ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University volleyball team will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday, when the Trojans visit Newberry in a South Atlantic Conference matchup at Eleazer Arena. First-serve is set for 7 p.m.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (6-4, 1-1 SAC) at Newberry Wolves (6-3, 1-1 SAC)
WHERE: Eleazer Arena; Newberry, S.C.
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Newberry Attendance Policy
Fans must be masked when indoors at any facility and can be unmasked when outdoors if fully vaccinated. Indoor events will be at 50% capacity.
Fans are always encouraged to check with the host institution before making plans to attend any games in person.
The Trojans
AU has won two of its last three decisions and is looking to bounce back from a four-set loss at league-leading Tusculum last Saturday afternoon.
Offensively, the Trojans continue to lead the conference in both kills and assists, while ranking just behind Wingate in hitting percentage, kills per set and assists per set. Defensively, AU ranks fifth in digs per set and eighth among the 13 teams in blocks per set.
From the outset of the season, junior setter Madison Roy has led the league in both assists (421) and assists per set (10.79) and is third on the team in digs and fourth in total blocks. The North Myrtle Beach native has dished out at least 40 digs six times this season and has notched four double-doubles.
Outside hitter Maya Learmonth is third on the team with 87 kills on the season, but leads the Black and Gold and ranks 15th in the SAC with 2.72 kills per set. She has reached double-figure kills five times, including a season-high 14 against Florida Southern on Sept. 11.
Senior Regan Duty leads a balanced Trojan attack and is sixth in the league with 102 kills (2.68/set), while standing seventh with a .309 hitting percentage and eighth in total blocks. She has reached double-digit kills in five matches and has come within one of her career-high 16 kills twice.
Sophomore Sadie Kluner equaled her career-high 11 kills on three occasions before setting a new career best with 13 kills at Tusculum last weekend. A native of Venice, Fla., Kluner is second on the team and ranks ninth in the conference with 92 kills on the season. Noelle Knutsen leads the Trojans and is tied for sixth in the league with 29 total blocks and is fourth on the team with 86 kills. The Parker, Colo., native has equaled her career-best with 14 kills twice, while reaching double-figure kills four times.
Sophomore Jaelyn Grimm has balanced her offensive and defensive statistics by recording 60 kills (2.14/set) behind a .296 hitting percentage, while adding 22 total blocks.
Myrtle Beach native Meghan DeVaux paces the Trojans and ranks fifth in the SAC with 135 digs on the season, while reaching double-figure digs in seven matches, including the last six. Junior Alexandra Petrilli is second on the team with 101 digs and freshman Hannah Neff is tied for seventh in the league with 14 service aces.
Newberry
The Wolves (6-3, 1-1 SAC), were a preseason pick to finish eighth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 4-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play during the COVID-shortened spring season and going 7-20 overall in 2019, including a 5-17 mark in league play.
Newberry has won five of its last six outings and blanked Erskine, 3-0 (25-16, 25-8, 25-17) a week ago in the Wolves' lone home match of the season, so far.
Newberry opened the spring season by winning three of its first four outings, including wins over the Trojans and top-seeded Wingate, but wrapped up the season by dropping five of its last six decisions.
Graduate students Natasha Bannister and Zoe Dinkins each earned Preseason All-SAC accolades in mid-August.
Bannister, along with Avery Webb and Amanda Berecz were named to the Rollins Invitational All-Tournament Team earlier this month, with Berecz going on to claim SAC AstroTurf Defensive Player of the Week honors following the tourney.
The Series vs. Newberry
The Trojans will be seeking their 15th win in 17 meetings with Newberry and had defeated the Wolves in six consecutive matchups before Newberry edged the Trojans in five sets in last spring's season-opener at the Abney Athletic Center. AU avenged the setback by defeating Newberry, 3-1 ((21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18) in the quarterfinals of the SAC Spring Volleyball Tournament.
The Trojans and Wolves have met 31 times over the past 22 seasons, with AU holding a 22-9 advantage in the overall series that dates back to the 1999 campaign. The two squads met just once between 2005 and 2009, with 22 of the 31 overall matchups coming since the Trojans joined the SAC in 2010. AU claimed the first three league meetings, with Newberry then winning three straight before Anderson swept the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 regular-season series.
