LAKELAND, Fla.— The Fire (7-1) will look to continue their best start in the last 20 years, as they take on Johnson University in the Furnace for the home opener on Tuesday followed by a match with St. Thomas to begin conference play on Saturday.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern (7-1) vs. Johnson University (1-4)
Date: Tuesday, September 4
th, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lakeland, Fla. (The Furnace)
Game Coverage: Follow @SEUFireVBall on Twitter for in-game updates or watch online at seufire.com/watch
Feel the Fire:
The Fire will head home for the week after 4-0 and 3-1 performances at the Faulkner Invitational and Life University Classic, respectively. Southeastern picked up an impressive win, defeating RV Mobile 3-1 in Alabama, but dropped their last contest in Georgia to RV Reinhardt in five sets.
Booming Bradshaw:
Avery Bradshaw, a transfer from NCAA Division II St. Leo, is on pace for an astounding year. The outside hitter is averaging 13.4 kills per match (4.46 per set), ranking her tenth in the country. Bradshaw, who has registered at least seven kills in every competition and has hit the 20-kill mark twice this season, is on pace for the fourth-best single season kill total in SEU volleyball history (361 projected kills).
Here Come the Suns:
Johnson University split its opening two matches, falling to Florida Gateway College and knocking off Hiwassee College in five sets. Since the initial two games of the year, the Suns have lost three straight.
Senior Summer Parnell leads the Suns offense. One of only two upperclassmen on the roster, the West Palm Beach native is averaging a team-high 10.8 kills per match, including two games with over 15 killed attack attempts. Parnell recorded a season-high 20 kills in the opener versus Florida Gateway College.
History:
The Fire and the Suns have met each of the past two seasons, with Southeastern sweeping both competitions.
GAME INFO:
Southeastern (7-1) vs. St. Thomas University (1-6)
Date: Saturday, September 8
th, 2018
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Lakeland, Fla. (The Furnace)
Game Coverage: Follow @SEUFireVBall on Twitter for in-game updates or watch online at seufire.com/watch
The Bobcats:
After starting their season with a 1-1 record, St. Thomas has dropped each of their last five matches and will be looking to get back on the right track when they travel to Lakeland. The five-game losing skid marks the Bobcats' longest win drought since the 2011 season.
The Bobcats have struggled to replace the reigning conference player of the year, Whitney Battoe, who led the team in kills last season with 423. STU returns only four players from last season's roster, but the team brought in a talented combination of five freshman and five transfers.
Graduate student Krista Kolbinskie and freshman outside hitter Arianna Bolinger have both captained the offense thus far. A transfer from the University of Arkansas, Kolbinskie leads the squad with 45 kills, while Bolinger, a 6'0" athlete, follows closely with 44. Each of the two have tallied at least eight kills in four matches for the Bobcats.
History:
The Fire and the Bobcats have met 20 times since Southeastern joined the Sun Conference in the 2009 season. Of the 20 competitions, St. Thomas has taken 15, and each of the last eight in the regular season. SEU has not won a game against the Bobcats in the Furnace since November 2
nd, 2013 when they defeated STU in five sets.
