MATCH INFORMATION
MATCH #10: Jacksonville vs. Presbyterian Blue Hose
DATE: Friday, Sept. 15 – 6:00 pm
SITE: UNF Arena – Jacksonville, Fla. | Dolphin Invitational
2017 RECORDS: Jacksonville (4-5, 0-0 ASUN); Presbyterian (3-6-0, 0-0 Big South)

MATCH #11: Jacksonville vs. Austin Peay Governors
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 16 – 1:00 pm
SITE: UNF Arena – Jacksonville, Fla. | Dolphin Invitational
2017 RECORDS: Jacksonville (4-5, 0-0 ASUN); Austin Peay (8-2, 0-0 Ohio Valley)

MATCH #12: Jacksonville vs. South Florida Bulls
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 16 – 6:00 pm
SITE: UNF Arena – Jacksonville, Fla. | Dolphin Invitational
2017 RECORDS: Jacksonville (4-5, 0-0 ASUN); South Florida (2-4, 0-0 American Athletic)
*Austin Peay and South Florida records prior to Sept. 16

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University volleyball opens play in Duval Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15-16, with the Dolphin Invitational at North Florida's UNF Arena. Jacksonville faces Presbyterian Friday at 6 pm, and Austin Peay and USF the following day at 1 pm and 6 pm, respectively.

2017 DOLPHIN INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT PAGE

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Jacksonville University Athletics, along with JU Volleyball, would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to the University of North Florida Athletics for opening its doors in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Jacksonville's Historic Swisher Gymnasium earned some battle scars over the weekend from Irma, and was rendered unplayable for the foreseeable future. Not wanting to disappoint the three teams traveling for the tournament – Austin Peay, Presbyterian, and South Florida – and our friends, families, and fans, Jacksonville was looking for an alternative venue for the Dolphin Invitational. With UNF's volleyball team on the road this weekend, the Ospreys graciously and selflessly opened UNF Arena to allow JU to continue to host the 2017 Dolphin Invitational this weekend, albeit across town.

Although rivals in spirit, we are all part of the Jacksonville community. Thank you, North Florida and UNF Athletics.

Hurricane Relief at Dolphin Invitational

The concession stand at this weekend's Dolphin Invitational at UNF Arena will be running a "Hurricane Relief" special with 16 oz. beers for $2. Jacksonville University Volleyball will also be selling any leftover tournament T-shirts for $5.

2017 Dolphin Invitational Schedule

*Only JU games
**For the full 2017 Dolphin Invitational schedule, click here.

Last Time Out – ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational

The Dolphins closed out last weekend's ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational with a 2-1 record. Jacksonville earned victories over Western Carolina (3-1) and Southeastern Louisiana (3-1), before a heartbreaking five-set loss to the tournament hosts, Alabama State.

Amarrah Cooks led the Dolphins with double-digit kills and a .500 or better hitting percentage in each of the three matches. She also added nine blocks, including three solo blocks. Mallory Mattingly and Cristina Finan both posted double-doubles in JU's first game of the tournament against Western Carolina, and Finan went on to record 42 digs – second only to defensive specialist Mackenzie Swan's 63 on the weekend. Swan also led the Dolphins with five service aces, including three against Southeastern Louisiana. Hannah Marchand had nearly one-third of the Dolphins' 24.0 total blocks with four solo and six block assists, to go along with Amarrah Cooks' and Olga Nushtayeva's nine blocks each. With her 49 assists against Western Carolina, Alleah Stamatis's performance ranks seventh all-time in JU program history for a four-set match.

JUVB 'Bama Tour

Due to the severe inclement weather in Jacksonville – and all over the southeast – caused by Hurricane Irma last weekend, the Dolphins found themselves stranded in Montgomery, Ala. following the ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational at Alabama State. Thanks to Head Coach Julie Darty's coaching connections and freshman Madison Rayam's club connections, the compassionate folks at both the Finley Center at the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Ala. and at Auburn Arena on the University of Auburn campus in Auburn, Ala. opened their doors to JU Volleyball.

The Dolphins were able to remain on their practice schedule as planned and continued back to Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon after the storm had passed. While at the Finley Center, Darty was interviewed by WIAT CBS 42 (Hoover, Ala.) sports reporter Conan Gasque. For WIAT CBS 42's full story, click here.

With over 1,000 miles logged during the Dolphins' six-day stay in Alabama, including a tournament weekend, evacuation, and "statewide tour", JU Athletics and JU Volleyball extend its appreciation to the Finley Center and Hoover Met Complex, WIAT CBS 42 and Conan Gasque, and Auburn Volleyball for their kindness and compassion shown during this difficult time.

Where They Rank …

The Dolphins rank in the top five in the ASUN in several statistical categories including:

• Team assists (408) – second
• Team kills (440) – second
• Team total attacks (1,281) – second
• Hitting percentage (0.180) – third
• Opponent hitting percentage (0.202) – third
• Team total blocks (67.0) – third
• Assists per set (11.33) – fourth
• Kills per set (12.22) – fourth
• Team service aces (41) – fourth
• Blocks per set (1.86) – fifth
• Team attacks per set (35.58) – fifth
• Team digs (519) – fifth

Individually, several Dolphins rank in the top 10 in the ASUN:

• Mallory Mattingly is currently second in the ASUN (127th in the nation) with 335 total attacks.
• She also ranks third in the league in both kills (113) and attacks per set (9.86, 141st nationally), and sixth with 3.14 kills per set.
• Cristina Finan is tied for 10th in the ASUN with 83 kills.
• Amarrah Cooks and Olga Nushtayeva are among the ASUN's top attackers. Cooks ranks fifth with a .305 hitting percentage, while Nushtayeva is eighth with a .253 hitting percentage.
• Both of the Dolphins' setters rank in the league's top 10 in assists – Alleah Stamatis is fifth with 224 assists and Lauren Petersen is 10th with 134 assists. Stamatis (seventh, 6.22 a/s) and Petersen (10th, 4.47 a/s) are also in the top 10 in assists per set.
• Mallory Mattingly, Hannah Marchand, and Mackenzie Swan make the league's list in service aces as Mattingly is tied for sixth with nine, while Marchand and Swan are tied for ninth with eight aces.
• Mackenzie Swan also ranks fourth in the ASUN with 138 digs, and fifth in the league with 3.83 digs per set.
• Hannah Marchand leads the league with 11 solo blocks, while Olga Nushtayeva (tied for seventh, 6) and Amarrah Cooks (tied for ninth, 5) also make the list.
• Marchand is also sixth in the ASUN with 31 total blocks, and seventh with 0.89 blocks per set.
• Mallory Mattingly's 129.5 points rank third in the ASUN, while her 3.6 points per set rank fifth.
• With 92.5 points to her credit, Cristina Finan is 10th in the league.

ASUN Weekly Honors

Hannah Marchand earned ASUN Freshman of the Week honors for Aug. 28 after an impressive weekend at Clemson's Big Orange Bash. The Sturgis, Mich. native opened her collegiate career with 11 kills and four blocks against Lamar en route to a .476 hitting percentage.

The Series with Presbyterian

Jacksonville and Presbyterian enter Friday's contest tied in the all-time series, 2-2. The Dolphins evened the series at last year's JAX Classic with a 3-0 victory over the Blue Hose.

Scouting the Blue Hose

The Blue Hose are currently sixth in the Big South standings with a 3-6 overall record. Presbyterian leads the Big South in team attacks per set (36.18), and rank in the league's top five in digs per set (2nd, 15.67), aces per set (4th, 1.52), kills per set (4th, 11.70), and assists per set (5th, 10.94).

Individually, Megan Jones has served up 17 aces, good for third in the league and 36th in the nation and her 0.55 aces per set put her at second in the Big South and 22nd nationally. Daley Gosnell also ranks second in the Big South in digs per set (5.07, 39th nationally), and fifth in the league with 152 digs (118th in the nation).

Allie Wright leads the team in both kills (95) and blocks (22), and is second on the team with nine service aces. Erin Eulitz (85 kills, 92 digs), Jaclyn Brewington (201 assists, 11 blocks), Caroline Henderson (57 kills, 91 digs) and Ashton Stewart (18 blocks) are all impact players for the Blue Hose.

The Series with Austin Peay

Saturday's matchup with the Governors marks the first time in program history that Jacksonville will face Austin Peay. The Govs are one of three teams on JU's 2017 schedule that the Dolphins have never faced before. The other two first-time opponents were Purdue (Sept. 1) and Alabama State (Sept. 9).

Scouting the Governors  

Selected second in the OVC Preseason Poll, Austin Peay Austin Peay currently sits at the top of the standings in the Ohio Valley Conference with an 8-2 overall record. The Govs are either first or second in the OVC in several statistical categories. Austin Peay ranks first in the league in assists per set (12.90, 57th nationally), kills per set (13.58, 69th nationally), and winning percentage (.800, 42nd nationally). They are second in the OVC in digs per set (17.13, 29th nationally), team assists (516, 23rd nationally), team attacks per set (37.23, 50th nationally), team digs (685, 26th nationally), team kills (543, 27th nationally), and team total attacks (1,489, 39th nationally).

Additionally, several Govs lead the conference in various statistal categories. Kristen Stucker tops the OVC in assists (441, 12th in the nation) and assists per set (11.03, 38th in the nation), while Ashley Slay leads the OVC in points (189.0, 14th nationally) and kills (158, 28th nationally), and ranks second in the OVC with 4.73 points per set (38th nationally) and 3.95 kills per set (69th nationally). Ginny Gerig and Christina White both ranks third in the OVC in digs per set (4.61) and service aces (16), respectively.

The Series with South Florida

South Florida holds an 11-4 advantage in the all-time series versus JU. However, the teams last met in 2010 when the Bulls barely held the edge over JU, 3-2.

Scouting the Bulls

USF was selected sixth in The American Preseason Poll, and currently have a 2-4 record overall. The Bulls are second in The American and 19th in the nation with 1.75 aces per set.

Individually, Priscilla Ehieze ranks second in The American with a .379 hitting percentage behind a team-best 54 kills. Alex Mendoza leads the team with 147 assists and is second with 39 digs, while Maria McLamb leads the team with 69 digs. Joli Holland ranks third in the league with 0.45 aces per set (9), and is second on the team with 13.0 blocks. Clara Payne leads the team with 16.0 blocks (two solo), and Doris Carter leads the team with three solo blocks (7.0 total blocks).

Up Next

The Dolphins return to action next Friday, Sept. 22 when they open up ASUN Conference play and the River City Rumble rivalry at North Florida. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.