JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State volleyball team will finally play a home conference match on Friday, after opening Ohio Valley Conference action with four straight road matches over the past two weekends. JSU welcomes Tennessee State and Belmont to Pete Mathews Coliseum for a couple of key contests early in the conference season.
 
The Gamecocks (14-8, 1-3 OVC) will look to protect its home court after a tough stretch to begin conference play away from Jacksonville. JSU is 5-0 at home so far this season, sweeping its home tournament in early September, and taking a 3-0 match from in-state foe Alabama A&M on Sept. 19. The Gamecocks look to add to that streak in their first home conference match of the year, a match Jax State has yet to lose under fourth-year head coach Terry Gamble with wins over SIUE (2014), UT Martin (2015) and Morehead State in 2016.
 
Friday night will see the Lady Tigers of Tennessee State take on the Gamecocks at 7 p.m.. JSU will then turn around and face Belmont on Saturday at 2 p.m. Admission is free to all JSU home volleyball matches.
 
Tennessee State (5-12, 1-3 OVC) brings a challenge as another team off to a slow start in league play looking to turn its season around at the quarter-mark of the conference slate. The Lady Tigers are led by first-year coach Donika Sutton and won't be rattled easily after facing opponents from the Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC during preseason tournaments. JSU leads the series against TSU, 21-11, but was swept a season ago. In fact, TSU was the last visiting team to walk away from The Pete victorious after a 3-1 win on Nov. 5 last year.
 
Things won't get any easier for Jax State the following day when the Bruins (8-7. 3-1 OVC) come to town. The league's preseason favorite to win the conference always poses a tough challenge under fourth-year coach Tony Howell. Like TSU, Belmont was well-tested prior to OVC play facing five Top-25 opponents. Last season, JSU snapped BU's 12-match home win streak in early October with a 3-1 outcome in Nashville.
 
For fans unable to make it to Jacksonville this weekend, live stats will be available for both matches at JSUGamecockSports.com. In addition, Friday's contest against Tennessee State will be streamed on the OVC Digital Network with play-by-play from "The Voice" Mike Parris.