ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team continues its six-match home stand this weekend, hosting UNC Asheville and Gardner-Webb at the Winthrop Coliseum.

The Eagles dropped a tough five-set match to Presbyterian last Friday, snapping the team's eight-match win streak and dropping its record to 12-7 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Junior Rachel Lenz earned her second straight Big South Defensive Player of the Week award after her 11-block, 18-kill performance against the Blue Hose.  Lenz' 1.36 blocks per set ranks her atop the Big South statistics and her 101 total blocks ranks her second in NCAA Division I.  Lenz' .331 hitting percentage this season also ranks her third in the conference.

Offensively, senior Alina Sopizhuk leads the Eagles with 216 kills.  Her 3.13 kills per set average, ranks her eighth in the Big South. 

Friday evening at 7 p.m. the Eagles will host the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville.  Asheville enters the weekend with a 3-15 record overall, a 0-3 mark in the conference and have dropped 10 of its last 11 matches.

Sophomore Shelby Erickson and junior Christine Lakatos have been the two primary attack presences for the Bulldogs this season.  Erickson averages 2.5 kills per set while Lakatos averages 2.39 kills per set but both have hit less than .200 this season.  Junior Katie Davis is the team's primary setter, averaging just over five assists per set.

The Gardner-Webb Bulldogs will come to the Winthrop Coliseum Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.  Gardner-Webb will play at Presbyterian Friday and enters the weekend at 8-13 overall and 1-2 in the Big South. 

Senior Tyler Cockrell leads the Bulldogs offensively with 203 kills while junior Tyra Montour has totaled 173 kills this season.  Senior Heather Feldman is the team's primary setter, averaging 9.22 assists per set.  Cockrell also leads the team on the block, averaging 1.18 blocks per set.

The Eagles will remain at home as they continue conference play next weekend, hosting High Point on Friday and Campbell Saturday.