EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE volleyball returns to First Community Arena this Friday and Saturday to host Tennessee State for the Cougars' third Ohio Valley Conference series of the season. Friday's match is set for 6 p.m., while Saturday's contest will begin at 3 p.m.
SERIES: SIUE and Tennessee State have met 21 times since 2010, with the Cougars holding a 12-9 advantage in the all-time series. SIUE has won five of the last six meetings against the Tigers and enter this weekend riding a two-match winning streak against TSU. The Cougars also hold a 4-3 record against Tennessee State at First Community Arena.
STANDOUT SERVES: SIUE ranks first in the OVC in both total service aces (104) and service aces per set (1.76). The Cougars also place four players among the conference's top 10 in service aces per set.
Teagan Sullivan ranks fifth with 15 aces (0.38 per set),
Kinley Quast is seventh with 20 aces (0.37 per set), and
Paige Bernstein and
Ally Hughes are tied for 10th with 19 aces each (0.32 per set).
LAST WEEK: The Cougars are coming off a tough weekend on the road, dropping a pair of matches at SEMO in straight sets. Junior outside hitter
Sophie Robinson led SIUE's all-around effort, totaling 13 kills while hitting .290 and adding 20 digs across the two matches, including a season-high 15 digs in Friday's contest.
ABOUT TSU: Tennessee State enters the weekend with an 0-13 overall record and an 0-2 mark in OVC play after opening conference action against Western Illinois last weekend.
Junior middle blocker Gabrielle Washington ranks first in the Ohio Valley Conference in blocks per set (0.97) and sits among the league's top three in hitting percentage (.317). Freshman setter Triniti Jackson ranks third in the OVC in assists per set (6.86) and has recorded 295 total assists this season.
