Wednesday, September 21, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 21, 2005) - The East Tennessee State volleyball team will be kicking off a new era of ETSU athletics this weekend, as it hosts Campbell University in the team's first-ever Atlantic Sun event.  The match is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23, in Brooks Gym, with game time set for 7:00 p.m.

The Lady Bucs have had a successful season thus far, posting a 7-5 record, most recently upending in-state rival Chattanooga in a 3-0 sweep on Tuesday night. 

Topping the Lady Bucs in the kill column is junior Sarah Buhr (Stockton, Calif.) with 3.48 per frame.  Junior Jennifer Sartor (Toronto, Ontario) is next in line with 3.06, followed by sophomore Callie Kiselich (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 2.57.

Kiselich and Jennifer Emerson (Santa Clara, Calif.) have been defensive forces, each posting 2.21 digs per game.  Teammates Buhr and Brittany Kessel (Libertyville, Ill.) have also been tough on defense, both averaging over two digs a frame.  Kiselich is also leading the team in blocks, with 41.0 on the season.

Emerson and Kessel have taken turns leading the ETSU offense, with Emerson averaging 8.88 assists per game, as Kessel has been adding 4.05.

Defending A-Sun champion Florida Atlantic looks to be the team to beat early on, as the Owls boast a flawless 12-0 record.  Belmont currently holds the second-best record in the A-Sun, with a 10-7 mark.  ETSU's 7-5 standing is the third-best in the conference. 

Historically, the Lady Bucs have been successful in limited meetings against Atlantic Sun schools, posting an 8-1 record.  The Lady Bucs are also 1-0 against Campbell, after the team's lone meeting in 2003.  This season's matches against Belmont, Mercer, and North Florida will be the first in program history.