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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State volleyball team opens the Ohio Valley Conference schedule this weekend in Nashville, Tenn. MSU faces Belmont on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Tennessee State Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Eagles (9-5) have won seven of their last nine matches. Belmont (7-9) enters the weekend with a four-match winning streak. TSU (3-7) features the league-leader in kills in Naomi Wells.
Live stats and live video for the Belmont match are available via links on MSUEagles.com.
Here are notes heading into the match:
It's Time to Get Serious
Morehead State opens Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend at defending tournament champion Belmont Friday night and Tennessee State Saturday ... MSU enters OVC action with a 23-match conference road winning streak ... The Eagles have not lost an OVC road contest since a 3-2 setback at Austin Peay on Oct. 15, 2010 ... MSU has a 22-match overall conference winning streak after going 16-0 last year.
League Dominance
MSU is 52-2 in OVC matches the last three seasons. The Eagles became just the eighth team in league history to post an undefeated season last year. In 2011, MSU was 19-1, and in 2010 the team went 17-1.
The Man in Charge
Morehead State Head Coach Jaime Gordon is in his 11th season in Morehead, leading the Eagles to a 210-128 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
According to the MSU record book, the Eagles lead the Belmont series 3-1. MSU won both regular season matchups last year before falling to the Bruins in the league's championship match. Morehead State leads the TSU series 44-8 and has won 10 straight against the Tigers.
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, the Eagle Challenge and the Pittsburgh Invitational. 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. Courtney Smith was named MVP of the Pittsburgh Panther Invitational, and junior middle blocker Laura McDermott earned an all-tournament nod in Pittsburgh.
Aces Wild
Senior outside hitter Aryn Bohannon needs just nine service aces to move into the MSU career top ten. Bohannon led the OVC with 44 solo winners last year and has 149 for her career.
Double Grand Club
Aryn Bohannon moved above the 1,000 career dig plateau during the Eagle Challenge. She also has 984 career kills, meaning just 16 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.
Up to Fourth
Senior libero Leslie Schellhaas currently has 1,840 career digs and has moved to fourth place on the MSU career chart. The next rung on the chart is just 60 away. Former Eagle Heather Willis had 1,900 in her four years. She needs 394 more to set the MSU career mark.
She's the MVP
Sophomore outside hitter Courtney Smith was named Most Valuable Player at the Pittsburgh Panther Invitational. She compiled 45 kills in the three-match set and hit .326. She also added eight total blocks, including five against Pittsburgh in the title match.
Hollah, Sigala
Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Sigala leads the OVC in total blocks with 52. She ranks third in blocks per set at 1.00. Sigala has five matches with five or more blocks.
Better Blocking
In the first five matches, MSU totaled 27 team blocks, but in the past six contests, the Eagles have registered double digit rejections three times. MSU had 17 blocks at Pittsburgh on Sept. 21 and doubled up No. 18 Kentucky on blocks Monday, 12-6.
NCAA Rankings
In the latest NCAA rankings (as of Sept. 22), Leslie Schellhaas is 22nd in digs per set. Courtney Smith is 48th nationally in aces per set.
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 .153. MSU has limited seven opponents to .150 hitting or worse this year and has held two foes to less than a .100 efficiency.
