CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two frontrunners in Southland Conference action square off Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi welcomes Stephen F. Austin to open the weekend homestand, which also includes a Saturday bout with Sam Houston State.
The Islanders (9-6, 4-0) and Ladyjacks (11-6, 4-0) are the only two teams still unbeaten in Southland play and will battle for sole possession of first in the Dig Pink match Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Dugan Wellness Center. A&M-Corpus Christi has partnered with the American Cancer Society for Thursday's Dig Pink match to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Fans will be able to make donations at the pregame tailgate or at the ticket table in Dugan Wellness Center.
• The first 400 students will receive free pink t-shirts at the match.
• Pregame tailgate begins at 5 p.m. in front of the Dining Hall.
• Free food from University Bar & Grill and Battle of the Bands presented by CAB.
• Students can pick up their tickets from 5-5:30 at the tailgate.
UNBEATENS CLASH
A&M-Corpus Christi and Stephen F. Austin both arrive after dominating starts to conference play. The two have lost just a single set combined to Southland opponents in 2016. Both the Islanders and Ladyjacks rank at the top of the league defensively, holding opponents to just .170 and .173 hitting, respectively.
Thursday night is the only matchup of the season between the two co-favorites in the Southland Conference. The Islanders are just 5-11 all-time against the Ladyjacks, but the Blue and Green has won two of the past three meetings in the series.
Last year, the Islanders rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win in five at Shelton Gym in Nacogdoches.
DOMINATING D
• What has become the hallmark of an Islander team, the Blue and Green is once again smothering opposition attacks.
• On the season, the Islanders are holding opponents to a .178 hitting percentage. In Southland matches, opponents are hitting just .089 against the Islanders.
• A&M-Corpus Christi has held three of its four Southland opponents below a .100 hitting percentage. Only Northwestern State has eclipsed that mark, hitting a paltry .101.
SPREAD OFFENSE
• The Islanders have distributed the load evenly during Southland play with every offensive player averaging better than 1.33 kills per set.
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Brittany Gilpin leads the Blue and Green with 38 kills in Southland matches and is one of two Islanders averaging better than three kills per set along with
Morgan Carlson.
• As a team, the diverse attack has led to a league-best .295 hitting percentage during conference play.
SAM HOUSTON STATE SATURDAY
The Islanders conclude the weekend with a 1 p.m. matchup against Sam Houston State on Saturday afternoon in the Dugan Wellness Center. This is the second meeting of the season between the Islanders and Bearkats after the Blue and Green swept the opening match of conference action in Huntsville.
