CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College volleyball team continues its home stand in the Big South this weekend at the Templeton Center, facing UNC Asheville for Dig Pink on Friday evening before finishing the weekend against USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon for Community Day.
First serve against UNC Asheville will be at 6:00 pm on Friday evening. Saturday afternoon's match against USC Upstate will start at 2:00 pm.
This will be the second meeting of the season for PC against both teams. UNC Asheville took the first matchup in North Carolina on Oct. 4 by a 3-1 score. The Blue Hose won the first set 25-17, but the Bulldogs claimed the next three sets. At USC Upstate on Oct. 3, Presbyterian split the first four sets before the Spartans won the decisive fifth set 15-10 to come away with the win.
GAMEDAY INFO – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 | 6:00 PM
Presbyterian (5-14, 1-6) vs. UNC Asheville (7-13, 4-3)
WHERE: Templeton Center (Clinton, S.C.)
LIVE STATS: GoBlueHose.com
GAMEDAY INFO – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 | 2:00 PM
Presbyterian (5-14, 1-6) vs. USC Upstate (11-9, 4-3)
WHERE: Templeton Center (Clinton, S.C.)
LIVE STATS: GoBlueHose.com
LAST TIME OUT
The Blue Hose picked up their first conference win of the season on Friday (Oct. 17), taking down Gardnner-Webb in three sets at home. The win was also the first home win of the season for PC.
The first set of the weekend was a dramatic and narrow opening frame for PC. The Blue Hose saved two set points and finished strong against the Runnin' Bulldogs, taking the first set 28-26. The Blue Hose kept the positive momentum going the rest of the match, winning the next two sets comfortably to claim a 3-0 win. Julia Yurkovich led the team offensively with 15 kills. Courtney Williams and Elyse Hutchinson combined defensively for 11 blocks.
On Saturday (Oct. 18), Winthrop got the better of the Blue Hose, winning in three sets. The Blue Hose were able to stay close in each set to the Eagles, but Winthrop was able to pick up the victory. Yurkovich recorded a match-high 10 kills for PC.
BLUE HOSE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Anisa Dorlouis leads the Blue Hose with 16 double-doubles this season. Last weekend, she logged double-doubles in both home contests for PC. Entering the weekend, she has recorded double-doubles in 16 of PC's 19 total contests. The last time she did not record a double-double was Sept. 21 against Quinnipiac. Last weekend, she registered 37 assists and 12 digs in PC's 3-0 win over Gardner-Webb. She also posted 24 assists and 11 digs against Winthrop. On the season, she is second in the conference in assists this season with 606 and seventh in digs with 276.
Ashley Miller has logged three double-doubles of her own this season against Furman, North Florida, and Harvard. Yurkovich has recorded double-doubles against North Florida and Dartmouth. Lastly, Celimar Hoyos has one double-double this season against Furman.
BLUE HOSE BY THE NUMBERS
Several Blue Hose are near the top of the conference in multiple statistical categories going into the weekend. Dorlouis is second in the conference this year in assists, averaging 8.54 per set. She and Aubrie Arnold both rank in the top 10 of the Big South in digs. Arnold leads the team in digs and is fifth in the conference, averaging 4.14 per set with 294 total this season.
Elyse Hutchinson and Courtney Williams both rank in the top 5 in the conference in blocks. Williams is fifth with an average of .97 per set, while Hutchinson is second with a 1.03 average. Hutchinson is also seventh in the Big South in hitting percentage at .278 percent.
Finally, Yurkovich and Ashley Miller rank in the top in kills. Yurkovich leads the team and is sixth in the league with 208 on the year (2.93 per set). Last weekend, she recorded a combined 25 kills. Miller ranks 10th in the Big South with 2.47 per set.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
UNC Asheville leads the all-time series with Presbyterian 24-11 going into Friday night's match (since 2007). The Bulldogs have won each of the last four meetings in the series. PC's last victory over UNC Asheville came on Sept. 29, 2023. The Blue Hose last defeated the Bulldogs in Clinton in 2022.
The Bulldogs come into Friday's match with a 7-13 overall record and a 4-3 mark in the Big South (tied for third). UNC Asheville began conference play 3-1 but enter Friday night having lost two of its last three matches.
As a team, the Bulldogs lead the conference in blocks, averaging 2.37 blocks per set. They also lead the conference in opponent hitting percentage at .181 percent. Individually, Michelle Thao is second in the conference in digs, totaling 386 for the Bulldogs.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
USC Upstate leads the all-time series with Presbyterian 9-6. The Spartans won the matchup in Spartanburg in five sets earlier this season. Prior to that match, the Blue Hose had defeated the Spartans five out of six times, including in last year's Big South Tournament.
USC Upstate enters Saturday's match tied for third in the conference with a 4-3 record. The Spartans started Big South play hot, winning four of their first five matches. However, they have cooled off since, losing both matches last weekend. On the year, the Spartans are 11-9.
The Spartans are at the top or near the top of several statistical categories in the Big South. The Spartans lead the conference in service aces and are second in hitting percentage, kills, and assists. Individually, Kaymla Vega David leads the conference in assists with 10.54 per set. Ady O'Grady leads the league in hitting percentage.
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose will be back on the road next weekend, taking on Winthrop on Friday (Oct. 31) at 6:00 pm and Gardner-Webb on Saturday (Nov. 1) at 6:00 pm.
