Montevallo Athletics

Women's Volleyball

GSC Volleyball Notebook: Sept. 28

AROUND THE LEAGUE
Union and Montevallo began the week as the last two teams without a loss in league play, while respectively holding the top two spots in the Gulf South standings. Mississippi College looks to extend the wave of good fortune after downing West Florida in five sets last week. The Argonauts round out the top four in the standings, as they are followed by a three-way tie for fifth. 
 
UPCOMING MATCHES
Thursday
West Alabama at Christian Brothers – 6 pm CT
 
Friday
West Florida at Shorter – 6 pm ET 
Alabama Huntsville at West Florida – 6 pm CT
Montevallo at Auburn Montgomery – 6 pm CT
Valdosta State at Lee – 7 pm ET
 
Saturday
Montevallo at West Florida – 12:30 pm CT
West Georgia at Lee – 2 pm ET
Valdosta State at Shorter – 2 pm CT
Alabama Huntsville at Auburn Montgomery – 2 pm CT
Mississippi College at Union – 2 pm CT

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
  • Mississippi College entered the weekend with a .929 winning percentage (13-1) on the year tying the Choctaws for the ninth-best mark in Division II, alongside South Region foes Barry and AVCA No. 2-ranked MSU Denver. 
  • West Florida heads into the weekend as league leaders and among the nation's top 25 in assists (6th/750), assists per set (18th/12.71), hitting (16th/.269), kills per set (16th/13.85) and kills (6th/817).
  • West Georgia started the week as the GSC-leader and ranked sixth-nationally in team service aces (142), while Valdosta State is also among the nation's leaders checking in at No. 10 with 132 ... West Alabama is the leader in aces per set (2.32) and is the only conference representative among the Top 20 in the nation.  
  • Montevallo's 10-match win streak to enter the week has the Falcons tied with American International from the NE10 for seventh-longest active streak in Division II ... Union's seven-match win streak sees the Bulldogs head into the weekend as part of a eight-team tie for the 14th-longest active win streak.
  • GSC ace-leader Lyara Rosario from Valdosta State is second nationally in total aces (40), one being the national leader (Rilee White, Alaska Fairbanks) this season, and eighth-overall in aces per set (0.69).
  • UWF's Taylor Vaneekeren is third among D2 leader in assists (623) and 20th in assists per set (10.56) … teammate Jenna Zydlo is swinging at a .419-clip and is the GSC leader heading into the weekend and ranked 23rd nationally.
  • Montevallo's Casey Hendrixson goes into the weekend ranked 21st nationally with a GSC-best 286 digs this season.
  • West Georgia's Christina Pettigrew leads the Gulf South with 66 blocks placing her 18th among D2 leaders to begin the week.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Mississippi College swept the league's weekly volleyball accolades as Lydia Paulette, Julia Sumrall and Caroline Chastang were respectively named the conference's offensive, defensive and freshman players for their performances last week. This is the first time this season a team has swept the Gulf South weekly awards, and the second-consecutive mention for Paulette and Chastang.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
West Florida began the week ranked at No. 14 in the AVCA Division II poll, while Mississippi College entered the national conversations as it landed in the receiving votes category. This is the Argos' sixth-consecutive mention this season they have been among the nation's Top 15.
 
SOUTH REGION CROSSOVER
The Gulf South Conference will host the annual South Region Crossover with teams from the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) on October 14-15. The event will be played at the Finley Center in Hoover, Ala. For more information visit gscsports.org/vb22.
 
GSC TOURNAMENT
The 2022 Gulf South Volleyball Championship will begin November 7 with first round matchups hosted by the higher seeds. The final three round will then be hosted by the No. 1-seed on November 11-13. The entire tournament will be streamed on FloSports.