HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University volleyball team opens its 2015 home slate on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. against Elon in the Millis Center.
The Panthers (1-2) will be looking to build momentum heading into a home tournament while the Phoenix (0-3) is in search of its first win.
Last Time Out:
HPU went 1-2 over the weekend in the Benson Hospitality Invitational hosted by Georgia. The squad suffered 3-0 setbacks to Memphis and Georgia before stunning Wofford with a 3-2 come-from-behind triumph. High Point dropped the first two sets against the Terriers before falling behind 20-17 in the third set. However, the Purple & White closed the set on an 8-4 run and took the fourth and fifth sets by a combined score of 40-26 to earn the victory.
Senior Annemarie Chin garnered all-tournament recognition for posting 5.00 digs per set over the three matches. Sophomore Haley Barnes racked up 3.45 kills and 2.45 digs per set while serving up a team-best seven aces on the weekend. Junior Megan Kennedy joined Barnes with a double-double against Wofford tallying 14 kills and 21 digs in the win.
Sophomore Carly Jimenez (5.64 assists/set) and senior Gabi Mirand (4.55 assists/set) split time at setter during the three-match weekend. Meanwhile, freshman Jordan Hefner led the way at the net defensively with 0.91 blocks per set.
Scouting the Phoenix:
Elon lost its first two matches of the season to Washington State and Virginia Tech in straight sets before dropping a 5-set heartbreaker to Radford on Saturday. The Phoenix won the first two sets 25-23 and 25-13 against the Highlanders before falling in the last three sets.
Senior Megan Gravley led the team’s attack with 2.55 kills per set while freshman Kam Terry provided 1.78 kills per set. Another freshman, Maddie Jaudon registered a team-high 4.11 digs per set as senior Catherine Head (0.82 blocks per set) paced the team at the net.
2014 vs. Elon:
The Phoenix bested the Panthers in five sets in Burlington, N.C. last season. Elon earned the win behind 12 kills each from Gravely and sophomore Sydney Busa. Senior Ana Nicksic buoyed the defense with 26 digs in the set.
Despite taking the loss, Kennedy had a big night with 15 kills and five digs. Mirand orchestrated the offense with 48 assists while senior Wavie Chin tallied 21 digs. HPU out-hit Elon .230 to .177 and posted a 62-58 advantage in kills.
Panther Notes:
• Head coach Jason Oliver has 98 wins in his head coaching career at HPU. He is two wins away from becoming the third coach in program history to reach 100 wins.
• Senior Wavie Chin has 992 digs in her career and needs eight more to become the 13th player in HPU’s Division I era.
• Sophomore Haley Barnes led the team in kills in each of its three matches in Georgia with nine, 12 and 17.
• HPU is 2-4 against Elon during Oliver’s tenure. The teams have split the last two matches with both going to five sets.
Next Up:
The Purple & White will host the HPU Classic sponsored by on Sept. 4-5 in the Millis Center against South Carolina State, Loyola (Md.) and Georgia State over the weekend.