Troy L. Sayles

Women's Volleyball 9/12/2024 12:00:00 PM by Ashlee Brackett, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Volleyball Travels South For Mercer Invitational

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team travels to Macon, Ga. this Friday and Saturday to compete in the Mercer Invitational.

The Phoenix will face tournament host Mercer on Friday at 1 p.m. before taking on Presbyterian at 5 p.m. The maroon and gold will close the tournament on Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. matchup against Southern Mississippi.

COVERAGE

Live stats will be available (follow links on the Elon Volleyball schedule page by CLICKING HERE).
Elon's match against Mercer will be streamed live on ESPN+.
For live updates during the match, follow the Elon Volleyball Twitter account @ElonVB.

LAST TIME OUT

The Phoenix defeated Norfolk State in four sets on Tuesday night improving their record to 4-4 this season.
Sydney Love added double-digit kills for the fifth time this season leading the team with 12 on the night.
Kayla Palmer flirted with another double-double tallying a team-high 17 assists and nine digs.
Middle blockers Caroline Berlekamp and Catherine Rucker led the team in blocks with three apiece, while Cameron Lanier and Keira Kasten each added two blocks.
Caroline Doyle recorded 18 digs to pace the team, her fourth consecutive game with double-digit digs.

PHOENIX FACTS

Sydney Love leads the CAA with 102 kills and ranks No. 2 in kills per set with 3.64. The senior was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 9.
Annabelle Schall ranks fourth in the league in aces per set at 0.54 and has recorded at least one ace in every match.
Caroline Berlekamp continues to lead the CAA in hitting percentage with a .433.
Caroline Doyle leads the conference with 131 digs and ranks fourth in digs per set at 4.52.
Elon leads the CAA in assists at 348 and ranks No. 4 in kills per set at 12.59.

THE SERIES

Elon holds a slight 3-2 lead in the all-time series over Mercer. The last meeting between the two was Sept. 11, 2021, when the Phoenix swept the Bears at home.
Presbyterian holds a 15-12 edge against Elon. The two teams met on Sept. 3, 2021, where the Phoenix won in three straight sets.
This will be the first all-time meeting between Elon and Southern Mississippi.

SCOUTING MERCER

Gardner-Webb compiled an overall record of 16-12 in the 2023 season.
Mercer was picked to finish third with one first-place vote in the 2024 Southern Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
The team returns six players, including middle blocker, Skyler Bumpers who was named to the 2024 Preseason All-Conference Team after she led the conference in hitting percentage and was named to the 2023 All-Conference First Team last season.
Last weekend, the Bears split at the High Point Invitational defeating Ohio in straight sets before falling to High Point in four.
On Tuesday, Mercer defeated Kennesaw State in four and now has a 6-1 overall record.
Head coach Chad Sutton enters his second season at the program's helm.

SCOUTING PRESBYTERIAN

Last season, the Blue Hose compiled an overall record of 9-17, finishing fourth in the Big South conference and making it to the Big South Championship.
Presbyterian earned their best-ever ranking in the 2024 Big South Preseason Poll, as they were picked to finish third.
Presbyterian returns 10 players, including Anna Baranski who led the team in assists with 439 last season, and welcome seven newcomers.
The Blue Hose sit at 2-5 on the season after most recently defeating Temple in five sets.
Courtney Williams and Julia Yurkovich pace the Blue Hose offense leading the team with 60-plus kills this season.
Brittany Daphnis leads the team in blocks per set at 0.97 which ranks third in the league while Hannah Rowe leads in service aces with 11.
Head coach Steve Benson enters his second season with the Blue Hose team.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Southern Mississippi went 12-16 last season and was picked to finish fifth in the West Division of the 2024 Sun Belt Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Golden Eagles are 3-3 this season defeating Northwestern State, Jacksonville and Southern.
Hayden Riddle leads the team and ranks second in the League in assists per set (8.16) while Sadie McAda paces the team in kills with 72.
Torrey Tkach leads the Golden Eagles block with 23 so far this season averaging 1.15 blocks per set.
The Golden Eagles return 10 players and welcome eight additions to its 2024 roster.
Jenny Hazelwood is in her third year as head coach of the Golden Eagle program.

UP NEXT

The maroon and gold will host the Elon Phoenix Classic next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7 at Schar Center. Elon will face Murray State Friday at 7:00 p.m. for Neighborhood Night before playing a pair of matches on Saturday against North Carolina Central at 10:00 a.m. and UNCG at 3:30.

--ELON--

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Players Mentioned

#11 Caroline Berlekamp: MB; 6' 2"; Sophomore; Mintonette Sports

#3 Caroline Doyle: DS/L; 5' 7"; Senior; 1st Alliance

#19 Keira Kasten: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore; Sky High

#13 Cameron Lanier: MB/RS; 6' 1"; Sophomore; CHAVC

#10 Sydney Love: OH; 6' 3"; Senior; Beach Elite

#17 Catherine Rucker: MB; 6' 0"; Freshman; CHAVC

#12 Kayla Palmer: S; 5' 7"; Freshman; VolleyFX

#1 Annabelle Schall: S; 6' 0"; Graduate Student; Triangle Volleyball

Players Mentioned

#11 Caroline Berlekamp
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Mintonette Sports
: MB

#3 Caroline Doyle
: 5' 7"; Senior; 1st Alliance
: DS/L

#19 Keira Kasten
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; Sky High
: OH

#13 Cameron Lanier
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; CHAVC
: MB/RS

#10 Sydney Love
: 6' 3"; Senior; Beach Elite
: OH

#17 Catherine Rucker
: 6' 0"; Freshman; CHAVC
: MB

#12 Kayla Palmer
: 5' 7"; Freshman; VolleyFX
: S

#1 Annabelle Schall
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student; Triangle Volleyball
: S