BOONE, N.C. -- Off to their first 3-0 start since the 2014 season, Appalachian State volleyball returns to the Holmes Center for the Appalachian Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Mountaineers will play Davidson on Friday evening at 7:30Â p.m. and take on ACC foe Clemson at 12:30 p.m. and SEC opponent Mississippi State at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
CATCH THE MOUNTAINEERS IN ACTION
Fans are encouraged to come to the Holmes Center to cheer on the Mountaineers. Each App State contest on the weekend is also available via stream. Friday's match against Davidson will be streamed via Appvision, while Saturday's contests can be seen on ESPN+.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
Last weekend at the UNC Asheville Invitational, the Mountaineers swept past three opponents, defeating The Citadel, Coppin State and UNC Asheville. It marked the first 3-0 start for the Black and Gold since the 2014 season. The Mountaineers also posted three consecutive sweeps for the first time since the 2014 season.
Emma Longley earned Tournament MVP honors after registering 32 total kills (3.56 k/s) and a .273 hitting mark, to go along with 17 digs.
Becky Porter was also named to the All-Tournament Team after posting a tournament-best 75 assists, while
Emma Reilly earned All-Tournament accolades with 34 digs (3.78 d/s). In all, App State hit .263 on the weekend and held its opponents to a .036 hitting mark.
SCOUTING DAVIDSON
Davidson enters with a 3-1 mark on the season, after going 2-1 at the season-opening Wildcat Classic and topping Charlotte on Tuesday evening 3-2. In the win over Charlotte, the Wildcats overcame a two sets to one deficit, with Ciera Cockrell leading the way with 23 kills. Ellie Crosley chipped in with 14 kills and Mason Rooney finished with 10. Rooney also tallied a team-high 30 assists with Sydney Champaigne tallying 29. On defense, Elise Edman and Josie Treadwell each had 19 digs. On the season, Cockrell has a team-high 39 kills (2.79 k/s), with Crosley right behind with 37 (2.64 k/s).
SCOUTING CLEMSONÂ
The Tigers enter the weekend with a 1-2 mark on the season. At the Gamecock, Invitational, Clemson topped Texas A&M Corpus Christi 3-0 and fell to ETSU 3-1 and to South Carolina 3-0. Ashetynne Alberts and Adria Oliver are tied for the team lead in kills with 28 apiece, with Brooke Bailey is right behind with 27. Gabby Easton has a team-high 104 assists and Madi Howell has a team-high 35 digs. Both Torie Frederick and Easton are tied for second on the team in digs with 23 apiece.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
The Bulldogs stand at 1-3 on the season after their season opening Starkvegas Classic. In a 3-0 win over Mississippi Valley State, A.J. Koele has a match-high eight kills, with Alleah Stamatis registering 19 assists. Gabby Zgunda had a match-high 19 digs. On the season, Koele has a team-high 30 kills, with Paige Shaw and Taylor Haskins right behind with 29 each. Stamitis has a team-high 76 assists, with Zgunda owning a team-best 64 digs.
NEXT UP
App State will play in its final tournament next weekend at the N.C. State/Campbell Tournament. On Sept. 7, the Black and Gold will take on Utah Valley in Raleigh at 11 a.m., followed by Sept. 8 meetings with Wright State at 2 p.m. and Campbell at 6 p.m. in Buies Creek.
