Volleyball Fights for Seeding in Final Weekend

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A resurgent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball squad opens the final weekend of the regular season against Sam Houston State Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. inside the Dugan Wellness Center. Thursday's clash with the Bearkats is presented by Domino's Pizza.
 
The Islanders (12-13, 9-5) are looking to climb into a tie for third in the league standings with a victory Thursday. In the previous meeting this season, the Blue and Green fell 17-15 in the fifth set at Sam Houston.
 
Following Thursday night's tilt, the Islanders wrap the regular season by hosting Abilene Christian Saturday afternoon in a 12 p.m. start.
 
PROMOTIONS
 
Thursday vs. Sam Houston State
            >> 400 pairs of free Islanders sunglasses
 
Saturday vs. Abilene Christian
            >> 150 free Islanders t-shirts
 
ISLANDER INSIGHT
 
>> Corpus Christi has swept three-consecutive matches heading into Thursday's matchup.
>> A win Thursday would jump the Islanders into a tie for third heading into the final match of the season.
>> Brittany Gilpin earned Southland Conference Player of the Week honors after piling up 28 kills and 28 digs in two matches last week,
>> In the last three games, the Islanders have hit .256 as a team while holding opponents to just .152 in attack.
>> Chloe Simon has recorded 10 kills in each of the past three matches and is hitting .359 during the stretch.
 
SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON STATE
 
>> Since the Islanders and Bearkats clashed in Huntsville, Sam Houston State has dropped four of five tilts.
>> Bearkat outside Jordyn Vaughn leads the league in kills per set while Brooke White sits fifth.
>> The Islanders have won five straight over Sam Houston State in Corpus Christi, dating to 2012.
>> Vaughn and middle Taylor Cunnigham each had 20 kills in the five-setter versus Corpus Christi earlier this season.
>> The Bearkats produced 11 blocks in the first meeting between the two.
 
SCOUTING ACU
 
>> The Wildcats enter the final weekend at 7-7 and looking to wrap up their first-ever Southland Conference Championship berth.
>> ACU topped an injury-plague Islanders squad 3-2 earlier in October.
>> Katelyn Mueller led ACU with 17 kills in that match.
>> In the previous meeting, the Islanders actually out-hit ACU .183 to .157.
 
SLC TOURNAMENT
 
The Islanders have already clinched a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament, which Corpus Christi will host next weekend on Nov. 17-19.