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Volleyball to Contend Western Carolina in Round One of SoCon Tournament

2024 SoCon Volleyball Tournament Landing Page

2024 SoCon Volleyball Tournament Landing Page
 
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team will enter the 2024 Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament as the No. 9 seed and will face No. 8 Western Carolina on Thursday, Nov. 21 in the first round at 4:00 p.m. The tournament will be held from Nov. 21-24, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
 

 
SERIES HISTORY

Western Carolina paces the overall meetings with UNCG at 36-27. Western Carolina and UNCG split two matches during the regular season. The Catamounts won via sweep on Nov. 9 in Greensboro, while the Spartans won in four sets on Oct. 11 in Cullowhee.
 
The last time the Catamounts and Spartans faced each other in postseason was in 2016 when UNCG topped Western Carolina, 3-2, in the SoCon Quarterfinal round.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

  • UNCG dropped its final two matches of the regular season at Samford, 2-3, and Mercer, 0-3.
  • Allie Sweet paced the Spartans offensively last week with 29 kills for a 3.63 kills per set average.
  • The freshman tallied her fourth career double-double after leading the team's match against Samford with 23 kills and adding 16 digs.  
  • Izora Gragg led the Spartans as the setter with 69 assists and an 8.63 assists per set average. She posted her 10th double-double of the season and her career against Samford with 44 assists and 14 digs.
  • Cece Fitz stood out as the middle blocker for the Spartans after leading Friday's match against Samford with a new career-best of 11.0 total blocks.
     

 ABOUT THE SPARTANS

  • UNCG concluded the 2024 regular season 7-21 overall and 2-14 in the SoCon.
  • Sweet is leading the SoCon across six statistical categories: attacks per set (13.63), kills per set (4.25), points (498.5), points per set (4.79), total attacks (1,418) and total kills (442).
  • The freshman is second nationally in attacks per set, third in total attacks, 22nd in total kills and 26th points.
  • Gragg is fifth in the SoCon with 963 assists this season.
  • Chloe Nussbaum paces the squad with 423 digs and 24 service aces.
  • Madeline Timmerman is the leading middle hitter for the Spartans with 78.0 total blocks.
  • Sweet was named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. First, on Sept. 2 in the first round of weekly awards for the 2024 season and most recently on Nov. 11.
  • Head Coach Felicia Turner is in her second season at the helm of the UNCG volleyball team in 2024. 
  • Assistant Coach Trent Dunahoo is in his second season with the Spartans, while Assistant Coach Justin Paggao was added to the coaching staff in the summer of 2024.
  • UNCG was picked to finish ninth in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • The 2024 squad features seven returners and 10 newcomers (five freshmen and five transfers).

 
SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA

  • The Catamounts wrapped up the 2024 regular season at 8-20 overall and 2-13 in league play.
  • Western Carolina fell in its final two regular season matches against ETSU, 0-3, and Chattanooga, 2-3, both being in Cullowhee.
  • Ali Morris is second in the conference with an 11.27 attacks per set average.
  • Janelle Blue is second in the league, averaging 1.10 blocks per set.
  • Morris leads the Catamounts with 318 kills and 20 service aces.
  • Katie Boney and Sarah Janourova tag team as setters for the team with 512 and 489 assists, respectively.
  • Eda Yalcinkaya and Morris are leading the squad with 392 and 358 digs, respectively.
  • The Catamounts were picked to finish just above the Spartans in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll at eighth place.

 
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UP NEXT
The winner of this matchup will take on No. 1 Mercer in a SoCon Quarterfinal game, on Friday, Nov. 22, at 1:30 p.m. in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at Jerry Richardson indoor Stadium.