GREENSBORO, N.C. –  The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team will continue its 2023 non-conference slate by traveling to Huntington, W.Va., to take on the Marshall Invitational. First, the Spartans will face Coppin State at noon and host, Marshall at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 1. UNCG will conclude the tournament by facing Akron on Saturday, September 2 at 3 p.m.  
 

Who: vs. Coppin State When: Friday, September 1 Where: Huntington, W.Va. | Cam Henderson Center Time: Noon Tickets Live Stats

Who: at Marshall When: Friday, September 1 Where: Huntington, W.Va. | Cam Henderson Center Time: 6 p.m. Tickets Live Stats

Who: vs. Akron When: Saturday, September 2 Where: Huntington, W.Va. | Cam Henderson Center Time: 3 p.m. Tickets Live Stats

 
Quick Hitters for the Spartans

• The 2023 season marks the inaugural start for the UNCG volleyball coaching staff under the helm of Head Coach Felicia Turner and assistant coaches Trent Dunahoo and Ashley Gasaway.
• The Spartans return nine from the 2022 roster and have gained three freshmen and two transfers.
• The team finished last season with a 10-20 overall record and 4-12 in The Southern Conference (SoCon).
• UNCG opened the 2023 season last week in Statesboro Ga., at the Bash in the Boro, hosted by Georgia Southern.
• Despite going 0-3 last weekend, the Spartans put up some good numbers and showed perseverance with three out of the nine sets played being decided within a four-point or less margin.
• Mallory Meers led the Spartans as the setter last weekend with 70 assists overall and averaged 7.78 assists per set in just nine sets played. The graduate student had her best game of the week against East Carolina on Saturday morning with 28 assists.
• Madeline Timmerman posted 15 kills on the weekend for the Spartans over nine sets played and only had four errors.
• Mya Wood led the Spartans on the defensive end last weekend with 24 digs and averaged 2.67 digs per set over nine sets played.
• Jocelyn Carter led the Blue & Gold at the net in Statesboro with 21 kills and earned 22.0 total points over the three matches played.

Scouting Coppin State  
The Eagles began the season at the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn last week. Coppin State went 2-1 by claiming straight set wins over McNeese State and Jacksonville State but dropping its match to Auburn in four sets. TaKenya Stafford led the Eagles at the net last week with 37 kills, while Ashley Roman stood out on the defensive end with 43 digs. In addition, Andrea Tsvetanova led the team as the setter by notching 100 assists in just 10 sets.

UNCG leads in the overall series against the Eagles at 2-0. The Eagles and Spartans first met in 2021 at the George Mason Tournament in Fairfax, Va., when UNCG won in four sets. Most recently, the two teams met last season at the Spartan's home tournament. UNCG came away with the win in a five set thrilling victory.

Scouting Marshall  
The Herd began the 2023 regular season at the Bethune-Cookman Invitational last week. The squad dropped its first match of the tournament to SoCon member, The Citadel in straight sets. However, Marshall won its two matches against Bethune-Cookman in straight sets to start the season off 2-1. Peyton Neal has notched seven service aces in just nine sets played this season. In addition, Lydia Montague and Bria Samilton led The Herd on the defensive end. Montague with 13.0 total blocks and Samilton with 42 digs. Brynn Brown leads Marshall as the setter with an 8.22 assists per set average.

Marshall leads in the overall series against UNCG at 3-0. The last time the Spartans and The Herd met was in Fleming Gymnasium in 2009 with a straight set win for Marshall.
 
Scouting Akron   
The Zips started the season off at Eastern Illinois for the Panther Invitational last season. The team went 0-3 on the weekend with a straight set loss to Valparaiso, a close five set loss to Louisiana at Monroe and a loss in four sets to Eastern Illinois.
 
Saturday's matchup between Akron and UNCG marks the first time the two volleyball teams have competed against one another.

Up Next
Following this weekend's invitational, the Spartans will head up to Boone, N.C. to take on the Black & Gold Classic, hosted by App State. UNCG will face North Carolina A&T and USC Upstate on Friday, September 8 before taking on the Mountaineers on Saturday, September 9.