JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 2, 2023) – The ETSU volleyball team will close out its regular season home schedule this weekend as it welcomes Samford and Mercer to Brooks Gym. Both matches are scheduled to get underway at 6 p.m.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Friday Nov. 3 / Samford vs. ETSU / 6 p.m. / Live Stats
Saturday Nov. 4 / Mercer vs. ETSU / 6 p.m. / Live Stats
 
ABOUT THE BUCS

• ETSU will bring a three-match winning streak with it into this weekend's action. The Bucs, who have earned victories against Western Carolina, Chattanooga and UNC Greensboro during this stretch, improved to 5-18 overall and 5-7 in SoCon play with the recent winning streak.
• A key reason for ETSU's recent winning ways has been the play of Amanda Lowe. Lowe has totaled 54 kills in the last three matches and is attacking at a .295 clip. Furthermore, Lowe has led the Bucs in kills in each of the last three matches.
• The Buccaneers hope to continue their stellar play at home. Three of ETSU's five wins this season have been at Brooks Gym. Since the beginning of last season, ETSU has compiled a record of 13-4 on its home floor.
• Prior to the start of Saturday's match, the Bucs will honor their four graduating seniors: Malgorzata Andersohn, Jasmal Cruz, Lundyn Coffman and Jenna Forster.

ABOUT SAMFORD

• Samford currently sits in fifth place in the SoCon standings with a 6-6 record. The Bulldogs, who have an overall record of 11-13, have been an up-and-down team as of late with a mark of 3-3 in their last six matches.
• The Bulldogs have one of the top offensive players in the conference in Gracie Lynn Butler. Butler ranks second in the league averaging 4.30 kills per set. Only The Citadel's Ali Ruffin (4.82) has a better average than Butler. Additionally, Butler also ranks 19^th in Division I volleyball with 419 points scored.
• A collective strength for Samford has been its work from the service line. The Bulldogs are averaging 1.80 aces per set ranking slightly behind The Citadel (1.83) and Mercer (1.81). Samford's average aces per set mark ranks 43^rd in the country.
• The all-time series between ETSU and Samford is split 50/50 with each team winning 12 times. The Bulldogs swept the Buccaneers when the two programs met earlier this season in Birmingham. Samford will be looking for its first win in Johnson City since the spring season in 2021.

ABOUT MERCER

• Mercer enters the final month of the season in second place in the conference standings with an 8-4 record. The Bears are 12-11 overall in 2023.
• Mercer will aim to snap a two-match losing skid this weekend. Prior to those two losses, the Bears had won six matches in a row.
• A player to watch for the Bears is Kylee Quigley. Quigley is not only Mercer's leader in kills (273) but she also ranks second in the SoCon with 37 aces.
• ETSU is 27-10 all-time against Mercer. However, the Bears swept the Bucs earlier this season and have won five of the last seven matchups between these two programs.

UP NEXT
ETSU will close out the regular season next weekend when it visits The Citadel and Wofford. The Bucs will take on the Bulldogs on 3 p.m. on Friday before clashing with the Terriers at 7 p.m. on Saturday.  
 
For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball tab.