by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Barton College will visit a pair of Conference Carolinas North Division rivals in women's volleyball action this coming weekend, including a clash against defending league champion Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a showdown at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Belmont Abbey sports information will be providing Live Video for Friday's match and Pfeiffer sports information will be providing Live Stats and Live Video for Saturday's tilt.
Barton volleyball fans can follow the Bulldogs throughout the season on BartonBulldogs.com and via social media including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Barton College Women's Volleyball
The Lady Bulldogs opened up Conference Carolinas play with a home split over Family Weekend by knocking off Emmanuel College in four sets before being swept by Erskine College.
Barton (3-8 Overall, 1-1 Conf.) started the season with nine consecutive away matches and are 2-7 on the road.
Senior Melissa Cochran is coming off her lowest kills total of the season but still ranks second in the league with a .351 hitting percentage and fifth with 3.42 kills per set. The all-conference performer sits third in the conference with 0.89 blocks per set.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Micol (2.21 kills/set) and freshman Courtney Wiseman (1.74) are the Lady Bulldogs next two top hitters.
Senior Amanda Grandy – an all-conference libero as a freshman in 2011 – has moved back into that position this season and tops the conference with 4.11 digs per set. Grandy also leads BC with 0.42 aces per set.
Freshman setter Riley Bane is Barton's other specialist and sits fifth in the league with 7.92 assists per set.
Barton lost both matches against Belmont Abbey last season but did sweep Pfeiffer in 2013. All four matches were decided in three sets.
Belmont Abbey College Women's Volleyball
The Crusaders have shared the Conference Carolinas regular season title each of the last two seasons before winning the league tourney title in 2012 and 2013. However, Belmont Abbey – an NCAA participant each of the last two years – already has more losses this season at 2-11 overall than the squad did each of its last two years combined going 28-4 in 2013 and 26-5 in 2012.
Belmont Abbey is 1-3 in the league defeating North Greenville University and losing to King University, Southern Wesleyan University and Lees-McRae College. The Crusaders are 1-1 at home.
Reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Hannah Schellenburg continues to play well for the Crusaders ranking second in the league with 4.31 kills per set. Junior classmate Caitlin Hankins is second on the team with 1.46 kills per set.
Schellenburg and Hankins have both been named all-conference in each of their first two years at the Abbey.
Sophomore setter Gabby Martinez – A Second Team All-Conference honoree as a freshman – sets up the Crusaders offense with 4.69 assists per set and leads the squad with 0.40 aces per set. Freshman Julie Newell leads BAC's defensive efforts with 3.79 digs per set. Schellenburg is just behind Newell with 3.33 digs per set.
Pfeiffer University Women's Volleyball
The Falcons are in search of their first win of the season starting 0-11 overall and 0-4 in the league. Pfeiffer has only won three of its first 36 sets played against a tough early season schedule.
Pfeiffer – 0-5 at home – will host University of Mount Olive on Friday before entertaining the Lady Bulldogs on Saturday.
Senior Kelly Lancellot leads a Falcons roster that ranks last in the league with a .045 team hitting percentage offensively. Lancellot, who was named All-Conference in 2012, is averaging 2.39 kills per set. Junior Kelsey Blauser and freshman Shenelle Charlot are next with 1.50 and 1.45 kills per set, respectively.
Other category leaders for Pfeiffer include Blauser with 0.75 blocks per set; junior Emily Wall with 6.46 assists per set; and sophomore Haley Denny with 3.41 digs per set.
