Volleyball Hosts UNCG, Chattanooga This Weekend

MACON, Ga. – It is clear to see what a difference a year can make as the Mercer volleyball team prepares for a pair of pivotal Southern Conference matches at home this weekend. With a 9-5 (1-1 SoCon) record, the Bears have the chance to surpass last season's win total (10) in only the second week of conference play as they host UNCG (6-8, 1-1) on Friday and Chattanooga (7-7, 0-1) on Saturday at Hawkins Arena.

Chances to secure early footing in the conference race and to maintain their perfect home record are on the table for the Bears. Mercer has already notched one of the best non-conference slates and single-month win totals in program history, but its biggest test lies ahead with SoCon play reaching full swing.

FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
Match: UNCG at Mercer
Location: Macon, Ga. – Hawkins Arena
Schedule: Friday, Sept. 30 – 6 p.m.
Follow Along: Live Stats

SATURDAY'S MATCHUP
Match: Chattanooga at Mercer
Location: Macon, Ga. – Hawkins Arena
Schedule: Saturday, Oct. 1 – 3 p.m.
Follow Along: Live Stats

NOTABLES

Mercer is tied with ETSU for the best overall win percentage (.643) among SoCon teams. The Bears and Buccaneers are knotted for total wins as well, both ranking second behind Samford's league-leading 10.
Mercer is 8-3 in the month of September, marking the most wins for the program in a single month over the past decade.
The Bears are tough to beat at home as they boast an 11-4 record in their last 15 matches at Hawkins Arena, including a 3-0 mark this year.
Mercer's six-match win streak from Sept. 10-23 is tied with ETSU for the longest of any SoCon team this season.
Mercer's offense has been one of the most consistent in the SoCon, ranking second with a .226 hitting percentage. The Bears have five matches of at least a .275 team hitting percentage.
A trio of Bears are nearing career milestones entering the weekend. Tori Penrod needs 15 digs to reach 1,500; Ellie James needs 18 kills to reach 500; and Morgan MacGilvary needs one kill to reach 500.
Emily Krogman continues to lead the SoCon in aces per set (0.40) and is second with 22 overall. She's had at least one ace in all but two matches.
With seven matches of at least 20 digs this season, Penrod ranks within the top-50 nationally for digs per set (4.93) and total digs (271).
In the two matches since middle blocker Paige Alsten's injury, Gabbi Meyering has played well while filling in. The junior has recorded seven kills on 11 attacks and totaled six blocks. She has five matches of four blocks this season.
Hannah Noon has reached at least 20 assists in the last six matches and owns 297 for the season to lead Mercer. Claire Waliczek isn't far behind Noon with 240 assists and also leads the team with four double-doubles, two of which came last weekend in conference matches.

SCOUTING UNCG
Mercer and UNCG roll into Friday's match with identical 1-1 records in conference play as the Bears will try to improve a 1-5 all-time mark against the Spartans. Since Mercer joined the SoCon, UNCG has won all four meetings between the programs – Mercer's last win against the Spartans came in 2003 in Macon.

The UNCG offense is sparked by the distribution of Allison Penner, who's 399 assists have translated to a SoCon-best 9.50 per set. Four Spartans have totaled over 100 kills, led by Ashley Muench's 198 (3.60 per set). By holding opponents to a collective .195 hitting percentage, UNCG's defense ranks among the best in the conference. The team averages 17.51 digs per set, which ranks ninth nationally.

SCOUTING CHATTANOOGA
Despite owning a .500 overall record (7-7), the Mocs have faced stiff competition in the form of No. 4 Kansas and Creighton, Dayton and TCU, all of which received votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. Chattanooga was defeated in straight sets by Furman in its SoCon opener last weekend and will take on ETSU at home Friday before making the trip to Macon.

The Mocs are averaging 11.49 kills per set while ranking sixth among conference teams with a collective .178 hitting percentage. Allie Davenport is the team's leading attacker with 143 kills while she and Dani Szczepanski are among the top-four conference leaders in aces per set.

Mercer trails in the all-time series against Chattanooga, 9-13, and last defeated the Mocs on Oct. 25, 2014 on the road.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Volleyball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBearsVB (Twitter), and @mercervolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.

Volleyball Hosts UNCG, Chattanooga This Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Paige Alsten

Ellie James

Emily Krogman

Morgan MacGilvary

Gabbi Meyering

Hannah Noon

Tori Penrod

Claire Waliczek

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