| Elon Phoenix (10-4) vs. Towson & Delaware |
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ELON, N.C. – Ready to open Colonial Athletic Association play, Elon University volleyball will welcome Towson and Delaware this weekend for the first two matches of its CAA season. The Phoenix will battle Towson on Friday night, Sept. 22, before hosting Delaware on Saturday, Sept. 23. Both matches are set for 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.
SCOUTING TOWSON
The Tigers are off to a dream start with a perfect 14-0 record to date. Towson is one of two undefeated teams in the CAA with James Madison also unbeaten at 9-0. The Tigers are led by Jocelyn Kuilan's 3.24 kills per set while Anna Holehouse leads the CAA with 5.52 digs per set. Marrisa Wonders is also posting 7.34 assists per set for the unbeaten Tigers.
SCOUTING DELAWARE
Delaware won its first two matches of the season last weekend at the George Washington Tournament after falling in each of its first seven matches of the campaign under first-year head coach Sara Matthews. Maria Bellinger averages a team-high 4.11 kills per set while Abby Skryd posts 7.08 assists per set. Last season, Elon defeated Delaware on the road in a thrilling five-set match that saw
Sydel Curry finish with a career-best 62 assists.
LAST TIME OUT
Elon posted a 2-1 record in the Tussle in the Triad with a five-set win over Navy and a sweep of UNCG in Alumni Gym before falling 3-0 to High Point on the road to close the weekend.
Courtney Carpenter and
Maddie Jaudon were named to the All-Tournament Team after Jaudon posted 5.3 digs and Carpenter 1.3 blocks per set throughout the three tournament matches.
SENIOR DAY CELEBRATION
Prior to Elon's match Saturday night against Delaware, Sydel Curry will be back in Alumni Gym for a pre-match Senior Night ceremony. Before she was forced to retire for medical reasons after her 2016 redshirt-junior season, Curry planned to return to the Phoenix in 2017 to play out her fourth season of eligibility. With the change in plans, Curry did not participate in the annual Senior Day ceremonies at the conclusion of the 2016 season, but will be on hand Saturday night to partake in Senior Night festivities.
SOLID START FOR THE SENIOR
Sydney Busa leads the CAA in kills (216) kills per set (4.24), points (240) and points per set (4.71) through 14 matches this season. The senior from Leesburg, Va., was named to three of the four All-Tournament teams Elon has played in this season and has posted nine double-doubles in those matches to lead the CAA. Entering the year, Busa had never averaged more than 2.82 kills per set in a season or 2.71 digs per set. Through the early going in 2017, she's nearly two kills and more than one dig per set over her previous season highs, both recorded in 2016.
JAUDON'S MILESTONE
Jaudon surpassed the 1,000-career dig mark at the Liberty Invitational. She now has 1,135 digs in her career, which stands ninth on Elon's all-time list. In 274 sets played, Jaudon is averaging 4.14 digs per set in her career. That has come over the course of 74 matches with the Phoenix. The program record for most digs in a career is held by Debbie Hall, who recorded 2,036 digs from 1992-95.
BUSA'S CANNON
Busa surpassed the 1,000-career kill mark during the third set of Elon's 3-1 win over NC Central on Saturday, Sept. 9. To date, she has 1,059 kills in maroon in gold and is in great position to crack the program's Top 10 list for most in a career and the Top 5 list for most since Elon transitioned to Division I.
HEY ROOKIE!
First-year setter
Kodi Garcia stepped in as Elon's starting setter on opening weekend and has made the most of the opportunity. To date, she has 534 assists in 51 sets and stands third in the CAA for assists per set at 10.47 behind Luisa Sydlik of Hofstra (11.63 per set) and Allison Beckman of College of Charleston (11.34 per set). She has earned four double-doubles in Elon's first five matches. For her performance on opening weekend in Charlotte, where she had 123 assists (10.25 per set) and 26 digs, she was named CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday, Aug. 28.
PRESEASON HONOR AND POLL
Busa was named a Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention before the start of the 2017 season. It marks the second time in her career she's earned the honor. The recognition follows her 2016 Third Team All-CAA nod at season's end. Announced the same day as Busa's preseason honor, Elon was selected to finish eighth in the CAA this year. College of Charleston was picked to win the league with six first-place votes and Hofstra followed closely with three first-place votes.
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing seven of the first eight matches of the season away from Alumni Gym, Elon has played five of its last six matches in Alumni Gym. That home run will continue with the start of conference play, with Elon welcoming each of its first four CAA opponents. After hosting Towson and Delaware, Elon will battle James Madison and William & Mary on Monday, Sept. 25, and Thursday, Sept. 28, respectively.
HEAD COACH MARY TENDLER
Elon head coach
Mary Tendler is in her 15th season at the helm of the program. After winning her 200th match as the team's leader last season, she holds a 226-243 record to date with the Phoenix since the start of the 2003 season.
A BID FAREWELL TO ALUMNI GYM
The 2017 season marks the 46th and final campaign for the volleyball program in Alumni Gym, with the team set to move its home matches to the Schar Center in 2018. The 5,400-seat convocation center is currently under construction and will host the volleyball program, as well as the men's and women's basketball programs, beginning with the 2018-19 academic year.
LOOKING AHEAD
Continuing home Colonial Athletic Association play, Elon will welcome defending CAA champion James Madison for a 7 p.m. match on Monday, Sept. 25. The Phoenix will then close its homestand on Thursday, Sept. 28, with a 7 p.m. match against William & Mary.
--ELON--
