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VB Preview Graphic - ETSU & Furman

Women's Volleyball Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations

Catamounts Begin League Play with Back-to-Back Home Matches

Fans are Encouraged to Wear Black to the Match on Thursday

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina volleyball embarks on the first weekend of Southern Conference play beginning on Thursday when the Catamounts welcome ETSU to Cullowhee before hosting Furman on Friday. Both matches are set to start at 6 p.m. and take place at Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center and be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online through CatamountSports.com. 
 
Matchup: ETSU (0-11) vs. Western Carolina (3-8) 
Date: Thursday, Sept. 21
Time: 6 p.m.
Site: Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center (Cullowhee, N.C.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Live Video: ESPN+
Twitter: @CatamountVB
 
Matchup: Furman (9-2) vs. Western Carolina 
Date: Friday, Sept. 22
Time: 6 p.m.
Site: Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center (Cullowhee, N.C.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Live Video: ESPN+
Twitter: @CatamountVB
 
Western Carolina flips the calendar to conference play as the Catamounts welcome in ETSU and Furman for the SoCon opening weekend in Cullowhee. In nonconference the Catamounts were led offensively by Ali Morris who had 113 kills followed by Bailey Hartsough who tallied 104 kills through the opening 11 matches. On the block, Eden Punch and Logan Carr lead the way for WCU with 36 blocks apiece. 
 
The Catamounts are one of only three schools in the SoCon to have a pair of players with 100+ kills led by Morris with 113 and followed by Hartsough with 104. WCU is joined by Samford and Chattanooga in that category entering league play. On the defensive end, Punch and Carr are tied for third in the conference with 36 blocks apiece as the Catamounts join Wofford holding four of the top five spots in blocks in the league.
 
ETSU comes into Thursday's contest winless in 11 matches as the Bucs squared off with #14 Ohio State along with Western Kentucky who has also been in the top 25 or receiving votes throughout the 2023 season. Brianna Cantrell leads ETSU with 88 kills thus far as she's also tallied 49 digs in her stat line. Amanda Lowe has 87 kills along with 13 blocks for the Bucs. Malgorzata Andersohn leads the way for ETSU with 216 assists and is second on the team with 105 digs. ETSU is led on the block by Abbey Thomas who's tallied 31 rejections thru the first 11 matches. ETSU was tabbed to win the league in the 2023 preseason poll under the direction of first-year head coach Dr. Bruce Atkinson as the Bucs had Cantrell and Lundyn Coffman named to the preseason all-conference team. 
 
WCU holds a 46-44 edge in the all-time series with ETSU as the Bucs have claimed each of the prior three meetings with two of those occurring in Cullowhee. In the two 2022 meetings, the Catamounts were led on the offensive end by Bailey Hartsough who tallied 25 kills in the matches along with 21 digs on the defensive end. Eden Punch and Livi Weidmann both led the Catamounts on the block against the Bucs last season with nine blocks apiece.
 
Furman enters Friday's match with a 9-2 record that includes wins in each of its last four matches and seven of the Paladins past eight contests. Ava Augustson leads the Paladins on the offensive end with 116 kills as Mary Beth Headley has totaled 93 kills thus far in 2023. Ella Abraham has a team-high 326 assists for Furman along with recording 11 service aces to her stat line. Kennedy Seekford leads the way for the Paladins with 172 digs on the defensive end as Grainne McGrath has a team-high 33 blocks with Izzy Castelloe just behind at 30 rejections. The Paladins were tabbed eighth in the preseason SoCon poll and are led by Michelle Young who's in her 24th season leading Furman. 
 
In the all-time series with Furman, the Paladins hold a 47-38 lead over the Catamounts with the two teams splitting the 2022 matches each winning in five sets on the road. WCU has taken six of the last eight meetings from Furman. Hartsough had strong showings in both matches last year with Furman totaling 20 kills and a career-high 22 kills over the two matches as she finished with double-doubles in both adding 16 and 11 digs respectively. Sarah Janourova also added 45 assists in the two matches as Punch totaled a team-high 13 blocks in the two contests with the Paladins. 
 
Following Friday's matchup with the Paladins, the Catamounts hit the road for the first time in conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 27 when WCU travels to Charleston to battle The Citadel. The matchup with the Bulldogs will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) and live stats will be provided by CatamountSports.Com.
 
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)
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Bailey Hartsough

#8 Bailey Hartsough

OH
5' 10"
Junior
Sarah Janourova

#12 Sarah Janourova

S
5' 9"
Junior
Ali Morris

#3 Ali Morris

OH
5' 11"
Sophomore
Eden Punch

#17 Eden Punch

MB
5' 10"
Senior
Livi Weidmann

#16 Livi Weidmann

RS
5' 11"
Senior
Logan Carr

#13 Logan Carr

MB
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Bailey Hartsough

#8 Bailey Hartsough

5' 10"
Junior
OH
Sarah Janourova

#12 Sarah Janourova

5' 9"
Junior
S
Ali Morris

#3 Ali Morris

5' 11"
Sophomore
OH
Eden Punch

#17 Eden Punch

5' 10"
Senior
MB
Livi Weidmann

#16 Livi Weidmann

5' 11"
Senior
RS
Logan Carr

#13 Logan Carr

6' 3"
Freshman
MB