HIGHLANDERS SET FOR SECOND OF THREE ROAD TOURNAMENTS

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SETTING THE STAGE

The Radford volleyball team heads back out on the road, but for a shorter trip this weekend as it travels to Greensboro, N.C. for the Spartan/Aggie Invitational.
The Highlanders will take on UNC Greensboro Friday night and then face both Hampton and North Carolina A&T on Saturday.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE/LINKS
Friday, Sept. 9
Radford at UNC Greensboro, 7 p.m. (Live Stats | Live Video)
Saturday, Sept. 10
Radford vs. Hampton, 11 a.m.
Radford at North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 6-1
The 6-0 start to the season included five consecutive sweeps, the most in a row for the program since 2001.
The Highlanders won 18 consecutive sets before the setback to Samford in last weekend's tournament finale.
Radford remains the Big South leader in kills per set (13.91), hitting percentage (.273) and assists per set (13.09).
Defensively, RU tops the conference and stands 19th nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.133), while ranking second among league teams in blocks per set and third in digs per set.
Individually, two-time Big South Player of the Week Maddie Palmer ranks seventh in the nation in kills per set (5.00) and eighth in points per set. She is also third in the conference in hitting percentage and seventh in digs per set.
Haley Kleespies' 11.35 assists per set lead the Big South and rank 18th nationally. She is also fourth in the conference in aces per set.
Four Highlanders are among the top seven in the conference in hitting percentage, led by freshman Mallory McKnight, who is first overall at .356. Fellow freshmen Stephanie Neast and Sydney Tekstra are fifth and seventh, respectively.
Amaya Rousseau stands second in the league with 1.37 blocks per set, while Palmer, Kaylor Nash and Kelby Jackson are each averaging over 3.20 digs per set.

SCOUTING UNC GREENSBORO

Record: 1-5
UNC Greensboro dropped all three of its matches last weekend, but two of them went five sets - against High Point and Elon. In the opening weekend, the Spartans lost to Duke and LSU before defeating Eastern Kentucky.
Christina Gregory recorded a career-high 36 digs against Elon as UNCG totaled 110 as a team in the match. Gregory has been named to the All-Tournament teams both weekends.
Junior outside hitter Ashley Muench, a 2015 All-SoCon First Team pick, leads the offense with 3.92 kills per set, with the Spartans hitting .187 as a team.
Setter Allison Penner was the 2015 SoCon Freshman of the Year and is averaging 9.53 assists per set this season. Sarah Hohman is contributing 7.86 assists per set.
UNCG finished third in the SoCon last year and was picked fourth in the preseason this year. The Spartans went 10-1 at home in 2015.

SCOUTING HAMPTON

Record: 0-5
Coming off of a 3-22 campaign, Hampton has been swept in all five of its matches this season, including by Liberty, East Tennessee State and USC Upstate last weekend.
Brandon Duval is in his first season as head coach, trying to rebuild the Pirates, who won MEAC titles in 2013 and 2014.
Setter Brianna Lilly, the team's lone senior, is averaging 7.47 assists per set.
Sophomore outside Reeana Richardson leads the way in kills with 46 (3.07 per set), but Hampton is hitting just .109 overall.

SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA A&T

Record: 1-5
North Carolina A&T is coming off a three-set loss at home to East Carolina on Tuesday, with both of the first two games decided by just two points.
Despite the loss, the Aggies hit a season-best .187 in the match, well above their average through the first five matches.
Junior outside hitter Samara Brown had 16 kills, with a .500 hitting percentage in the defeat. For the season, she leads the team with 71 kills and 3.23 kills per set. Alyssa Pitt is second on team at 1.95 kills per set.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Kelby Jackson: L; 5' 5"; Senior

#3 Haley Kleespies: S; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#18 Kaylor Nash: DS; 5' 9"; Junior

#20 Maddie Palmer: OH; 6' 0"; Junior

#8 Amaya Rousseau: MB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#15 Sydney Tekstra: OH; 6' 0"; Freshman

#19 Stephanie Neast: RS; 6' 0"; Freshman

#9 Mallory McKnight: MB; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#11 Kelby Jackson
: 5' 5"; Senior
: L

#3 Haley Kleespies
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: S

#18 Kaylor Nash
: 5' 9"; Junior
: DS

#20 Maddie Palmer
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH

#8 Amaya Rousseau
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: MB

#15 Sydney Tekstra
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OH

#19 Stephanie Neast
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: RS

#9 Mallory McKnight
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: MB