EKU Volleyball brings 4-game winning streak into weekend homestand

RICHMOND, Ky. – After a four-game winning streak, Eastern Kentucky University will host two games against Jacksonville and North Florida on Homecoming weekend.

The Colonels host the Dolphins on Friday at the Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center at 6 p.m. Sunday’s game against UNF starts at 11 a.m. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

The team’s annual Dig Pink Match to raise awareness for breast cancer will take place on Friday. Pink pompoms will be given away. There are FREE donuts at Sunday morning’s game against the Ospreys.

THE COLONELS

– EKU (14-7, 5-3 ASUN) has won four straight games and is tied for fourth place in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings. The Colonels are 35-16 overall since the start of the 2023 season.

– Sophomore setter Emilee Hill recorded her third triple-double of the season last weekend against Queens. She finished her career with a career-best 12 kills, 31 assists, a career-best 31 digs and a block. Hill leads the ASUN and is ninth nationally in triple-doubles.

– During their four-game winning streak, the Colonels hit .275 as a team. EKU recorded 203 kills and 65 errors on 502 attacks during that period. Conversely, the Colonels have limited their opponents to a batting average of .139.

– AG Vandagriff is averaging 3.07 kills per set while hitting .298 over his last four games.

– Three Colonels are among the ASUN’s top 10 in digs. Josie Schmitendorf (4.64/set) is second, Hill (3.32/set) is ninth and Sarah Mitchell (3.30/set) is the 10th.

SCOUT THE OPPONENTS

– Jacksonville is 10-10 overall and tied with the Colonels in the ASUN standings at 5-3. The Dolphins had won four straight games before suffering a 3-0 loss at home to Lipscomb on Saturday.

– Breanna McDonough leads the team and is fourth in the ASUN with 3.82 kills per set. Amina Dervisevic averages 0.92 blocks per set and is one of four Dolphins averaging 0.70 or more blocks per set.

– North Florida is 8-15 overall but is 4-4 in ASUN games. The Ospreys earned a 3-0 non-conference home win over Florida A&M on Wednesday and have won three of their last four league games.

– Amy Burkhardt leads the team and is sixth in the ASUN with 3.49 kills per set. Setter Annie Antar is fifth in the conference with 9.14 assists per set.

WITHIN THE SERIES

– The Colonels are 5-1 all-time against Jacksonville. The Dolphins earned a 3-0 win in Jacksonville, the only meeting between the two teams last season.

– The Ospreys are 4-1 against the Colonels. North Florida earned two 3-1 victories last season, one in Jacksonville and one at the ASUN Tournament in Fort Myers, Florida.