VOLLEYBALL FIGHTS FOR BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT BERTH THIS WEEKEND

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SETTING THE STAGE

Radford heads to the mountains of North Carolina for a pair of Big South volleyball matches that will decide the Highlanders' fate for next week's conference tournament.
Up first is Friday's 7 p.m. battle with Gardner-Webb, followed by Saturday's 2 p.m. regular-season finale at UNC Asheville.
RU is 5-4 on the road this season.
Live Stats | Live Video (Gardner-Webb)
Live Stats | Live Video (UNC Asheville)

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 12-13, 5-7 Big South
Radford will look to even its conference record with a pair of wins this weekend.
The Highlanders have won three of their last four matches.
They need at least one win to clinch a spot in the conference tournament.
Currently tied for sixth place in the Big South standings, the Highlanders can climb no higher than fourth place in the conference standings.
The Highlanders rank second in the Big South in kills per set (13.14) and third in assists per set (12.08).
Radford is fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.205).
Megan Short ranks second in the Big South in hitting percentage (.395) and second in kills per set (3.31).
Haley Kleespies is the conference leader in assists per set (10.82) and ranks third in aces per set (0.38).
Kelby Jackson is ninth among Big South players in digs per set (3.58).

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB

Record: 9-20, 3-9 Big South
Series: Radford leads, 12-4
The Runnin' Bulldogs have lost six matches in a row, after having their five-match winning streak snapped on Oct. 23.
GWU leads the league in blocks per set (2.36) and aces per set (1.73).
Anna Pashkova is ranked second in the Big South with 5.13 digs per set and fourth all-time in conference history with 2,265 career digs.
RU upended the Runnin' Bulldogs, 3-1, for its first Big South victory of the season on Oct. 3 inside the Dedmon Center.

SCOUTING UNC ASHEVILLE

Record: 13-11, 6-6 Big South
Series: Radford leads, 27-26
The Bulldogs enter the weekend ranking fourth in the league standings.
Asheville ranks third in the conference in blocks per set (2.20).
Christine Lakatos is 10^th among Big South players in kills per set (2.52).
Madison Vaughn ranks second in the league in blocks per set (1.09) and sixth in hitting percentage (.332).
The Bulldogs swept the Oct. 2 meeting with Radford, hitting .333 en route to the straight-set win.

UP NEXT

The 2015 Big South Volleyball Tournament gets underway Thursday, Nov. 19 with the quarterfinals.
High Point is hosting the three-day championship inside the Millis Center in High Point, N.C.

Players Mentioned