UNC Asheville Volleyball Hosts Jacksonville Sunday Afternoon at 2 p.m.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? The UNC Asheville volleyball team hopes to get back to its winning ways Sunday afternoon when the Bulldogs host Jacksonville of the Atlantic Sun Conference at Justice Center starting at 2 p.m.

The Bulldogs (6-9) are starting to turn things around after a rough 1-8 start. UNC Asheville had won five straight, including all four matches at the Alabama State Invitational last weekend. The Bulldogs had their winning streak stopped at East Tennessee State Wednesday night but Asheville battled hard in the match and fell in five games.

“You always want to win but I was really pleased with how we played at East Tennessee State,” stated UNC Asheville coach Julie Torbett. “We battled hard and did a lot of good things in the match.”

Torbett expects a tough match from the Dolphins. Jacksonville is 5-9 on the season and is also coming off a five-game loss at East Tennessee State. The Dolphins fell to the Lady Bucs Friday night.

“Jacksonville is a good team with good players,” explained Torbett. “They took ETSU to five games Friday night, so that tells you right there that they have a solid team. We'll need to play well to win.”

Freshman Kelsey Benorden continues to have a great season as she posted her fifth double-double in the ETSU match. She had 20 kills and 15 digs in the match. Sophomore Lauren Ficker contributed a season-high 19 kills.

This is Asheville's final non-conference match as the Bulldogs open Big South Conference play next weekend at Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina.

“We definitely want to be playing good volleyball going into conference play,” explained Torbett.