ROCK HILL, SC – Continuing to fight for a tournament berth, the Winthrop volleyball team hosts Gardner-Webb and UNC Asheville this Friday and Saturday.

The Eagles enter the weekend 13-12 overall and 4-7 in the Big South. Winthrop currently sits in the eighth and final tournament spot, only a half-game ahead of Campbell. Winthrop split its two matches last weekend, defeating Charleston Southern 3-0 before falling to Coastal Carolina in five sets.

Senior Jackie Landers had two stellar performances last weekend which earned her the Big South Player of the Week award. It was the first for an Eagle this season. Landers notched two double-doubles. Against Charleston Southern she had 21 kills and 10 digs while against Coastal she totaled 19 kills and 13 digs.

Winthrop entertains Gardner-Webb on Friday evening at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs enter Friday with a 15-13 overall record and a 6-4 Big South mark. Gardner-Webb dropped its last conference match 3-1 to High Point.

Earlier this season the Eagles defeated Gardner-Webb 3-0 on their home floor. Winthrop had three players notch double-digit kills. Irene Ojukwu led the team with 17 while Alina Sopizhuk tallied 16 and Rachel Lenz finished with 11.

Saturday the Eagles will host the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville at 1 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. UNC Asheville is 16-10 overall on the season with a 6-4 Big South record. The Bulldogs won both of their conference matches last weekend over High Point and Campbell.

UNC Asheville defeated the Eagles earlier this year, 3-1 on their home floor. Ojukwu tallied a game-high 18 kills while Sopizhuk finished with 13 kills. The two teams split the first two sets, but the Bulldogs won an emotional third set 31-29 and then cruised to a fourth-set victory.

After the weekend, the Eagles will play their final non-conference contest of the season on the road at The Citadel. Winthrop will play the Bulldogs Tuesday at 5 p.m.