CULLOWHEE, N.C. – After playing its first 11 matches of the season against non-league foes, the Western Carolina volleyball team opens Southern Conference play this weekend with a two-match road swing through Tennessee. WCU heads to mountain-rival ETSU on Friday at 6 p.m. before closing out the weekend on Saturday at Chattanooga, also at 6 p.m.
Live stats for each match will be available via links on CatamountSports.com. The matches will also be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required).
Western Carolina completed the nonconference portion of the 2021 schedule with a 4-7 record after wrapping up the Bama Bash Invitational last weekend. Senior
Merry Gebel recorded a career-high 27 kills with 10 digs against Alabama, finishing the three-match tournament with a combined 42 kills. She currently ranks fifth in the league in kills per set with 3.38. Sophomore
Destinee Dorsey leads the league in digs per set at 4.95 while classmate
Livi Weidmann is second in hitting percentage at .316.
ETSU is also 4-7 with wins over NC State, Old Dominion, Winthrop, and UNC Asheville and will be opening the home portion of their schedule against WCU on Friday. The Bucs rank second in the conference in assists per set at 11.49 as well as kills per set at 12.62. The Catamounts lead the all-time series 45-41 over the Bucs thanks to a 3-0 and a 3-1 win on Feb. 28 and March 1.
Chattanooga is 4-9 on the season with wins against Georgia State, IUPUI, Western Illinois, and Lamar. Freshman Marcelle Baez-Carlo leads the league in blocks with 1.40 while classmate Paige Gallentine is third in digs per set at 4.49. WCU leads the all-time series 46-41 after sweeping the Mocs in a pair of matches on Feb. 14 and 15 in the spring season.
The Catamounts open the much-anticipated home portion of their schedule on Oct. 1, hosting Mercer at 6 p.m. before welcoming Samford the next day at 6 p.m.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount volleyball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts, @catamountvb), and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountvb).
