UNCG travels to Elon, hosts Wofford this weekend

Kellie Orewiler

Final	1	2	3	4	5	T
Wofford (11-12, 1-5 SoCon)	19	25	12	25	10	2
UNCG (16-5, 4-2 SoCon)	25	18	25	23	15	3

Wofford	UNCG
K: Stacy Byrd - 14 B: Arden Anderson - 3 D: Reagan Styles - 15 SA: Melissa Kearse - 2	K: Ariel Newman - 15 B: Kayren Finney - 10 D: 2 Players (#10, #9 - 17) SA: Kellie Orewiler - 3

TEAM STATISTICS	Wofford	UNCG
Hitting %	.127	.243
Blocks	4.0	12.0
Digs	58	72
Aces	5	8

full stats

Final	1	2	3	4	5	T
UNCG (15-5 (3-2 SoCon))	25	17	24	22		1
Elon (12-9 (4-1 SoCon))	17	25	26	25		3

UNCG	Elon
K: Ariel Newman - 16 B: Kayren Finney - 7 D: Kellie Orewiler - 22 SA: N/A	K: 2 Players (#5, #4 - 14) B: Caroline Lemke - 4 D: Ali Deatsch - 19 SA: Lauren Copenhagen - 2

TEAM STATISTICS	UNCG	Elon
Hitting %	.201	.172
Blocks	11.0	6.0
Digs	79	68
Aces	0	4

full stats

UNCG (15-4, 3-1 SoCon) at Elon (11-9, 3-1 SoCon), vs. Wofford (11-11, 1-4 SoCon), Oct. 8 & 9, 6 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Livestats: UNCGSpartans.com
Live video: Spartan All Access (Wofford match only)

Storylines:

- Currently in a three-way tie for first place in the North Division, UNCG hits the court this weekend for another pair of Southern Conference matches. The Spartans will face fellow North Division leader and backyard rival Elon on Friday on the road at 6 p.m. in Jordan Gym. UNCG will then return home on Saturday for a home match in Fleming Gymnasium at 7 p.m. against South-Division foe Wofford.

- Last weekend, the Spartans hit the road for the first time in Southern Conference play. UNCG started its road trip with a heartbreaking five-set loss to Western Carolina. Ariel Newman had a team-high 14 kills and 20 digs and Caley Redden also had 14 kills. On Sunday, UNCG traveled to Appalachian State where it swept the Mountaineers, 3-0. Redden had a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs, while Newman added 10 kills and nine digs.

- The Spartans now sit atop the Southern Conference North Division standings with a 3-1 record in league play and a 15-4 overall record. Elon and Appalachian State also have matching 3-1 marks in the North Division, while Georgia Southern (3-0) and Davidson (2-0) have perfect marks in the South Division.

- The Spartans are 8-10 all-time against Elon and 15-9 against Wofford in the series. Last season, the Spartans swept the annual series from Elon. UNCG won the first match at home, 3-2, before making the short trip to Elon later in the season and won by the same 3-2 margin. In their only matchup last season, UNCG went on the road to sweep Wofford, 3-0.

- This season, the Spartans have begun the year with a 14-3 record, which is the best start by a UNCG team since 1995 when the team started the year 24-3. In those 14 wins, the Spartans have swept their opponents by a 3-0 score eight times. Five of the other six wins have come in four-set victories.

- At the Spartan Spiketacular two weeks ago, junior Ariel Newman was tabbed as the Tournament MVP. Sophomore Olivia Humphries and senior Caley Redden were also named to the All-Tournament team. Freshman Kellie Orewiler was selected as the Libero of the Tournament by the head coaches.

- The team title at the Spartan Spiketacular was the second tournament that UNCG has won this season after winning the Spartan Classic earlier this season. It marked the first time since 1995 that UNCG has won two tournaments in one season. That year, the Spartans won the UNCG Fall Tournament and the College of Charleston Invite.

- Senior Kayren Finney is off to a great start this season as she currently leads the Southern Conference in blocks. She currently has 72 blocks this season for a 1.41 blocks per set average. Her 1.41 blocks/set average also ranks her 11^th nationally this week. Ari Lysacek and Ariel Newman also show up in the rankings, as they are fourth and seventh in the league in service aces per set. Lysacek has 27 aces for a 0.42 aces/set average and Newman averages 0.36 aces/set. Also, Caley Redden is tenth in the SoCon in digs with 3.28 digs/set. Olivia Humphries is fifth in hitting percentage at .331 and Finney is eighth at .302.

- The Spartans began the 2010 season with an impressive 8-1 record over their first nine matches. That marked the best start in school history since UNCG began the 1994 season 9-1. Also, the 14-3 start by UNCG was the best since the 1995 team started the year 24-3.

- The Spartans kicked off their 2010 season by claiming the Spartan Classic title in Norfolk, Va. On Friday, UNCG swept Navy, 3-0, to begin the tournament before defeating Kent State, 3-1. UNCG came back on Saturday and beat host Norfolk State in five sets and then dismantled Providence, 3-1.

- In addition to winning the Spartan Classic, sophomore Olivia Humphries and junior Ariel Newman earned all-tournament honors. Humphries won the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, as well.

- UNCG returns eight players, including four starters, from the 2009 squad that went 17-14 overall and 9-7 in the Southern Conference. The Spartans finished the season tied for third in the North Division and missed making the postseason by one game.

- Before the season, the Spartans were tabbed to finish in fourth place in the North Division by the head coaches in the SoCon. Samford was picked to win the North Division, while reigning SoCon Tournament Champion College of Charleston was chosen to claim the South Division.

- The Spartans welcome seven newcomers to the program this year. Sarah Eldridge comes in as a junior after transferring from a successful two years at Cowley County Community College, while Karrian Chambers, Samantha Deutchman, Lara Keyes, Kellie Orewiler, Karen Stedman and Savannah Tomlinson enter as freshman.

- The Spartans lost three seniors to graduation at the completion of the 2009 season, including former libero Catherine Hanners. Upon the completion of the season, she was named the SoCon Libero of the Year, as well as earning second-team All-SoCon honors.

- UNCG -