CONWAY, S.C. – The 6-4 Chanticleer women's volleyball team opens Sun Belt Conference play this weekend as they host Little Rock Trojans and the Arkansas State Red Wolves. The Chants and Trojans will kick off the weekend on Friday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and will be followed up with a match with the Red Wolves on Sunday, Sept. 26. at noon ET.
 
Face coverings WILL BE required for admission to all indoor Coastal Carolina home athletic events for 2021-22. Coastal Carolina and the Department of Athletics are committed to providing a safe environment for the enjoyment of our patrons that attend our home intercollegiate athletic events. Individuals that disregard health and safety protocols may be asked to leave.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
vs. Little Rock | Friday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
vs. Arkansas State| Sunday, Sept. 26, Noon ET
 
 LAST TIME OUT

• Last weekend, the Chanticleers dropped a pair of matches at No. 14 Florida as they were swept, 3-0, in both contests. Doris Carter led CCU with 13 kills on Sept. 18, and then super senior Ani Bozdeva marked a team-high with 14 kills, a hitting .483 percentage with no errors in the Sept. 19 match. On the weekend, Bozdeva totaled 19 kills, with Carter chipping in with 17.

 
SERIES HISTORY – LITTLE ROCK

• Coastal Carolina is 5-0 all-time against the Trojans in a series that began in 2016.
• The Chants defeated the Trojans during the SBC Championships Tournament on Nov. 11, 2020, 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-15) as Anett Nemeth led CCU with 13 kills. Ilse Sinnige gave the Chanticleers a spark offensively with a career-high eight kills in the victory.

 
SERIES HISTORY – ARKANSAS STATE

• Coastal Carolina is 5-2 all-time against the Red Wolves in a series that began in 2016.
• The last time the two teams squared off was on Oct. 19, 2019, in Jonesboro, Ark.
• CCU and ASU have split the last two matches by 3-1 outcomes.
• On Oct. 19, 2019, Anett Nemeth led the Chants with an unbelievable performance. Nemeth led CCU to the 25-18, 17-25, 25-15, 25-20 victory with 30 kills and 11 digs.
• Anett Nemeth (18), Kyla Manning (11), and Ani Bozdeva (10) combined for 39 kills on Nov. 11, 2018. Still, it wasn't enough as Coastal Carolina lost to the Red Wolves (17-25, 15-25, 25-22, 20-25) in the 2018 Sun Belt Volleyball Championships quarterfinals.

 
A GLIMPSE AT LITTLE ROCK

• Little Rock is 9-3 entering this weekend's start of conference play.
• The Trojans come into the weekend winning six straight and most recently earning a sweep at the Louisiana Tech Invitational last weekend. LR knocked off Southern and New Orleans in straight sets while knocking off Louisiana Tech in four sets.
• Outside hitter Laura Jansen has won two consecutive Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week awards. Last weekend, Jansen averaged 4.20 kills per set and 3.80 digs per set at the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
• On the season, Jansen ranks second in the SBC 41 kills and 4.22 kills per set.

 
A GLIMPSE AT ARKANSAS STATE

• Arkansas State is 9-3 entering this weekend's start of conference play.
• Brianna Hollingshed ranks third in the conference with a .358 hitting percentage. The sophomore has tallied 56 kills with 13 errors.
• Senior Macey Putt ranks first in the conference with 4.62 kills per set.
• Libero Tatum Ticknor averages 5.07 digs per set, which is good for second in the conference.

 
ONE WIN AWAY FROM 250

• Head Coach Jozsef Forman is one win away from career win number 250. Forman's last victory came against UNCW on Sept.11.

 
SIXTH TIME FOR BOZDEVA

• Super senior Ani Bozdeva collected her sixth double-digit kill match of the season on Sept. 19 at No. 14 Florida with 14 kills.

 
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

• Super senior Ani Bozdeva is ninth in the Sun Belt Conference with 106 kills while ranking 10th in the conference with 3.03 kills per set. In addition, Bozeva is amongst the best in the conference regarding total points. Coming into the weekend, the CCU outside hitter is ninth in the conference with 123.5 points. 

 
COUNTING DOWN TO 1000

• Graduate student Doris Carter leads a foursome of CCU volleyball players in their quest for the 1000-kill club in their respective careers.
• Along with Carter (953), Ella Saada (943), Ani Bozdeva (917), and Cheyenne Jones (836) are close to reaching the milestone.

 
LOOKING FOR 2000

• Eyes will be on junior setter Brigitta Petrenko this weekend as she looks to reach the 2000-career assist mark in her Chanticleer career. The Hungary native is 37 assists shy of the mark. Only eight Chants in school have history have reached the milestone.
• Petrenko is ninth all-time in school history with 1963 career assists. She is 104 assists shy of 2014 graduate Sam Skyrd's 2067 tally for eighth all-time.

 
WEEKEND BLOCK PARTY

• Sophomore Nyla Shepherd remains one of the conference's best defenders. Shepherd is second in the conference with 1.15 blocks per set.

 
For complete coverage of CCU volleyball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalVball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.