Match Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Oct. 29, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - There is only one Atlantic Sun Conference volleyball match on the schedule tonight. It is the battle between Jacksonville State and Samford at 7 p.m. in Seibert Hall. Both teams have hopes of making the Conference tournament, but both teams are on the outside looking in, and both teams know they can't afford a loss tonight.

Samford has won three straight and six of its last eight matches after defeating Campbell 3-1 on Saturday. Alyssa Whitehead led the Bulldogs with 18 kills and 12 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. Hilary Gary added 15 kills and 10 digs while Stefanie Pickett posted 11 kills and 13 digs. Pickett has recorded double-doubles in each of her last four matches. The Bulldogs are currently hitting .221 as a team that is the highest percentage since the 1994 season when Samford hit .223 as a team. Krista Kettering has 2,874 career assists and is third on Samford's all-time assists list. She trails second place Jennifer Hays (1994-97) by just 84 assists.

Jacksonville State enter tonight's match-up also winners of three-straight and five of their last six. JSU took care of Gardner-Webb 3-1 on Saturday. Sarah Taylor leads the Gamecocks averaging 3.11 kills per game. Christina Cary is next at 2.79 KPG. Jennifer Brenneman leads the team defensively averaging 3.11 digs per game.

With the top six teams qualifying for the conference tournament, JSU is in seventh place at 4-4 and Samford is in eighth place at 4-5. Jacksonville currently holds the sixth seed with a 5-4 record only a half game ahead of JSU and a full game ahead of Samford.

Samford is 12-20 all-time against Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs won last seasons meeting in Jacksonville3-1. In recent history the Bulldogs and Gamecocks have been evenly matched. The two teams have split their last 10 meetings dating back to 1994.