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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Following a seven-match homestand, the Morehead State volleyball team hits the road this weekend as the Eagles travel to Pittsburgh, Pa.
Morehead State will be participating in the Pittsburgh Panther Invitational. The Eagles battle Rutgers at 1 p.m. ET Friday, followed by a matchup with Cornell at 4 p.m. On Saturday, MSU faces the host Panthers at 1 p.m.
Live stat links will be available on MSUEagles.com. Live video of the Pittsburgh match is also available via a link on MSUEagles.com.
Here are notes heading into the weekend:
Recapping Last Week
Morehead State went 2-1 last week in its own Eagle Challenge Tournament, falling 3-1 to West Virginia before responding with 3-1 wins over Hampton and Campbell. Sophomore outside hitter Courtney Smith returned from injury to post 15 kills versus WVU and Hampton. Senior libero Leslie Schellhaas piled up 52 digs in the Hampton and Campbell matches, including a season-high 28 versus HU. Junior right-side hitter Alex Fitzmorris erupted for a career-best 19 winners in the Campbell contest.
The Man in Charge
Morehead State Head Coach Jaime Gordon is in his 11th season in Morehead, leading the Eagles to a 207-127 mark. He has led MSU to six Ohio Valley Conference championships, one NCAA Tournament appearance and has been tabbed OVC Coach of the Year three times (2003, 2010, 2012). He was also the 2012 American Volleyball Coaches Association Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
Series Records
Morehead State has faced all three opponents this weekend in its history. MSU is 0-1 against Rutgers, 3-0 versus Cornell and is knotted 1-1 against Pittsburgh.
Trophy Case Filling Up
Leslie Schellhaas has been named OVC Defensive Player of the Week twice already this season, giving her four weekly league honors in the last two seasons. She was also named to the all-tournament teams for the Comfort Inn and Suites Invitational and the Eagle Challenge. Aryn Bohannon was tabbed all-tournament in the opening weekend Cincinnati Invitational, while Alex Fitzmorris earned a spot on the Eagle Challenge all-tournament list.
Aces Wild
Senior outside hitter Aryn Bohannon needs just 13 service aces to move into the MSU career top ten. Bohannon led the OVC with 44 solo winners last year and has 145 for her career.
Double Grand Club
Aryn Bohannon moved above the 1,000 career dig plateau last weekend, upping her total to 1,017. She also has 950 career kills, meaning just 50 more will cement her place in the elite "double grand" club. Less than 10 players in program history have 1,000 career kills and digs.
Big Block Party
The trio of Alex Fitzmorris, sophomore middle blocker Hannah Sigala and junior middle blocker Laura McDermott have combined for 85 blocks this season. Sigala leads the way with 35 stops, averaging nearly one block per set.
Moving on Up
Senior libero Leslie Schellhaas owns the top two season dig totals in program history, scooping a school-record 641 balls as a sophomore in 2011 and 619 last year as a junior. She currently has 1,763 career digs and has moved to fifth place on the MSU career chart. The next rung on the chart is just 59 away. Former Eagle Lauren (Mackey) Rust had 1,822 in her four years.
Mac Attack
Junior middle blocker Laura McDermott recorded a career-high 20 kills in the win over Montana State and had 17 winners versus IUPUI on Sept. 7.
Go West
Morehead State volunteer assistant Marcie (Hampton) West knows a thing or two about the highest level of volleyball. A former All-American at Florida, West is also a former member of Team USA volleyball. She helped Team USA win a bronze medal at the Pan-American Games in Rio De Janeiro in 2007. She is married to MSU Assistant football Coach Rod West.
Tenacious D
Morehead State has led the Ohio Valley Conference in hitting percentage the past three seasons. The Eagles lead that category again this season, allowing their foes to hit .159. The next best is SIU Edwardsville at .177.
Tenacious D -- Part Two
Senior defensive specialist Lindsey Roth has been an integral part of MSU's defense. A week after collecting a career-high 21 digs against IUPUI, Roth chalked up 19 digs last weekend in the win over Campbell.
