ELON, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team returns from its bye weekend to host Towson on Saturday and Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. 
 
COVERAGE

• Live stats for both matches will be available (follow links on the Elon Volleyball schedule page by CLICKING HERE).
• Both matches will be streamed live on FloSports.
• For live updates during Elon's matches, follow the Elon Volleyball Twitter account @ElonVB.

CHASING RECORDS

• With 1,452 career kills, senior Leah Daniel needs 10 to pass Velma Degree (1,461) and become Elon's all-time time kills leader.  
• With eight kills in Elon's last match against North Carolina Central on Oct. 5, Daniel became Elon's Division I era leader in kills, surpassing Emily Hayes' previous mark of 1,450. 
• The Preseason Player of the Year is fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association in kills (212) and kills per set (3.37). 
• Daniel has reached at least 10 kills in 12 of Elon's 16 matches this season and did so twice in three matches against Towson last season. 

LAST TIME OUT

• Elon defeated North Carolina Central in straight sets on Oct. 5, the maroon and gold's final non-conference match of the season.
• Brooke Doherty tied Daniel with a team-high eight kills. It was the most kills in a match for Doherty since the freshman registered a career-best 12 against Florida A&M on Sept. 9. Sydney Love and Jenn Krzeminski also had seven kills each. 
• Claire Richey made her first start of the season and finished with a career-high five kills. It was just the third time the senior has tallied multiple kills in a match, the last time coming against College of Charleston on March 27, 2021, when she had three. She also had a team-high four blocks. 
• Haylie Clark paced the Phoenix with 28 assists. 
• Jordan Gower led the maroon and gold with 18 digs. Alex VanWestrienen had double-digit digs, as the senior finished with 11.
• Ericka Link had a career-high four aces, all of which came in a seven-point span in the second set. The junior did not have any aces this season entering the match and had just two aces in her previous two seasons with the Phoenix. 
• As a team, Elon hit 11 aces, just one short of its season-best of 12 which came on Sept. 9 against Florida A&M. 
• The Phoenix outpaced the Eagles in total blocks (8-1), kills (40-25), assists (37-23), digs (56-46) and aces (11-4).  

PHOENIX FACTS

• Sydney Love is second on the team to Daniel in kills with 143. The sophomore averages 2.38 kills per set and has had a hitting percentage above .200 in four of the last five matches.
• With 536 assists this season, Haylie Clark ranks No. 3 in the CAA in the category. The senior has finished with at least 25 assists in 13 of Elon's 16 matches this season, including 12 in a row. She is also second on the team with 144 digs and has registered nine double-doubles this season. 
• Jordan Gower ranks No. 25 in the NCAA and leads the CAA with 4.86 digs per set. The senior has 248 digs this season and has at least 15 digs in 11 of her 13 appearances. 
• Three Elon players rank in the top 10 in the CAA in total blocks. Jenn Krzeminski is fourth (60), Love is sixth (59) and Lily Emlong is 10th (47). 
• Krzeminski is seventh in the conference and leads the Phoenix in hitting percentage (.303). Her 100 kills are also the third most on the team.  
• Emlong is second on the team in both blocks per set (1.00) and hitting percentage (.238). 
• Daniel leads the team with 21 service aces. Clark (19) and Alex VanWestrienen (17) rank No. 2 and 3. VanWestrienen has multiple aces in three of the last four matches. 
• Elon's freshmen class has made a strong impression on the team this season. Clara LaRue (2.00) and Brooke Doherty (1.72) are third and fourth on the team in kills per set, while Sydney Daniels ranks No. 3 on the team in digs per set (2.14). 
• As a team, the Phoenix leads the CAA in digs (972) and digs per set (15.19). Elon also ranks No. 2 in total blocks (155) and blocks per set (2.30). 
• The maroon and gold has posted double-digit blocks in eight of the last 10 matches.
• Elon holds a 6-10 overall record and is 3-3 in CAA play. 

THE MATCHUP

• Towson holds a 16-2 advantage in the all-time series between the teams. 
• Elon has defeated Towson just once since beating the Tigers in their first meeting in 1998. 
• The Phoenix split a series against the Tigers at Towson last season. Elon won in four sets on Oct. 2 before losing in four on Oct. 3. 
• The maroon and gold has never defeated Towson at home (0-6). 

SCOUTING TOWSON

• Towson is 18-0 this season and 8-0 in CAA matches. The defending CAA champions have won 13 consecutive conference matches and 27 of their last 29 matches overall dating back to last season. 
• Along with Hofstra, Towson is one of two 8-0 teams in CAA play.  
• The Tigers received 52 votes in this week's AVCA coaches top 25 poll, the second most for a team currently outside the top 25.  
• Towson is one of two remaining undefeated teams in Division I volleyball, along with No. 1 ranked Texas. 
• Among the categories the Tigers lead the CAA in include hitting percentage (.302), opponent hitting percentage (.135), assists per set (13.37), kills per set (14.29), blocks per set (2.63) and aces per set (1.98). 
• Towson also ranks No. 6 in the NCAA in both kills per set and hitting percentage, and No. 9 in aces per set. 
• Nina Cajic ranks No. 3 in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.445) and No. 2 in the CAA in kills (178). The junior has won two CAA Offensive Player of the Week honors this season and was named the AVCA Division I Player of the Week on Sept. 26, the first time a Towson player has won the award. 
• Victoria Barrett (172), Irbe Lazda (151) and Fay Bakodimou (124) have all eclipsed 100 kills this season. 
• Sarah Jordan and Katie McCracken split the setting duties for the Tigers. Jordan leads the team with 368 assists (6.24 per set) and McCracken is second with 307 assists (5.20 per set). 
• With 73 blocks, Lydia Wiers ranks No. 2 in the conference in the category. She was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3. 
• The Tigers are led by 10th year head coach Don Metil. 

 
UP NEXT
Elon hosts College of Charleston next Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23. Both matches are slated to start at 2 p.m.