TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team begins its 2016 campaign on Friday by hosting the Bulldog Battle at McAlister Field House.

The Bulldogs welcome three teams for the tournament, including Morehead State, Robert Morris and Gardner-Webb. The Citadel's first match of the tournament will be at 1 p.m. Friday against Morehead State.

"We are excited to get on the court and compete," said head coach Craig Mosqueda. "I thought we had a great spring and a great camp but there is only so much you can learn from competing against your own players. We had a lot of people step up and train hard this summer and that is evident in our practice sessions. Every player on our team is committed to changing the culture and being a team that is competitive in the conference."

The Citadel returns four starters from 2015 along with libero Samantha Espy. A senior entering 2016, Espy led the team in total sets played (132), total digs (556) and digs per set (4.21) and ranked third in the Southern Conference in total digs and sixth in digs per set.

Outside hitter Moriah Smith returns for her junior season after starting 34 matches in 2015 and leading the Bulldogs in kills (393) and kills per set (3.05). Smith was also ranked fourth in the SoCon in total kills and seventh in kills per set. Right side hitter Megan Sowell started 31 matches for the Bulldogs and led the squad in service aces (25) and was third in kills (309) and kills per set (2.55).

The Bulldogs also return middle hitter Dominique Williams and middle blocker Zuri Fenderson. Williams led the team in solo blocks (19) and finished tied with Fenderson in total blocks (81). Fenderson paced the Bulldogs in blocks per set (0.73) and finished with a .198 hitting percentage. The Bulldogs return 11 total cadet-athletes from 2015, while only having lost two seniors.

The team welcomes five newcomers, including graduate transfer Priscilla Irizarry. The setter played under head coach Craig Mosqueda at Anderson, where she racked up 1,007 assists in 2014, ranking fourth in the South Atlantic Conference.

Also joining the Bulldogs in 2016 are freshmen Sarah Dobrich, Autumn Bennett, Jen Barbot and Caricia Rodriguez.

Dobrich is a middle-hitter from Mokena, Illinois, who led Lincoln Way East High School to a 2014 IHSA Regional Championship. She racked up more than 140 kills in each of the past three seasons for Lincoln Way East.

Bennett is a Windsor, Illinois, native who starred at Windsor High School. As a senior, she captained a squad that secured a conference champion and an IHSA regional title.

Barbot, whose addition will add depth to the right side, comes to The Citadel from Brunswick, Maryland, where she set a school record at Brunswick High School for hitting percentage in a season (.556) during her senior campaign.

A Naperville, Illinois, native, Rodriguez was the libero for Neuqua Valley High School where the team won at least 25 matches each season while she was on varsity, culminating with a 29-9 season last year, which was the best finish in school history.

The Citadel will host a program-record 16 matches this season, including two home tournaments.

In their first match of the season on Friday at 1 p.m., the Bulldogs face Morehead State, who finished 2015 with a 10-21. The Bulldogs will then take on Robert Morris (19-13) at 5 p.m. on Friday. They wrap up the tournament against Gardner-Webb (9-22) in the final match of the tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m.

All matches for the tournament will include live stats, while The Citadel's matches will also be streamed live on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.

For more information on The Citadel Volleyball, follow @CitadelVB or visit CitadelSports.com.

Full Tournament Schedule

Friday, August 26
The Citadel vs. Morehead State, 1 p.m.
Gardner-Webb vs. Robert Morris, 3 p.m.
The Citadel vs. Robert Morris, 5 p.m.
Gardner-Webb vs. Morehead State, 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 27
Morehead State vs. Robert Morris, 11 a.m.
The Citadel vs. Gardner-Webb, 1 p.m.