RICHMOND, Ky. – Three matches at Miami (Ohio) this weekend are all that stand between the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team and a stretch of four straight home matches that begins Tuesday against Marshall.
 
The Colonels will face Florida Atlantic on Friday at 3:30 p.m. on the first day of the 2023 Miami/Best Western Invitational.  The event concludes with two matches on Saturday.  EKU will face Cleveland State at 2 p.m. and Miami (Ohio) at 6:30 p.m.  The match against the Redhawks will air live on ESPN+.
 
The team is set to begin the home portion of its 2023 schedule against Marshall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.  EKU Belt Bags will be given away at the match.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU began the 2023 season with a 3-1 win over Northwestern State at the StarkVegas Classic.  The Colonels then suffered back-to-back 3-0 defeats to host Mississippi State and Louisiana.
 
-  The Colonels lead the ASUN Conference in kills (14.70 per set), are third in digs (16.40 per set) and fifth with a .218 attack percentage.
 
-  EKU made 24 service errors in the first three matches, including 11 against Louisiana.
 
-  Newcomer Kambree Lucas leads the team, and is second in the conference, with 3.90 kills per set.  She is second on the squad with 3.10 digs per set.  Lucas made her EKU debut by posting 18 kills and 18 digs in the win over Northwestern State.  She also had a team-best 14 kills against Louisiana.
 
-  Sarah Mitchell (2.80 kills per set) and AG Vandagriff (2.70 kills per set) are providing a balanced attack.  Carson Ledford is blocking 1.10 attempts per set to lead the team.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
-  FAU will enter the weekend with a 2-2 record.  The Owls beat Holy Cross (3-0) and Fairleigh Dickinson (3-1) at home.  The team's two losses were to Kansas City (3-1) at home and Miami (1-3) on the road.  Kaila Ru leads the team with 3.08 kills per set and is second with 0.92 blocks per set.  MiaBella English leads the team in blocks (1.00 per set).  Isabelle Northam has a team-best 4.40 digs per set.  
 
-  Cleveland State is off to a 3-0 start to the season.  After getting past Murray State, 3-2, the Vikings shutout Western Illinois and Tennessee State.  Laken Voss is putting down a team-best 3.91 kills per set.  Madison Olinger averages nearly two blocks per set (1.82).  Karly Klaer handles the setting duties and leads the squad with 7.55 assists per set.  
 
-  Miami (Ohio) started the season by going 2-1 at the Memphis Invitational – beating Alcorn State and Memphis by 3-0 scores after falling to Samford (3-0).  The Redhawks have a balanced attack with four players averaging 2.00 or more kills per set – Ellie Hanson (2.89), Raegan Lantz (2.88), Chelsea Williams (2.75), Breannah Peterson (2.00).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU and Florida Atlantic will be meeting for the first time. 
 
-  Cleveland State is 9-2 against the Colonels.  The first meeting between the two teams came in 1972.  The most recent encounter with the Vikings was a 3-1 loss at the Panther Challenge in Pittsburgh on Sept. 15, 2017. 
 
-  Miami (Ohio) holds a 12-5 advantage over EKU.  The first meeting came in 1975.  The Colonels suffered a 3-2 loss in the most recent matchup, on Sept. 9, 2017 at the Carolina Classic hosted by the University of South Carolina.