MURFREESBORO, N.C.- The Chowan Volleyball team opens their 2018 season on the road in the SAC Regional Crossover hosted by Tusculum and Lincoln Memorial on Friday and Saturday.
The Hawks will start their season against Mars Hill and Tusculum on Friday, August 31 in Greeneville, Tenn. before wrapping up the tournament in Harrogate, Tenn. against Lincoln Memorial.
WHENÂ Â Friday, August 31 | 12pm and 4pm
        Saturday, September 1 | 12pm
WHEREÂ Greeneville, Tenn. (Friday) | Harrogate, Tenn. (Saturday)
FOLLOWÂ Â Â Â GAME DAY CENTRAL
HAWKS PROFILE
Under new leadership, Jackie Buchanan, the Hawks will look to start the season off strong against three South Atlantic Conference opponents. Chowan finished the 2017 season with a 16-12 overall record and captured their eighth CIAA Northern Division Title.
Chowan returns CIAA Rookie of the Year, Kayla Gates, along with Alyssa Born, Milica Vejnovic and Courtney O'Keefe. O'Keefe and Gates are the returning hitters for the Hawks with 161 and 154 kills respectively.
The Hawks have some freshman talent in Breona Young and Sydney Hiner to help propel this young team.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Mars Hill will look to continue their upward trend off an 11-17 overall record last season after posting back-to-back eight win seasons in 2015 and 2016.
Maddie Spurgeon and Sally Anne Johnson pace the attack for the Lions registering over 200 kills each last season.
PIONEERS POINTS
Tusculum comes into the contest after ending the 2017 season with a 15-16 overall record and finished fourth in the SAC standings.
Cassie Born and Melissa Mazur lead the charge for the Pioneers as Born tallied 320 kills and 32 service aces on the season. Mazur held down the defense for Tusculum posting 565 digs and 25 service aces.
RAILSPLITTERS RECAP
Lincoln Memorial finished the 2017 season with a 13-16 overall record. The Railsplitters will look to bounce back from the previous year after posting the fewest wins since 1996.
Erica Whiteaker returns for LMU after a strong season with the sixth most digs in Division II with 678 digs as the libero.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hawks and their opponents are not as familiar with one another as Chowan has faced Lincoln Memorial and Mars Hill only one time in the Division II era.
Chowan and Lincoln Memorial met in 2009 with the Railsplitters taking the only meeting. The Hawks and Mars Hill met in 2012 with the Lions coming away with the victory.
Tusculum and Chowan will meet for the first time in the series.
