The Basics
The West Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team (0-8) begins Mountain East Conference play this week.
 
On Tuesday (Sept. 28), the Bobcats will travel to Charleston, W.Va. for their first MEC match versus the Golden Eagles at 7 p.m. On Friday (Oct. 1) at 7 p.m., the Bobcats will play at Rockefeller Center for the first time this fall in a match against Concord. Wesleyan will wrap up their week with a non-conference match versus Seton Hill on Saturday (Oct. 2) at 1 p.m.
 
Quick Hits

• Michela Ayers leads WVWC with 46 kills and 53.0 points. Ayers racked up 13 kills in a match versus Mercyhurst on Sept. 17.
• Payton Hefner's 88 assists lead all Bobcat players.
• Maddi Carpenter and Madison Boswell each have six service aces. Carpenter totaled four service aces in a match versus Edinboro. 
• All-MEC Second Team and MEC All-Freshman Team member Autumn Molenhouse accumulated 58 digs in her first eight matches as a sophomore.
• Joelle Lalla has totaled 19.0 blocks. Lalla has two block solos and 17 block assists.

 
Scouting Charleston
The Golden Eagles have an 8-4 record entering MEC play. Six of Charleston's eight victories this fall have been in straight sets. On offense, Sage Bearnson leads UC with 128 kills. Bearnson, a sophomore hailing from Highland, Utah, leads all MEC players with 26 service aces. Maria Hernandez facilitates the Golden Eagles' offense. Hernandez has racked up 382 assists this season, ranking third in the MEC.
 
Defensively, UC has three players who have more than 100 digs: Madison Jackson (151), Hernandez (141) and McKenzie Damon (121). At the net, McKenzie Carpenter, sister of Bobcat senior Maddi Carpenter, is the block leader for Charleston. Carpenter has 30.0 total blocks in the fall season.
 
Tyler Kanelos begins his first season at the helm of UC volleyball. Prior to Charleston, Kanelos completed assistant coaching stints at Marshall University and the University of Dayton.
 
Scouting Concord
Concord recorded victories versus WVU Tech and Emory & Henry. The Mountain Lions currently hold a 2-5 overall record before opening up MEC play versus West Virginia State on Tuesday (Sept. 28).
 
Freshman outside hitter Hannah Steele has contributed 83 kills for the Mountain Lions in her first seven collegiate matches. Steele has added 11 service aces for CU. Imani Rodgers and Kristin Lough both have over 100 assists.
 
Senior defensive specialist Kelli Ellison has accumulated 4.00 digs/set. Amber Hall has 11 block solos and 12 block assists, totaling 23.0 blocks. Hall's 0.90 blocks/set mark ranks fourth in the MEC.
 
The Mountain Lions are led by Kate Dillon, who begins her 13th season at the helm of Concord volleyball.
 
Scouting Seton Hill
The Griffins have opened their season with a 6-5 record and a 1-1 conference record. Seton Hill defeated Fairmont State at the Malone Tournament on Sept. 10 in five sets.
 
Mara Yahner (115) and Paige Cole (112) are the only two Griffins with more than 100 kills. Three Seton Hill players total over 100 assists: Riley Rock (150), Shannon Watkins (119), and Abby Oesterling (106). Carrie Leazer's 0.60 service aces/set ranks fourth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Leazer leads the Griffins with 197 digs, good for eighth overall in the PSAC. Kierstin Schade has swatted 47.0 blocks, which ranks second among all PSAC players.
 
Rick Hall begins his 37th season leading Seton Hill volleyball. Hall currently holds a 752-394 overall record coaching the Griffins.
 
Up Next
The Bobcats' MEC slate continues next week with a home match versus Glenville State on Oct. 5 and a road match versus West Virginia State on Oct. 8.