ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team will return to conference play at home on Friday when the Eagles host the Presbyterian College Blue Hose in a 7 p.m. contest inside the Winthrop Coliseum.
Winthrop is currently 1-1 in the Big South this season with a 7-9 overall mark. The Eagles defeated Coastal Carolina in five sets last Friday before falling to Charleston Southern in five on Saturday.
Sophomore Jennica Mullins continues to be a force at the net for the Eagles both offensivley and defensively. Mullins leads the Eagles in total kills with 128 and in total blocks with 73 which also leads the Big South.
Junior Stephanie Palmer is second on the team in kills with 118 and first with 363 assists. Palmer has recorded eight double-doubles and two triple-doubles this season, both of which lead the Big South. Sophomore Catherine Brusie has been solid defensivley for Winthrop as she leads the team and is second in the Big South with 232 digs.
Presbyterian enters Friday's contest with a 4-13 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the Big South. The Blue Hose defeated Charleston Southern and fell to Coastal Carolina last week. Before Friday's victory over the Buccanneers, the Blue Hose had won only once in their last six matches.
Friday's contest will feature the Big South's top two statistical leaders in digs as Presbyterian's Mary Trimpe leads the conference with 274 followed by Brusie's 232.
While the Blue Hose are second in the Big South in digs, they rank towards the bottom offensively as they are eighth in hitting percentage but fourth overall in total kills. Presley Mabry has led Presbyterian on the attack this season, totaling 162 kills. She is followed closely by Allison Brown with 139 and Kelly Berryman with 129 kills.
Winthrop leads the overall series against Presbyterian 14-2. The Blue Hose defeated the Eagles once in 2008 and 2010, but have never been victorious inside the Winthrop Coliseum.
Following Friday's contest, the Eagles will have a week before their next match on Friday, October 5 at 7 p.m. against the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville.
