Bears Look to Snap Three-Game Losing Streak

MACON, Ga. – Mercer (8-7, 1-3) will continue Southern Conference play by traveling to Birmingham, Ala. to face Samford on Friday at 8 p.m. (ET) and then Chattanooga, Tenn. to challenge the Mocs on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The two contests are part of Mercer's current five-match road stretch. Friday's match at Samford will be aired on SoCon Digital Network. Saturday's match will only have live stats.

FRIDAY VS. SAMFORD (8-10, 3-1)
Date/Time: Oct. 5 | 8 p.m. ET
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Follow Along: samfordsports.com/livestats
Watch: SoCon Digital Network
Twitter Updates: @MercerBearsVB

SATURDAY VS. CHATTANOOGA (6-11, 2-2)
Date/Time: Oct. 6 | 6 p.m. ET
Location: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Follow Along: gomocs.com/livestats
Twitter Updates: @MercerBearsVB

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer fell to the Bulldogs twice last season, 3-1 and 3-2. Samford leads the all-time series, 29-7.

The Bears lead 15-10 all-time against Chattanooga. The two teams split a pair of regular-season matches last season; Mercer lost 3-0 at Chattanooga before outlasting the Mocs 3-2 at home later in the year.

SCOUTING SAMFORD
Conference-leading Samford heads into Friday with an 8-10 (3-1 SoCon) record after taking down ETSU, 3-2, and falling to UNCG, 3-2, last weekend. Samford ranks among the top three in the SoCon in multiple statistical categories including: hitting percentage (.204), assists (12.16), kills (13.00) and digs (15.85) per set. Taylor Anderton leads the SoCon in assists per set (10.74), allowing her teammate Krista Boesing to average 3.78 kills per set, which ranks third in conference.

SCOUTING CHATTANOOGA
Before hosting the Bears on Saturday, Chattanooga will face The Citadel on Friday evening. Chattanooga ranks second in the SoCon in service aces, averaging 1.45 per set. Dani Szczepanski leads the league in hitting percentage, averaging a .370 percentage. Holly Behrends leads Wofford's offense with 103 kills this season. Megan Kaufman is a key piece for Chattanooga's defense, ranking eighth in the SoCon in digs per set (3.43).

NOTABLES

Mercer ranks 69th nationally and leads the SoCon in opponent hitting percentage, forcing their opponents to hit just .175.
The Bears rank third in the league in service aces (1.35) with Megan Smith leading Mercer with 17.
Mercer ranks fourth in blocks per set (1.87) and total blocks (101). Alexia Morey leads the Bears and ranks third in the conference notching 0.93 blocks per set and totaling 49 for the season.
Paige Alsten has tallied double-digit kills in nine consecutive matches.
Alsten leads Mercer with 190 kills and ranks fourth among SoCon players with 3.52 kills per set.
Maddie Nunley leads Mercer in assists (394). She ranks fourth in the league with 9.85 per set.
Emilee Wissmach ranks seventh in the SoCon with a Mercer-best 3.76 digs per set.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Paige Alsten

Alexia Morey

Maddie Nunley

Megan Smith

Emilee Wissmach

Footer

Mercer University Athletics