ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson volleyball team is set to wrap up its non-conference schedule by welcoming Peach Belt Conference-foe, Lander, to the Abney Athletic Center for the first time since the 2013 campaign. First-serve versus the Bearcats, Tuesday night is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Tuesday night's matchup marks the first meeting between the Trojans and Bearcats since the 2018 NCAA Southeast Regional and just the fifth matchup since the 2012 season.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (17-4) vs. Lander Bearcats (15-6)
WHERE: Abney Athletic Center; Anderson, S.C.
WHEN: Tuesday, 6 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: AUTROJANS.COM (Pay-Per-View)
The Trojans
With one eye on the postseason and the other on its remaining four conference contests, Anderson (17-4, 11-3 SAC), is looking for its seventh straight win and its ninth victory in 10 decisions.
Senior Noelle Knutsen has hit .541 over the past six matches, while junior Jaelyn Grimm has notched a .486 hitting percentage over the same time span to help lift the Trojans into second place in the league standings with a .257 overall team attacking accuracy.
Junior Jenna Long has averaged more than 41 assists per contest over the past five matches and set a career high with 54 assists in AU's four-set win at Mars Hill. She nearly matched that mark with 53 assists in the Trojans' four-set win at Tusculum.
After posting exactly nine service aces in six consecutive matches, the Trojans have climbed into fourth place in the SAC with 132 total aces on the season.
Lander
The Bearcats (15-6, 8-4 PBC), were a preseason pick to finish fourth in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, after posting an 13-13 overall record last season and finishing fifth in the PBC with a 3-7 mark.
Lander, which recorded a nine-match win streak earlier this season, won two straight home contests over the weekend after dropping back-to-back decisions last week. The Bearcats, who are 9-5 away from home on the season, are currently second in the PBC standings, one game behind defending NCAA Southeast Region Champion Augusta.
Junior Christina Aguayo was selected to the Preseason All-Conference team, after leading the Bearcats with 386 kills (3.75/set) while playing in all 103 sets for the Bearcats last season. Lander also returned senior Madilyn Reed, who had 3,531 career assists, the second most in rally scoring history (2008-Present) and third most all-time.
Reed and freshman Katie Miller have each been named Peach Belt Player and Specialist of the Week three times this season.
The Series vs. Lander
The Trojans and Bearcats have met just 17 times over the past 25 years, with Lander holding a 10-7 advantage in the overall series that dates back to the 1998 campaign. From 2001-2010, the Bearcats won eight straight matchups with the Trojans.
Tuesday night's matchup marks the first meeting between the Trojans and Bearcats since the 2018 NCAA Southeast Regional and just the fifth matchup since the 2012 season. AU has won two straight meetings and four of the last five matchups dating back to the 2010 season.
