PIVOTAL WEEKEND IN SOUTH CAROLINA AHEAD FOR VOLLEYBALL

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COASTAL CAROLINA: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

RADFORD, Va. – Entering the week tied for second in the Big South standings, the Radford volleyball team heads to South Carolina for a pair of crucial league tilts. The Highlanders face Coastal Carolina, which is one of the teams tied for second, Friday at 7 p.m. inside The HTC Center. RU ventures further south Saturday for a 7 p.m. first serve against Charleston Southern.

SCOUTING THE CHANTICLEERS
Friday's battle on the volleyball court will be a rematch of last season's conference championship match, which Radford captured in straight sets. Coastal comes in with a 14-4 ledger and on a four-match winning streak. The Chants have only lost once at home this season, a 3-1 setback to Winthrop on Sept. 26.

Coastal is near the top of the Big South rankings in every statistical category, including hitting percentage (first / .247), opponent hitting percentage (first / .134), kills per set (second / 13.19), blocks per set (third / 2.25) and digs per set (first / 16.31).

Freshman Leah Hardeman is making some noise in her first season with the Chants. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter leads the attack with her 3.96 kills per set, which rank second in the conference. Sam Skryd sets up the offense with her 9.66 assists per set.

Junior Eszter Nagy tops the Big South in hitting percentage at .423, while recording a team-best 59 rejections at the middle blocker position. Jenna Orner anchors the backline with her 4.56 digs per set, which rank fifth in the league.

RU trails in the all-time series with the Chants, 25-18. The Highlanders have not won at Coastal since Nov. 9, 2001, a stretch of 10 matches.

SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS
Charleston Southern enters the weekend at the bottom of the Big South with a 9-14 record overall. The Bucs are winless (0-5) in their five league matches.

Meredith Parrott hits .293 on her way to averaging 3.46 kills per set, which rank third in the Big South. Cassidy Greer manages the offense with her 720 assists. Taylor Allman digs 4.51 attacks per set, which are sixth in the conference.

Radford is ahead, 33-12, in the all-time series with CSU.

RADFORD ROUNDUP
The Highlanders (14-6, 4-1 Big South) held serve at home last weekend, picking up a 3-2 victory over High Point and a 3-1 triumph over Campbell. Radford continues to be one of the conference's top defensive teams, ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.162) and ranking fourth in digs per set (15.86).

Rachel Wiechecki paces the offense with her 3.42 kills per set (rank fifth in the Big South), while Megan Short ranks second in hitting accuracy (.315). Wiechecki also anchors the backline with her 3.74 digs per set. She leads the league in aces, unleashing 29 against her opponents.

CLIMB TO 100
Marci Jenkins, a two-time Big South coach of the year, earned her 100^th victory at Radford in the Highlanders' 3-0 sweep of UNC Wilmington. Since her arrival in 2008, RU has won a Big South regular-season and tournament title, qualified for the NCAA tournament, and had a Big South player of the year, freshman of the year, tournament MVP and scholar-athlete of the year.

ON DECK
A three-match homestand awaits Radford following its trip to South Carolina. The Highlanders return to the NRV to compete against Winthrop, Friday at 7 p.m., and Presbyterian, Saturday at 4 p.m. Dig Pink Night is scheduled for the Winthrop match.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Megan Short: RS; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#8 Rachel Wiechecki: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#12 Megan Short
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: RS

#8 Rachel Wiechecki
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH

Players Mentioned

#12 Megan Short

#8 Rachel Wiechecki

Players Mentioned

#12 Megan Short

#8 Rachel Wiechecki