NEW ORLEANS – The third week of Sun Belt volleyball action will feature 12 divisional matches. Georgia Southern will travel to App State for a weekend series as both teams enter the matchup 4-0 in divisional play as 13 of the 14 matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
 

• EASTERN SHOWDOWN – Three teams remain undefeated in league play heading into the third week with all three coming from the East Division. App State, Georgia Southern and James Madison have each swept the first two series, however the Mountaineers will host the Eagles in a pivotal matchup that begins Thursday. The three programs are also the only remaining Sun Belt teams to be undefeated at home. App State enters the matchup with a 4-0 record in Boone, N.C. as the Eagles are 2-2 in road matchups on the year. The Eagles are riding an eight match win streak and have won nine of their last ten matches, while App State is currently riding a four match win streak heading into the match. The offensive showcase will feature a high-powered Georgia Southern Offense that leads the conference in assists (12.95) and kills (14.13), while App State leads the conference with the lowest percentage of opponent assists (10.40) and kills (11.26). Georgia Southern also ranks second in the league in blocks, while App State has given up the second fewest service aces, behind Georgia Southern. The Eagles also lead the league in digs at 16.14 per set. 

 

• DEFENSIVE DUKES – James Madison continues to pace all of NCAA Division I volleyball in blocks per set at 3.46. Within the league, three of the top four individuals in blocks are Dukes. Anna Wilson leads the way with a 1.62 blocks per set average, a mark which ranks fifth nationally, and 84 total blocks on the year, a mark which ranks seventh nationally. Ayen Nhial joins her teammate in the top four with a 1.50 blocks per set average, a mark which ranks No. 12 nationally, and has tallied 78 blocks on the year which ranks tied for No. 18.  Addie Norman joins the duo in the top four with 1.29 blocks per set and 63 total blocks on the year. As a team, James Madison currently ranks second with 180 blocks on the year, just 2.5 behind the national leader in Eastern Washington. The Dukes rank No. 23 in opponent hitting percentage with just a 0.165 average.

 

• NATIONAL STAGE – James Madison leads the nation in blocks per set and is currently second in total blocks, but the league features numerous top 25 national rankings. App State currently ranks No. 3 in team kills with 926 and is fifth in team assists with 835. Southern Miss ranks No. 17 in aces per set at 2.02 as Troy joins the Golden Eagles inside the top 25 at No. 20 with a 2.00 average. Georgia Southern ranks No. 20 in assists per set at a 12.95 average as the Eagles also rank No. 18 in digs per set at a 16.14 mark. The Eagles are also No. 14 nationally in kills per set at a 14.13 average as Louisiana joins App State in team assists at No. 14 with 793. Following the Dukes in total team blocks, Louisiana ranks No. 9 with 163 as App State ranks No. 11 with 162. Individually, James Madison’s Kennedy Louisell has again placed herself in the national spotlight as she now leads the league in kills, kills per set and service aces. She ranks No. 13 nationally in aces per set at 0.62, No. 12 in kills per set at 4.54, No. 14 in points at 284, No. 6 in points per set at 5.46, No. 18 in service aces with 32 and No. 25 in total kills at 236. App State’s MeMe Davis ranks No. 3 nationally in total digs at 350 as Georgia Southern’s Maddie Cugino ranks No. 8 in digs per set at 5.02. App State’s Raegan Richardson ranks No. 6 in total assists as Georgia State’s Akira Burt joins Louisell inside the top 25 in total kills.

 

• WINNING WAYS – Seven teams in the league enter the weekend on active win streaks with Georgia Southern leading the way at eight. James Madison has won seven in a row as App State has swept its opening two weekends of conference play to ride a four match win streak into the weekend. South Alabama, Troy and ULM each have two game win streaks headed into the weekend as Louisiana won the finale against Arkansas State to have a one game streak heading into the third weekend of league play.

 WHERE TO WATCH
 

Date	Time	Matchup	Broadcast
Thurs. Oct. 8	5:00 p.m.	Georgia Southern at App State	ESPN+
Thurs. Oct. 8	5:00 p.m.	James Madison at Marshall	ESPN+
Thurs. Oct. 8	6:00 p.m.	Georgia State at Southern Miss	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	2:00 p.m.	Georgia State at Southern Miss	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	2:00 p.m.	James Madison at Marshall	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	5:00 p.m.	Georgia Southern at App State	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	5:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at Old Dominion
Fri. Oct. 9	6:00 p.m.	ULM at Troy	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	6:00 p.m.	Louisiana Tech at Louisiana	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 9	6:00 p.m.	South Alabama at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 10	1:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at Old Dominion	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 10	1:00 p.m.	Louisiana Tech at Louisiana	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 10	1:00 p.m.	South Alabama at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 10	2:00 p.m.	ULM at Troy	ESPN+

All Times CT