ANDERSON, S.C. – With at least a share of the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship on the line, the Anderson University volleyball team will close out its regular season slate by playing host to Limestone, Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Abney Athletic Center.
Prior to the match, the Trojans will recognize five seniors - Regan Duty, Maya Learmonth, Hannah Worsham, Meghan DeVaux and Neely Shugart.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (19-6, 14-3 SAC) vs. Limestone Saints (10-11, 7-9 SAC)
WHERE: Abney Athletic Center; Anderson, S.C.
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
Anderson Attendance Policy
Masks are encouraged inside all buildings on campus. Guests must maintain at least 6 feet of distance from anyone outside of their family group.
Fans are always encouraged to check with the host institution before making plans to attend any games in person.
The Trojans
AU is riding a seven-match win streak and has improved to 7-2 at the Abney Center this season and are 56-9 (.862) at home over the past five seasons. On the strength of 11 wins in their last dozen outings, the Trojans, who are chasing their second regular season title in five years, are currently in first place in the league and lead Wingate and Tusculum by a half-game, with Lenoir-Rhyne in fourth place. Wingate play at Queens tonight and hosts Catawba, Saturday, with Tusculum slated to close out its season with matches on Friday and Saturday.
AU has clinched at least a No. 3 seed in the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Championship, and will host a quarterfinal round match on Tuesday. The appearance will mark AU's 10th straight trip to the SAC Tournament.
With Jaelyn Grimm (.351), Regan Duty (.328) and Noelle Knutsen (.312) ranking second, third and fourth, respectively, the Trojans pace the South Atlantic Conference in hitting percentage (.248) and with Madison Roy leading the league individually (11.15/set), AU is at the top of the SAC with 12.64 assists per set. The Trojans are also second in kills per set (13.48/set) and sixth in blocks per set (1.86/set).
Limestone
The Saints (10-11, 7-9 SAC), were a preseason pick to finish ninth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 4-6 overall and 4-5 in league play during the COVID-shortened spring season and going 17-11 overall in 2019, including an 12-4 mark in their final season as members of Conference Carolinas.
Limestone has won three straight, including sweeps of UVA Wise and Queens and is coming off a five-set home win over Lincoln Memorial last Saturday.
The Saints' Josie Curran is seventh in the conference with 3.11 kills per set (2.76/set) and is also seventh with a .288 hitting percentage on the season. Freshman setter Paige Gardella ranks ninth in the league with 5.75 assists per set and is third in the SAC with .45 service aces per set. Senior Gabby Wessels paces the Saints with 336 digs on the season.
The Series vs. Limestone
Friday night's matchup will mark just the third meeting between the two programs since the 2014 campaign, with the Trojans looking for their ninth straight win and 12th victory in the last 14 meetings in the series.
The Trojans and Saints have met 37 times over the past 24 seasons, with AU holding a 29-8 advantage in the overall series that dates back to the 1997 campaign. The two squads were both members of Conference Carolinas until the Trojans moved to the SAC following the 2009 season. AU claimed 18 of the first 19 meetings between the two programs, with Limestone winning five straight from 2005-07.
