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Volleyball

VOLLEYBALL MAKES SHORT TRIP TO BLACKSBURG FOR HOKIE INVITATIONAL



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RADFORD, Va. – After traveling to Kentucky, New Mexico and North Carolina for tournaments, the Radford volleyball team will get to stay close to home for a change this weekend as the Highlanders are set to compete at the Hokie Invitational hosted by Virginia Tech inside Cassell Coliseum.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Below is the schedule for the Hokie Invitational:
 
Friday, Sept. 19
Radford vs. Marshall, 4:30 p.m.
UNC Wilmington at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.
 
Saturday, Sept. 20
Radford at Virginia Tech, 10 a.m.
UNC Wilmington vs. Marshall, 12:30 p.m.
Radford vs. UNC Wilmington, 5 p.m.
Marshall at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD
Marshall enters this weekend with a 5-6 record following its 3-0 victory over Morehead State on Tuesday. Radford also played MSU, going 2-0 against the Eagles at their season-opening tournament in Morehead, Ky.
 
Cassie Weaver unleashes a team-best 2.74 kills per set to top the offensive output for the Thundering Herd. The sophomore has five double-doubles on the season already. Sammie Bane manages the offense with her 329 assists.
 
Anchoring the backline is Allie Kellerman, who digs 3.86 attacks per set. At the net, Jillian Shemanski delivers 1.20 blocks per set.
 
The Highlanders are 3-6 all-time against Marshall, but have not played the Conference USA foe since 2006.
 
SCOUTING THE HOKIES
Virginia Tech will be riding a wave of momentum into its home tournament. The Hokies (4-6) are coming off a 3-2 upset of 12th-ranked Illinois in the Blue Raider Bash hosted by Middle Tennessee last week.
 
Lindsey Owens, an ACC all-freshman team honoree last year, leads the attack with her 3.57 kills per set. Tech runs a two-setter offense with Jordan Fish (239 assists) and Kyra Coundourides (179) doing the damage.
 
Megan Beckwith heads the defensive presence for the Hokies, tallying 2.97 digs per set. Ashley Battle is making a statement in her first year in a Tech uniform, guiding the team with her 1.11 blocks per set.
 
Radford and the Hokies will be meeting for the 33rd time in series history Saturday. Although they have a long history, the two New River Valley rivals have not met since 2003. The Highlanders' last win in the series came in 2001.
 
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
Despite having its seven-match winning streak snapped in its last time out, UNC Wilmington (9-2) enters the Hokie Invitational with a ton of confidence. The Seahawks' only losses have come against NC State and Charlotte.
 
Pacing the UNCW offense is Morgan Kline, who knocks down 3.30 kills per set. The 6-foot outside hitter has already earned two tournament MVP honors this season. The Seahawks also run a two-setter offense as Alyssa Desjardins and Victoria Phillips have passed out 238 and 167 assists, respectively.
 
UNCW is well protected with its defense. Morgan Owney, Lindsay Hartmann and Kline all average over three digs per set, while Meredith Peacock notches 1.40 blocks per set.
 
RU and the Seahawks will be squaring off for the sixth time Saturday. UNCW holds a slim 3-2 edge in the series.
 
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
A trio of Highlanders enter their senior campaigns with program records in their sights. Rachel Wiechecki, who became Radford's first AVCA all-region honoree last December, broke Divona Cox's rally-scoring kills record of 1,066 against N.C. Central.
 
In addition, Wiechecki became the program's sixth 1,000-1,000 performer at RU's season-opening tournament in Morehead, Ky. Wiechecki has accumulated 1,164 kills and 1,114 digs during her time at RU. She joined Anne Jackson, Anne Fontaine, Ami Orr, Katie Sherwood and Laura Marcuson as the only Highlanders to accomplish the milestone.
 
The Wilmington, Del. native has the potential to chase down the rally-scoring digs record, which is held by former teammate, Katelyn Meeks (1,506). Wiechecki also ranks second in aces at 126. Kiley Kent owns the rally-scoring record with 174.
 
Meanwhile, Emma Deininger is well within reach of the rally-scoring blocks record (378), which also belongs to Cox. Deininger, who is coming off a junior campaign where she set the single-season record (145), only needs nine to eclipse the mark.
 
Senior setter Jena Braden is climbing the rally-scoring era's Top-10 chart for assists. The New Knoxville, Ohio native currently has 2,577, which rank third in program history.
 
CLIMB TO 100
Marci Jenkins, a two-time Big South coach of the year, is only two wins away from earning her 100th victory at Radford. 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
The much-anticipated rematch of last year's Big South tournament semifinal between Liberty and Radford will take place next Friday, Sept. 26. First serve of the conference opener for both teams is set for 7 p.m. at the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va.
 
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