JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State volleyball (16-3, 4-2) returns to The Pete this weekend to host two ASUN Conference foes in massively important matchups.
 
The Gamecocks will take on Eastern Kentucky (12-8, 3-3) at 6 p.m. Friday before meeting Bellarmine (8-10, 2-4) in the Breast Cancer Awareness Match at 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission to both events at Pete Mathews Coliseum is free.
 
"We're just looking forward to getting back to work," Jacksonville State volleyball head coach Todd Garvey said. "We know that we didn't compete at the level we're capable of this past weekend. I think the past two or three weeks we've just been maintaining. We've had some injuries and were going a little bit lighter in practice, taking a couple days off here and there just to stay fresh, but it caught up to us."
 
JSU will try to bounce back this weekend after suffering their first losses in conference play last weekend. Jax State dropped a three-set defeat to Kennesaw State at home on Friday and were swept in Kennesaw, Ga., on Sunday. Now, Garvey's squad sets their sights on righting the ship and manufacturing another winning streak. To do that, though, they must take down a pair of improved programs from the Bluegrass State.
 
Eastern Kentucky is having their most successful season under fourth-year head coach Johnna Bazzani. The Colonels have already eclipsed last year's win total, and their 12 victories are the most in a single season since 2017. Additionally, EKU is on track to secure their first winning record in eight seasons. The Colonel offense has struggled at times, but their defense- led by libero Josie Schmitendorf, who is fourth in the ASUN in total digs (300)- has been solid.
 
"(EKU) has a really good team," Garvey said. "They're running a 6-2 this year. They return all their best pieces from last year. They had two really good outside hitters that are both back, added a freshman middle that's really good, a freshman right-side that's good, and a transfer setter that's also really good. I think they're a really tough challenge for us this weekend."
 
Former Jacksonville State head coach Rick Nold is in his first season at the helm in Louisville. That hiring has led to immediate success, as the Louisville native has helped the Knights to their most single-season wins since moving to Division I in 2020. Bellarmine has several standouts on the team, including Jayme Scott, the ASUN's leader in kills (298) and kills per set (4.20), and Anna Lococo, who is currently second in the league in digs (302) and fourth in digs per set (4.25).
 
There are several notable ties between the Knights and the Gamecocks. Nold coached at Jax State from 2002-2010, where he went 172-98 and was a three-time OVC Coach of the Year. He is still the program's winningest head coach at the Division I level. JSU's Todd Garvey is also a native of Louisville, and his father, Ken, was the head coach at BU from 1977-79. Additionally, Macie Garrison transferred from Jacksonville State to Bellarmine last season after appearing in 15 matches in two years.
 
"(Bellarmine is) much improved from last year," Garvey said. "Rick's done an awesome job with them. I've known him for a long, long time and he's a great coach, and I think it's kind of night-and-day the level of volleyball they're playing this year compared to last year."
 
Although they find themselves in a tie for third place at the moment, Garvey mentioned that Jacksonville State's veteran squad understands that there is still plenty of time left in the regular season for them to mount a comeback, erase their one-game deficit, and jump Kennesaw State for the top spot.
 
"I think we just need to focus on our game and not worry about what anyone else in the conference is doing because it's clear that anyone can beat anyone in this conference, and it's all up for grabs," graduate transfer Sophie Riemersma said in this week's Player Spotlight. "I think, as long as we continue to work super hard and just play our game like we know we can, I don't think there's anybody out there that can stop us."
 
"We're just looking forward to getting back out on the court and seeing if all the things we're working on this week are going to pay off for us," Garvey said. "Looking forward to the challenge of getting back on that winning streak."
 
STAT WATCH
 
Though last week's series with KSU was rough for JSU's offense, several performers still find themselves among the top of the ASUN statistically. Fifth-year Katie Montgomery has the best hitting percentage (.407) in the conference and is 18^th nationally. Graduate transfer Claire Ochs is second in the league in assists (701) and assists per set (10.62), marks that rank 19^th and 25^th in all of Division I. Senior Kylee Quigley has the second-most aces (32) and the third-most aces per set (0.51) in the ASUN and sits 28^th and 31^st in the country in those categories. Fifth-year outside hitter Lena Kindermann has dominated the ASUN's rankings in nearly every offensive statistic as well, as she is fourth in kills (234) and kills per set (3.44), fifth in points (254), seventh in points per set (3.74), and eighth in hitting percentage (.319). Senior Zoe Gonzales is currently tenth in the league in blocks per set at 0.94.
 
Jacksonville State's team statistics are quite impressive as well. The Gamecocks' .286 collective hitting percentage is the best in the ASUN and ranks 13^th in Division I. JSU's opponent hitting percentage (.169) is second in the league and 33^rd in the nation while their marks in assists (845) and kills (912) are top four in the conference and top-50 overall. Furthermore, Jax State's numbers in kills per set (13.41) and assists per set (12.43) and second and third in the ASUN respectively.
 
After senior Erin Carmichael tallied her 1300^th career dig last weekend, three of her teammates could reach big milestones at home this time around. Lena Kindermann has 1570 kills in her career, meaning she is just seven away from overtaking Allyson Zuhlke (2014-17) for second in program history. Katie Montgomery is 14 kills away from reaching 800 in her career and Zoe Gonzales is one away from posting her 300^th between JSU and Wake Forest. Additionally, Claire Ochs sits at 4926 assists in her college career and, with a big weekend, could reach the 500-mark.