Women's Volleyball | 8/28/2018 11:14:00 AM
LAKELAND, Fla.— Fresh off of their 4-0 sweep at the Faulkner Invitational, the Fire travel to Marietta, Ga. for another slate of four contests at the Life University Running Eagles Classic. Southeastern will split the four competitions over two days, facing Tennessee Wesleyan and Brenau on Friday before battling Truett McConnell and Reinhardt on Saturday.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern University (4-0) vs. Brenau University (0-4)
Date: Friday, August 31, 2018
Time: 12 p.m. EST
Location: Marietta, Ga.
Feel the Heat:
Southeastern is off to its best start in the last two decades, coming out of the Faulkner Invite unscathed for the first time in program history. The Fire didn't need more than four sets to take care of any opponent over the weekend, rallying to 3-1 wins all three times they dropped the opening set.
Avery Bradshaw, who was named to the Faulkner Invitational All-Tournament Team, and
Courtney Krause are two key reasons why SEU was able to string together four victories in Alabama. Both players had their best statistical matches against the toughest competition in (RV) Mobile, with Bradshaw tallying 22 kills and Krause collecting a career-best 43 assists. The duo leads the team in each of those respective categories this season.
The Golden Tigers:
Brenau comes into the Life University Classic after a winless performance at the Faulkner Invitational. Although the Golden Tigers have not had much offensive success in the early goings of the 2018 campaign, three players on the squad have registered at least 20 digs thus far.
Jordan Diaz, who recorded only 113 digs a season ago, already has 40 through four matches. The sophomore libero is averaging 3.3 digs per set after collecting a season-high 14 against Webber International.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern University (4-0) vs. Tennessee Wesleyan University (2-6)
Date: Friday, August 31, 2018
Time: 4 p.m. EST
Location: Marietta, Ga.
The Bulldogs:
Southeastern and Tennessee Wesleyan will face off for the second time in seven days after SEU's 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday. The two teams split extremely tight sets before the Fire were able to take the next pair of frames and come away with the win in four.
The Bulldogs enter the Life Classic with a 2-6 record following an 0-4 showing at Faulkner. One integral piece of the TWU offense this year has been sophomore setter Gabi Catt. The West Memphis, Ark. native has reached the 20-assist mark in every contest in 2018, including a career-high 51-assist showing versus Mayville State, while also tallying double-digit digs in each competition.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern University (4-0) vs. Truett McConnell University (1-4)
Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Time: 11 a.m. EST
Location: Marietta, Ga.
The Bears:
Coming off of an 0-21 season last season, Truett McConnell picked up a win in their opening match of 2018, a 3-0 sweep of Brewton-Parker. Since the program's first win in nearly two years, the Bears have gone winless in their past four.
Redshirt sophomore Jordan Henshaw has led the offensive charge for TMU through five games. Henshaw has captained the Bears in the kills department in the majority of their contests and notched a high of 11 kills against West Virginia State.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern University (4-0) vs. (RV) Reinhardt University (4-4)
Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Time: 3 p.m. EST
Location: Marietta, Ga.
The Eagles:
Reinhardt sits at 4-4 heading into the Life University Classic. The Eagles have faced a brutal schedule so far, battling four ranked teams in their first eight matches of the season, including no. 1 Lindsey Wilson and no. 10 Hastings. A 29-7 program in 2017, Reinhardt ranks 14
th nationally in both assists (338) and kills (356) and 18
th in digs (459).
Freshman Savanna Davis leads the powerful Reinhardt offense with 80 kills, while junior outside hitters Tessa Colden and Cheetara Bing have each contributed with 78 and 61 kills, respectively. The trio has combined for 219 of the team's 356 kills (61.5%) through eight contests.
When the Fire and the Eagles met at the Faulkner Invite last season, Reinhardt handed SEU a 3-1 defeat. Colden registered a match-high 19 kills in the competition, while Bing followed closely behind with 11.
