Volleyball Opens Season at Gamecock Invitational

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville volleyball team opens the 2012 season this weekend at the Gamecock Invitational. The Bulldogs play four matches this weekend, two on Friday and two on Saturday.

Asheville faces East Tennessee State Friday at 10 a.m., followed by a match with Akron at 3 p.m. On Saturday, the Bulldogs battle Temple at 10 a.m. and South Carolina at 8 p.m.

Second-year coach Frederico Santos says his team is excited to finally play a match.

"Our players are ready to play a match against an opponent that's not wearing our colors," commented Santos. "Our preseason was good. Everybody worked hard and gave excellent efforts throughout the past few weeks.

"However, we want to see how we do in a match," added Santos. "We need to see how we perform when the lights come on tomorrow.

"We're a young team," Santos also said. "This weekend will be good, because we'll see where we are and what we need to work on as the season moves forward."

Santos expects great competition this weekend. ETSU is a traditional power in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Bucs beat the Bulldogs in four sets a year ago in Chattanooga. Akron is a member of the Mid-American Conference, while Temple is in the Atlantic 10 Conference. South Carolina went 14-15 a year ago and won five SEC matches. They beat Asheville in three sets last season.

"We're going to face some very good teams this weekend," explained Santos."We'll see teams that play different styles that will force us to adjust in a match. However, I believe we can compete with all of these teams, and I'm anxious to get started."

The Bulldogs finished last season with a 15-14 overall record and in fourth place in the Big South Conference. Asheville advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament for the sixth time in the last seven years.

Santos' club returns five starters from 2011 and eight letter-winners. The Bulldogs have six freshmen on their roster this season.

"We have some real depth this season that we didn't have last year," admitted Santos. "Having that kind of depth really helps you in a tournament situation like this weekend."

The Bulldogs return seniors Holly Shelton (MB) and Chelsie Kenley (MB) to this year's club, along with juniors Meredith Foster (MB), Anna Moore (RS), Alex Stewart (L), Rachel Wells (DS) and Jamie Dorfman (S). Sophomore Lisa Riggsbee (S) is also back.

The newcomers include Emily Bare (RS), Katie Davis (OH), Catherine Fischer (RS), Christine Lakatos (OH), Bryn Pfeifer (L) and Jenny Sims (OH).

BULLDOG NOTES

1. UNC Asheville is trying to win its season opener for the second straight season. The Bulldogs' five-set win over Troy last season in the opener snapped a six-match losing streak in opening matches of the year.
2. The Bulldogs were 5-5 in tournaments last year, including a 2-2 mark in the Gamecock Invitational.
3. Asheville went 3-2 in five-set matches in 2011.
4. The Bulldogs are the only team in the tournament that had a winning record last season at 15-14.
5. Asheville will meet Temple and Akron for the first time ever.