Eagles look to extend five game winning streak
Concordia competes at home Thursday and Saturday against Pacwest competition
Emily Duran - Sports Information Director
Irvine, CA - After an intense come from behind win on the road, the Concordia Women's Volleyball Team returns to their home turf for a PacWest weekend.
The Eagles (15-1) hope to ride out the momentum they built in their fifth straight, five set win over Azusa Pacific. Concordia starts the conference matches Thursday, facing off against Notre Dame de Namur and finishing Saturday against Cal Baptist.
Fans unable to attend can follow through live streaming video and stats on the Concordia Athletics website.
Notre Dame de Namur enters the contest with a 1-4 conference record and aims to snap their five game losing streak. The Argonauts' arsenal is led by junior Bianca Alvarez, who tops the conference in kills per set (5.19) and overall kills (275). Senior Carina Quintero sits sixth in digs per set (4.70) with 249 on the year. Margaret Billingsley ranks fourth in assists per set (9.45) and eighth in service aces per set (.32).
Concordia's close second place standing raises the stakes for Saturday's Southern California showdown. The Lancers are currently tied for first in the PacWest with Dixie State, who is the only team to beat the Eagles this year.
Cal Baptist is led by a standout group of upperclassman.
Senior Jenna Perry has a .372 hitting percentage with 196 kills. Her 3.92 kill per set average lands her at fifth in the conference. Jessica Harris is fifth in blocks per set (1.04).
Junior Lauren Hackett's 4.76 kills per set holds the second spot in the conference. Sydney Kralj is first in the PacWest in assists, averaging 11.30 per set and tallying 565 total.
Concordia strives to continue its hot streak and deliver CBU its first loss of the year.
The Eagles are ranked second in the PacWest in hitting percentage (.269), assists per set (12.80) and kills per set (13.58). They also top the conference in aces, dropping 2.02 unanswered serves per set.
Junior middle blocker Amber Rose racks up the most blocks per set (1.20) in the conference, and has the second highest hitting percentage (.381). Senior Taylor Dennison is first in aces, totaling 30 on the season. Junior Madeline Deters is close behind with 24 on the year.
Thursday night's 7 p.m. match against Notre Dame is "Dig Pink" night. Fans are encouraged to sport their pink clothing to help the team raise awareness and money towards the fight against breast cancer. The Eagles conclude their weekend with Cal Baptist on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the CU Arena.
