CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team hits the road after a four-game homestand. The Bulldogs will travel to Samford Friday, Oct. 25 and then on to Mercer Saturday, Oct. 26.
 
#BATTLEREADY (ABOUT THE CITADEL)
The Bulldogs are 8-13 overall and 2-6 in the conference going into the weekend after capturing their first two conference wins last weekend over Wofford and Chattanooga.
 
The Citadel is currently on a four-game win streak, the longest since the 2004 season.  
 
Junior Sharlissa De Jesus hammered down 22 kills in each conference victory, earning her Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors. De Jesus is ranked among the top ten in the conference, averaging 3.21 kills per set with a total 215 on the season.

THE CITADEL VS OPPONENTS (THE HISTORY)
The Citadel takes on both Samford and Mercer for the second time this year after dropping both meetings earlier in the season at McAlister Field House.
 
The 'Dogs are 1-16 overall against the Bulldogs of Samford and 1-12 against the Mercer Bears all-time.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS (SAMFORD)
The Samford Bulldogs are currently 13-5 on the season with a 7-1 conference recorded, with its only SoCon loss coming from a match against ETSU. They are ranked second in the conference, just behind the undefeated Eagles of ETSU.
 
Samford ranks among the top three in almost every offensive category in the conference including hitting percentage, assists and kills. The Bulldogs currently average 2.05 blocks per set on the defensive side.
 
Lauren Deaton and Kelsi Hobbs go one and two in the rankings for kills per set, averaging 3.88 and 3.77, respectively.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARS
The Bears of Mercer are 9-12 overall with a 2-6 conference record. Their two conference wins have been against Chattanooga and their first meeting with The Citadel in Charleston earlier in the season.
 
Mercer ranks right behind Samford in the conference polls with a .210 team hitting percentage and sixth in kills, averaging 12.07 per set.
 
Freshman Jaida Howell leads the SoCon with a .352 hitting percentage. Annie Karle and Roberta Todd lead the squad averaging almost three kills per set. The Bears boast two major assist leads in Nya Steele and Malia Randolph who average 7.96 and 7.41 assists per set, respectively.

COMING UP
The Bulldogs will return home the following weekend with matches against Furman and UNCG at McAlister Field House.
  
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For more information and score updaes on The Citadel volleyball team, please visit CitadelSports.com or follow @CitadelVB on Twitter and @CitadelVolleyball on Instagram.