[cid:image001.jpg@01D8BE2C.6AA84240]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE College of Charleston Volleyball News September 1, 2022 Contact | Whitney Noble, Associate Director of Athletics Communications & Creative Content Office Phone | 843.953.3683 | E-Mail | [log in to unmask] COUGARS HEAD TO GEORGIA FOR BULLDOG CLASSIC CHARLESTON, S.C. --- The College of Charleston volleyball team heads to Athens, Ga. for the Bulldog Classic this weekend looking to build on a pair of victories at last weekend’s CofC Invitational to begin the campaign. Charleston will take on Texas Tech on Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm followed by matchups with host Georgia and Charlotte on Saturday at 10:30 am and 5:00 pm, respectively. The Cougars opened the campaign with back-to-back wins over Fresno State and The Citadel before falling to Rutgers in straight sets to carry a 2-1 record into this weekend. Charleston kicked off the weekend in style setting a new overall and five-set single-match record with 17 aces in a reverse sweep of Fresno State. Weekend Schedule Match One: College of Charleston (2-1) vs. Texas Tech (3-0) | Friday, September 2 at 3:30 p.m. Match Two: College of Charleston (2-1) vs. Georgia (3-0) | Saturday, September 3 at 10:30 a.m. Match Three: College of Charleston (2-1) vs. Charlotte (4-0) | Saturday, September 3 at 5:00 p.m. Video: SEC Network<http://www.espn.com/watch/espnplus> (Subscription to SEC Network required) Live Stats: GeorgiaBulldogs.com<https://georgiadogs.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary> Cougars on Social Media: Twitter<http://www.twitter.com/cofcvolleyball> // Instagram<http://www.instragram.com/cofcvolleyball> QUICK HITTERS · The Cougars opened the season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2018 last weekend after completing the reverse sweep of Fresno State and cruising past The Citadel in straight sets. · Senior Claire Campbell showcased her tremendous efficiency at the net accumulating 25 kills on 42 swings with just two errors. She enters the week ranked seventh in the nation with a blistering .548 hitting percentage. · Charleston’s serving corps began the season in record-setting form dropping in an overall and five-set single-match record 17 aces against Fresno State. · Sophomore setters Jasmin Goei and Emma Appleman have formed a lethal tandem at the pivot for the Cougars so far this season averaging 5.91 and 5.82 assists per set, respectively. The duo is a big reason why Charleston enters the weekend ranked second in the league and 26th nationally in assists per set (13.45). · Charleston’s sophomore class has picked up right where it left off in its rookie campaign with Emma Appleman, Jasmin Goei, Tynley Smeltzer and Anna Smith all playing key roles in the rotation thus far. Smith and Smeltzer have started all three matches while Appleman and Goei have each made at least one start. · Senior Lexi Wierzbicki was named to the Preseason All-CAA team after leading the Cougar attack and ranking sixth in the CAA in kills per set (3.03) last season. The 2021 All-CAA First Team selection roared out to the gate in 2022 putting down a match-high 21 kills and hitting .442 in the Cougars’ reverse sweep of Fresno State last Friday. SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS * Texas Tech carries an unblemished 3-0 record into the weekend following wins over Notre Dame, Milwaukee and Tarleton State at the Irish Invitational. Five Red Raiders are averaging at least two kills per set led by Kenna Sauer with 36 kills in 10 sets played. The Red Raiders rank 20th in the nation averaging 14.60 kills per frame as a squad thus far. * Georgia enters the weekend ranked fourth in the nation in opponent hitting percentage following three straight sweeps of Troy, Chattanooga and Santa Clara to begin the season. Kacie Evans paces five Bulldogs averaging at least two kills per set with 28 kills (4.67/set) in six sets played. The Bulldogs amassed 27 blocks on the opening weekend for an average of 3.00 per set. * Charlotte carries a 4-0 record into the weekend after defeating Morgan State, Wofford, Campbell and Syracuse. Emani’ Foster ranks fourth in the nation averaging 5.14 kills per set while attacking at a .300 clip. The 49ers enter the weekend ranked 10th nationally with 36 total blocks thus far. -www.CofCSports.com- [signature_922895612] ----- To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE SPORTS as the body of the message.