Match Preview
The Citadel travels to Spartanburg, S.C., to compete in the Wofford Invitational with a match against Gardner-Webb on Sept. 20 at 11 am at Wofford, followed by a game against USC Upstate on Sept. 20 at 6 pm at USC Upstate.
 
About the Bulldogs
The Citadel is 0-8 with one more tournament remaining before starting conference match play against Wofford and Western Carolina at McAlister Field House next week.
 
Graduate student Savannah Freeman leads the Bulldogs with 50 kills, averaging 2.27 per set.
 
Sophomore Luci Lippelgoos leads the Bulldogs' defense with 25.0 total blocks, including 10 block solos and 15 block assists. She ranks second in the SoCon for her block solos.
 
Sophomore setter Greta Pleuss leads the Bulldogs' offense with 118 assists, averaging 4.54 per set. She achieved a season-high in assists with 24 against UNC Asheville. Pleuss also ranks second on the team with 43 digs.
 
Scouting Gardner-Webb
The Runnin' Bulldogs are 6-4 overall this season, riding a three-game winning streak that includes victories over Le Moyne, Navy, and Hampton at the Navy Invitational. Gardner-Webb will face Wofford before taking on The Citadel on Sept. 20. Samia Sayd, a 6-0 OH, leads the team with 79 kills, averaging 2.03 per set on a .226 attack percentage. Defensively, Milla Lugo leads with 40.0 total blocks.
 
Scouting USC Upstate
The Spartans have an overall record of 6-5, with a recent loss to Northern Arizona on September 18. They will face South Carolina on Friday, followed by a game against The Citadel on Saturday. The team is led by two players with over 100 kills: Summer Kohler, who has 126 kills, averaging 3.41 per set, and Ady O'Grady, with 102 kills, averaging 3.33 per set.
 
Series History
The Citadel has a 4-2 record all-time against Gardner-Webb, with the most recent game in 2022 when the Bulldogs won 3-1. USC Upstate holds a 5-1 all-time record over The Citadel, with their latest match in 2015, which the Spartans won 3-1.
 
Reininger Named to Queens Fall Classic All-Tournament Team
Sophomore Rachel Reininger was named to the All-Tournament Team after recording 19 kills, with an average of 2.38 kills per set, and she also recorded four service aces.
 
2024 Review
In the 2024 season, the Bulldogs finished with a 15-14 overall record and an 8-8 conference record. The Citadel participated in three tournaments before entering conference play with matches at Alabama, Nebraska, and Troy.
 
The Bulldogs were chosen as the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference, with Ali Ruffin and Belle Hogan receiving preseason honors.
 
Zelenock and the Bulldogs faced the No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,607 in Lincoln, Nebraska, marking the highest away attendance the Bulldogs have ever played in.
 
The Bulldogs secured the No. 5 seed in the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament. They clinched a thrilling five-set match against Samford in the first round. The Citadel was eliminated in the semifinals by Mercer.
 
The Citadel finished the season as the NCAA Statistical Champion for digs per set with 19.44.