WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise women's volleyball team will wrap up its regular season with a pair of Mountain East Conference road matches at Shepherd University Thursday and Fairmont State Friday. The Cavaliers (15-14, 10-4 MEC) take on the Rams (13-16, 7-7 MEC) at 7 p.m. Thursday before facing the Fighting Falcons (21-7, 12-2 MEC) Friday in a 6:30 p.m. first serve.
The Cavs have secured a No. 4 seed in the upcoming MEC Volleyball Tournament after a 3-2 (25-17, 25-18, 21-25, 18-25, 15-6) win at West Virginia State University last Saturday. UV-Wise will need a lot of help this weekend to move into a higher seed for the tournament as the Cavs currently sit two games back from both the University of Charleston and Fairmont State, while trailing MEC leader and sixth-ranked Wheeling Jesuit University.
This weekend's matches will close out a five-match MEC road trip for the Cavs. With last Saturday's five-set win over the Yellow Jackets UVa-Wise has won its most matches in a season since 2007. The Cavs' 15 wins this year are also the most for Head Coach Kristen Salyer in a single season during her four years at the helm of the program.
Thursday night the Cavs will take on a Shepherd team that is 5-3 on the year at home but has lost three of their last four matches. UVa-Wise and Shepherd have not played each other this year after the Cavs were defeated 3-1 last season in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The Cavs are 0-3 all-time against the Rams, being swept twice during the 2013 season both at home and on the road. Shepherd has earned home conference wins against Glenville State (3-0), West Liberty (3-1), Urbana University (3-2) and Notre Dame College (3-1). The Rams have lost league matches at home against Fairmont State (3-2) and No. 6 Wheeling Jesuit (3-0).
Fairmont State is on a five-match winning streak heading into Friday evening's matchup as the Fighting Falcons have won eight of their past nine contests. Holding a 6-1 home record this season the Fighting Falcons have only lost one league match in Fairmont, West Virginia, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of MEC leader Wheeling Jesuit. Fairmont State has earned home conference wins over West Virginia Wesleyan (3-1), West Liberty (3-1), Notre Dame (3-0), Urbana University (3-0) and Shepherd (3-2). The Cavs are 0-2 all-time against the Fighting Falcons, having lost 3-0 both at home in 2013 and in Fairmont last season.
Junior outside hitter
Karley Allen is having a terrific year, ranking second in all of NCAA Division II in total attacks (1,384), fourth in total kills (479), eighth in attacks per set (12.36) and 10th in kills per set (4.28). The Lanexa, Virginia (New Kent H.S.), native leads the MEC in all four of those categories as well while third in the league in total digs (110) and service aces (37).
Freshman setter
Chandler Rouse is off to a great start in her first collegiate season, ranking third in the league in total assists (1,056) and assists per set (10.25). Juniors
Erin Anderson and
Erin Lee help lead the Cavs' defense as Anderson has totaled 341 digs this year and Lee has made 329 of her own.
Middle blockers
Santana Bishop and
Amanda Auxier are leading UVa-Wise on the blocks with Bishop recording 81 total blocks this season and Auxier registering 74. Freshman outside hitter
Ciara Kain has been great offensively for the Cavs, making 237 kills this year for second-most on the team at 2.37 per set. Auxier has also been strong on offense, tallying 209 kills on the season.
UVa-Wise will look to send out seniors
Kelsey Smith and
Simona Zduoba on a high note in their regular season finales against the Rams and Fighting Falcons.
The MEC Volleyball Tournament begins Thursday, Nov. 19, and will take place on the campus of the top seed, which Wheeling Jesuit has all but locked up. The Cavs will have to wait until the conclusion of MEC regular season matches Saturday before finding out who their first-round opponent will be in the tournament.
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