VALDOSTA, Ga. - Riding the momentum of a six-game winning streak and following up on a huge win over the top-ranked Shorter Hawks, the Blazer volleyball squad of Head Coach
Mike Swan are primed and ready to make a strong push toward the top of the GSC standings in the final weeks of the 2014 regular season.
But first, the red and black will turn their attention to a series of non-conference matchups this week, beginning with the Rollins Tars on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. in The Complex. Rollins, an NCAA South Region opponent out of the Sunshine State Conference, enters Tuesday's contest with a 11-6 overall record and third place ranking in a conference that includes the American Volleyball Coaches Association's No. 1 ranked Tampa Spartans.
The Blazers, meanwhile, have lost only three matches this season and are nipping at the heels of the GSC's second-place West Florida Argonauts, who currently hold the No. 21 position in the AVCA national rankings. Standing atop the league are the Shorter Hawks, who suffered their first conference loss of the season to Valdosta State on Saturday.
Jenna Kirkwood represents one of the Blazers' top performers on the attack heading into Tuesday's showdown and ranks as the GSC's second-best hitter with 195 kills and an average of 3.36 kills per set.
Destiny Berry is also having a career year at the middle blocker position with a .312 hitting percentage, a number that places her among the top five hitters in the league.
Berry also continues to lead the GSC in blocks this season with a total of 69 for an average of 1.25 per set, and
Ashley Lala has anchored the Blazer defense with an average of 4.19 digs per set. When measured by the number of digs on the year, Lala ranks third among all players in the conference and trails Lindsey Ball of West Alabama by only nine.
In order to extend their winning streak to seven, VSU will have to find an answer for Rollins' Jessica Wilson. The senior ranks among the top ten hitters in the Sunshine State Conference with a .332 hitting percentage, and she is supported by Shannon McDonough, a freshman who represents one of the top two attackers in the SSC in terms of total kills on the year.
The action kicks off at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday night, and tickets will be available for purchase at the gate or by calling 229-333-7328. Those who can't make the contest can follow the action live via links available at www.vstateblazers.com.
