ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Appalachian State volleyball will open the 2018 season at the UNC Asheville Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Mountaineers will face The Citadel on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and play two matches on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Coppin State and 6:30 p.m. against host UNC Asheville.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
App State returns nine players from last season's squad. The Mountaineers welcome back their top three leaders in kills.
Lexi Kohut returns after leading the team with 352 kills in 2017, while
Melissa McMath earned All-Sun Belt honors last season with 342 kills and a team-high 3.08 k/s.
Kara Spicer also returns after posting 299 kills, which was third on the team. Also returning is
Grace Morrison and her 152 kills and
Emma Longley. Longley was limited to just 10 matches last season due to injury, but averaged 2.82 k/s.
Jenna Talbert is also back after averaging 1.29 k/s in 2017. Defensively, Appalachian returns three defenders who posted over 200 digs last season. As a true freshman in 2017,
Emma Reilly finished second on the squad with 406, while also recording a team-high 32 service aces.
Sydney Farthing also returns registered 265 digs and
Sydney Hinds posted 204 digs in the back row for App State in 2017. On Aug. 17, the Black and Gold scrimmaged Wake Forest, winning four of the five sets played. Longley paced the way with 13 kills, with Spicer also reaching double digit kills, totaling 10.
Becky Porter had 11 assists, with
Jana Owens adding nine. On defense, Reilly recorded 27 digs, with Farthing chipping in with nine.
SCOUTING THE CITADEL
The Bulldogs posted an 8-26 record last season and return five of their seven starters. Sharlissa de Jesus is back after posting a team leading 359 kills last year, while ranking second on the team with 310 digs. Mellanie King also is back for The Citadel after registering 239 kills in 2017. Logan Smith sat out last season, but sits sixth all-time in program history with 1,213 assists and will look to be a factor in the 2018 campaign. Megan Fuhr served as the setter last season and posted 640 assists, while libero Caricia Rodriguez returns after posting 304 digs.
SCOUTING COPPIN STATE
The Eagles return four players from last season's squad, including three starters. Asia Stennis posted a team-high 262 kills and three double-doubles in 2017, while also recording 200 digs. Christa Johnson returns in the middle for Coppin State after leading the team with 45 blocks and hitting .196 on 118 kills. Also back is Marlena Guice and Elanna Nellis. Guice registered 134 kills and 167 digs in 2017, while Nellis appeared in 22 matches, posting 25 kills on a .203 hitting mark and 17 blocks.
SCOUTING UNC ASHEVILLE
The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the Big South preseason poll after going 13-15 last season and 9-7 in conference play. UNC Asheville returns nine players overall led by First Team All-Big South honoree Cara Guthrie. Guthrie recorded 391 kills on a .224 hitting mark, 33 aces and 303 digs. Kailey Hackett and Carter Kennedy both return after posting 497 and 434 assists, respectively. Defensively, Madisen Zyburt returns after leading the team with 321 digs in 2017.
SERIES RECORDS
The Mountaineers own a combined 41-5 record versus the three opponents at the UNC Asheville Invitational. App State has won the last seven contests against The Citadel, including a 3-0 sweep in the 2013 season, is 24-1 all-time against the Bulldogs. App State and Coppin State have only met once, with the Black and Gold prevailing 3-0 during the 1992 season. Appalachian leads the all-time series with UNC Asheville 16-4, having won three straight meetings with the Bulldogs, including the last matchup 3-0 in 2005.
NEXT UP
Appalachian State host the Appalachian Invitational inside the Holmes Center next season. The Mountaineers will take on Davidson on Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and will host ACC foe Clemson at 12:30 p.m. and SEC opponent Mississippi State at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1.
