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HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University volleyball team welcomes Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina to the Millis Center this weekend.
 
The Panthers (20-8, 10-2) can lock up the best regular season Big South winning percentage in program history with a sweep of their weekend visitors. The Bucs (10-20, 4-8) will have their own goals to play for as they aim to qualify for next week's Big South Tournament. On the other hand, the Chanticleers (20-4, 12-0) are looking to finish the regular season unbeaten in league action.
 
Programming Note:
Thursday night's match against CSU will be the Purple & White's Veteran's Appreciation Night. Fans are asked to bring non-perishable items to be left at the marketing table at the entrance to the arena.
 
Meanwhile, Saturday will be Senior Day as the Panthers recognize their seniors Annemarie Chin, Wavie Chin and Gabi Mirand prior to the 2:00 p.m. match against Coastal Carolina.
 
Last Time Out:
High Point went on the road to Liberty and Radford on Nov. 6-7 and came away with a hard-fought split. After falling 3-1 against the Flames, the Panthers bounced back with a huge 5-set triumph at Radford.
 
On the weekend, the Purple & White were led by junior Megan Kennedy, who posted a double-double in both matches averaging 2.67 kills and 3.56 digs per set. Likewise, senior Annemarie Chin had a solid weekend posting 5.0 digs per set including a 27-dig outing against the Highlanders.
 
Scouting the Bucs:
While the Panthers and Chanticleers are at the top of the conference, Charleston Southern is currently clinging to the No. 8 spot by just a game over Gardner-Webb. The Bucs will certainly be motivated and in need of a win to secure a spot in the league tournament.
 
Seniors Siraya Windsor (3.18/set) and Katrina Houston (2.69/set) lead an attack that features four players registering over 2.50 kills per set. On the defensive side, it's another senior that sets the tone, as Ashley Higginbothem is third in the league with 4.93 digs per set. The only Big South team that averages more digs per set than CSU (17.39/set) is High Point.
 
Last Time They Met:
HPU traveled down to Charleston on Oct. 20 and came away with a 3-set victory (25-19, 25-17 and 25-22). In the match, the Panthers held the Bucs to a .054 hitting percentage with 60 digs including 20 from Chin. Meanwhile, sophomore Haley Barnes tallied a double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs.
 
Scouting the Chanticleers:
Along with sitting alone atop the conference standings, Coastal Carolina's lethal offense leads the Big South in several statistical categories. The Chanticleers have the highest attack percentage (.281), most assists (12.50/set) and most kills (13.54/set).
 
Anchoring the attack are senior Eszter Nagy and sophomore Leah Hardeman, both of which were all-conference performers in 2014. Nagy, a middle blocker, leads the league with a .455 attack percentage while Hardeman, an outside hitter, paces the conference with 3.79 kills per set.
 
Last Time They Met:
The Chanticleers are 12-0 in conference play with 11 3-set sweeps. The only time CCU needed a fourth set was when the Panthers visited the HTC Center on Oct. 2. HPU opened the match taking the first set 26-24, but dropped the next three to take the loss. In the match, freshmen Molly Livingston and Abby Broadstreet combined for 19 kills, nine digs and four total blocks.
 
Panther Notes:
• The Panthers are third in the nation and lead the Big South with 17.66 digs per set and 24th nationally in opponents hitting percentage (.161).
 
• Senior Annemarie Chin is fifth in the country in digs per set (5.69).
 
• Chin has amassed 618 digs this season and needs 11 more to pass her single-season career high and 70 more to catch Julie Hershkowitz program record of 688 set in 2010.
 
• In just two seasons at High Point, senior Gabi Mirand is fourth in the program's Division I era with 1,932 career assists.
 
• The 2008 and 2010 teams went an HPU-best 13-3 (.813) in Big South play, with two wins this weekend the team could finish with a .857 league winning percentage.
 
• The Panthers have 20 wins for the fifth time since switching to Division I, the most by a Jason Oliver-coached team is 22 set back in 2010.
 
Next Up:
High Point hosts the Big South Tournament next week in the Millis Center. Quarterfinal matchups will be set at the conclusion of this weekend's matches. All tournament information can be found here on the Tournament Central page.
 
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