The Matchup
 
Saturday:
Converse (0-0) vs USC Aiken (0-0), 12:00 p.m.
Converse (0-0) vs Paine College (0-0), 5:00 p.m.
 
Location: USC Aiken, Aiken, S.C.
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The Tournament:
For the eleventh consecutive season the Converse University volleyball team will be traveling to start the year. The USC Aiken Invitational will be the first of three tournaments for the Valkyries this season. This weekend the Valkyries will battle against host USC Aiken and Paine College.
 
Coaches Quote:
"I would definitely say that we are prepared going into the season opener against USC Aiken," Converse head volleyball coach Alexis Ivey said. "We've faced outside competition during the preseason but we are ready for that first official match of the season. We're excited and ready to go this weekend."
 
Converse Notes:

• Converse is coming off a difficult season in which they finished sixth in the west division.
• Converse is the only school in Conference Carolinas to end the 2021 season with a victory, when the Valkyries knocked off Erskine 3-2 on Senior Day inside the Weisiger Center.  
• The Valkyries return 11 players from last season's team, including First Team All-Conference setter Savannah Ducote (Lexington, S.C.) and Third Team All-Conference selection Jasmine Finkley (Blythewood, S.C.).
• Arkansas Tech transfer Evelyn Fitz (Columbia, S.C.) will look to add leadership and championship experience to a young Valkyries squad. Fitz was a member of the Golden Suns Great American Conference Championship a season ago.
• Anna Rabon (Little River, S.C.) will be looking to capitalize off of her stellar freshman season. The sophomore outside hitter returns as the team's leader in kills (206), service aces (34), digs (235) and points (250.5).
• Both Ducote and Madison Gregory (Boiling Springs, S.C.) spent time as the team's primary setter a season ago. Ducote led the team with 472 assists, while Gregory collected 303 assists.
• Finkley returns as the team leader in blocks from a season ago with 72 total and 13 solo blocks. The Palmetto State native is also returning with the second most kills on the team with 186.
• Against USC Aiken the Valkyries will be meeting the Pacers for just the fourth time in program history. Converse has yet to take a set off of USC Aiken, but they will look to change that on Saturday afternoon.
• This will be the Valkyries first meeting against Paine College since 2015. After losing the opening set 25-23, Converse won the final three sets to down Paine 3-1.    

 
 
USC Aiken Notes: 

• Went 18-9 and 6-4 in the Peach Belt Conference a season ago.  
• Alisha Pitt returns for her sophomore season as the team's leader in kills (215) and total blocks (52).
• Junior Kari Mercer is looking to build off her team leading 605 digs a season ago. The Ohio native averaged 6.05 digs per set last fall for the Pacers.
• USC Aiken returns a seasoned setter with senior Caroline Foster, Foster accumulated 907 assists last year.

 
Paine College Notes:

• Paine went 3-14 overall last season, with their wins coming against Morris College and Fort Valley State.
• The Lions are an extremely young team with only three upperclassmen on their roster.
• Shacari Hardy will be looking to avoid the sophomore slump, as she returns as Lions top offensive option. Hardy finished last season with 71 kills, and 20 total blocks.
• Senior Jordan Fortson lead the Lions last season with 242 digs and will look to build off her 4.25 digs per set from a season ago.

 
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