University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
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UNC Asheville
Volleyball Opens Conference Play with the I-26 Rivalry, Facing UNC Asheville
9/24/2026 11:38:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Match Information
Date: Friday, Sept. 25
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
Watch: ESPN+ | https://tinyurl.com/2rvfb94m
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/2wfzy938
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/bdeh82tk
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate volleyball opens Big South Conference play Friday evening as the Spartans welcome UNC Asheville to the G.B. Hodge Center for the first installment of the Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series this season. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
PROMOTION: National Women's Health and Fitness Day!
This match is celebrating is Women's Health and Fitness Day. Join us as we take time to recognize all of the hard work that goes into health, and learn tips and tricks for creating healthy habits!
MATCHUP
Upstate enters conference play with a 7-4 overall record after wrapping up its non-conference slate Sunday at Clemson. The Spartans battled the Tigers in a four-set contest, including a 25-20 victory in the second set and a tightly contested 26-24 fourth frame, before falling 3-1.
Sophomore outside hitter Summer Kohler continued her strong stretch against Clemson, leading the Spartans with 17 kills on a .368 hitting percentage while adding 10 digs for her third consecutive double-double. Kamyla Vega David directed the offense with 30 assists and nine digs, while Sophia Overholt paced the back row with 15 digs. Kensley Haneline added seven kills and a pair of blocks.
Kohler has been one of Upstate's primary offensive weapons throughout the opening month of the season. She has posted double-digit kills in each of the Spartans' last three matches, including 13 kills and 14 digs in Upstate's 3-0 sweep of Western Carolina on Sept. 18 before recording 17 kills at Clemson two days later.
The Spartans enter Friday looking to continue their success inside the Hodge Center. Upstate is 2-1 at home this season and picked up a sweep in its most recent home appearance against Western Carolina.
UNC Asheville enters Friday's matchup at 12-4 overall after falling 3-1 to Queens on Tuesday in its final non-conference match. The Bulldogs have put together a strong start to the season with victories over Middle Tennessee, Elon, Seton Hall, Jacksonville State, UNC Wilmington, Western Carolina and Morgan State, among others. This is the first I-26 Rivalry meeting between the two schools.
Sarah Wadsworth headlines the Asheville attack after leading the Bulldogs with 12 kills and 15 digs against Queens. Albertine van der Goot added 10 kills on a .310 hitting percentage and four blocks, while Olivia Callipo finished with 22 assists and 13 digs.
Serving has been a key strength for Asheville this season, with the Bulldogs recording 161 service aces through their first 16 matches. Asheville has also totaled 702 kills and 111 blocks while hitting .202 as a team.
Friday marks the 29th all-time meeting between the two programs, with UNC Asheville holding a 16-12 advantage in the series. The Bulldogs claimed the most recent matchup with a 3-0 victory on Nov. 21, 2025.
The match also begins a five-match homestand for the Spartans to open Big South play. Following UNC Asheville, Upstate remains at the Hodge Center to host High Point, Radford, Charleston Southern and Presbyterian.
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