeting between the schools in a series that began in 2014. The Eagles lead the series 7-1, taking each meeting with the Spartans since Upstate joined the Big South in 2018 with Upstate's last victory coming on Sept. 1, 2015, in four sets.
 
vs. Gardner-Webb: Continuing one of Upstate's longest series in its Division I era, the Spartans and Gardner-Webb have met each season but two (2008 and 2013) since Upstate joined the D1 ranks in 2007. The Spartans lead the series 8-7, winning six of the last seven meetings between the two schools with the two programs splitting a pair of matches last season.
 
Last Time Out
October 1, 2021: USC Upstate 3, Hampton 0
October 2, 2021: Campbell 3, USC Upstate 1
 
Players to Watch
Upstate: Collecting 21 digs in last Saturday's match at Campbell, senior libero Mackenzie Marcum posted her ninth career 20-plus dig match and her third of 2021. The total gives her 814 digs in her Spartan career as she became the 10^th player in the program's Division I era to reach 800 career digs. Over her last five matches, Marcum has also landed 11 service aces, tallying 72 winners in her career to rank seventh in the D1 era in the category.

Winthrop: Behind a .483 hitting percentage, 31 kills, and 9.0 blocks last weekend, Morgan Bossler claimed Big South Player of the Week honors. She enters the weekend leading the Big South in hitting percentage, posting a .382 hitting clip in 2021. Bossler's collected 145 kills with just 22 errors on 322 swings this season, including a career-high 21 kills last Friday against Presbyterian.
 
Gardner-Webb: Tallying 53 total digs (5.89 per set) in last weekend's action, Mikah McIntosh earned Big South Libero of the Week honors. Opening Big South Conference play, she's collected 20 or more digs in each of the Runnin' Bulldogs conference contests, ranking third in the league in total digs and second in digs per set. Against Presbyterian last Saturday, McIntosh collected 30 digs, totaling 30 or more digs in a match for the second time this season.
 
Next UP for the Spartans
Following its matches over the weekend, Upstate continues its homestand as it welcomes rival UNC Asheville to the Hodge Tuesday night. The match features a 6 p.m. ET first serve.
 
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