Game 8  ·  American (4-3) at Duke (5-2)  ·  Friday, Sept. 13  ·  12 p.m.
Live Video / Live Stats
Game 9  ·  American (4-3) vs. Georgia (3-3)  ·  Friday, Sept. 13  ·  5 p.m.
Live Video / Live Stats
Game 10  ·  American (4-3) vs. Northwestern (5-1)  ·  Saturday, Sept. 14  ·  12 p.m.
Live Video / Live Stats
Site: Durham, N.C. (Cameron Indoor Stadium)
All-Time Records: Duke leads American, 3-2  |  Georgia leads American, 2-1  |  Series debut against Northwestern 

DURHAM, N.C. - Fresh off a sweep at Norfolk State, the American University volleyball team looks to keep the momentum going against some tough competition at the Duke Invitational this weekend. The Eagles will face the host Blue Devils first on Friday, followed by Georgia later on day one and then finishing up against Northwestern on Saturday at noon.

SERIES HISTORY

• Duke leads American 3-2 in the all-time series, but it was the Eagles who swept the Blue Devils most recently in the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2013.
• Georgia holds a 2-1 lead in the series. Coincidentally, the last time AU faced the Bulldogs was the day before the Eagles swept Duke. The Georgia match was also a sweep for AU, 3-0 in the NCAA First Round.
• AU and Northwestern are meeting for the first time in program history.

AU NOTES

• Junior Olivia Wassner posted a match-high eight kills and a hitting percentage of .583 in leading AU to its first sweep of the year at Norfolk State on Sept. 11.
  The Eagles got a big boost on serve from junior Chiara Bosetti who tallied six aces in the match.
• Last weekend, AU went 1-2 at its own American Volleyball Classic, defeating Winthrop 3-2 in the opener before falling in five sets to both Ohio and tournament champion Temple.
• Senior outside hitter Aleksandra Sochacka was named to the AVC All-Tournament Team, and was also named to the Patriot League's Weekly Honor Roll. Sochacka averaged 3.00 kills and 0.50 blocks per set in addition to posting a .306 hitting percentage over the three matches.
• Leading AU offensively is junior Helena Elbaek with 4.73 kills per set, good enough for the top spot in the Patriot League.
• Freshman Onuchi Ndee has had a huge impact in her debut season. Her hitting percentage of .388 leads the Eagles and ranks second among all players in the Patriot League. Ndee's 20 total blocks also lead the team.
• Another freshman making her presence felt is setter Inbal Peleg, whose 10.79 assists per set are good enough for first in the Patriot League. Wassner is fourth in the rankings with 9.88 assists/set.
• Senior libero Kristen Largay is averaging 4.96 digs per game to lead the team and rank third in the league.
• As a team, the Eagles lead the conference in kills (14.04 per set) and assists (12.86 per set) while ranking second in digs (16.54 per set).
• Elbaek was a 2019 Patriot League Preseason All-League selection and leads a group of returners and newcomers looking to fill the void left by the graduation of three-time AVCA All-Region and Patriot League Player of the Year Aleksandra Kazala.
• AU was picked to finish first in the 2019 Patriot League Preseason Poll in a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Eagles have dominated the PL since joining in 2001, winning 15 tournament titles in 18 years.

DUKE NOTES

• The Blue Devils enter the weekend on a 5-0 run after sweeping Charlotte, Appalachian State, and UNCG. Duke has lost only two sets in the last five matches against Wofford, and UNCW.
• Duke opened the season with a 3-1 loss to Michigan State and a 3-0 loss to No. 1 Stanford.
• Ade Owokoniran leads the team with 4.39 kills per set followed by Payton Schwantz with 2.79.
• Camille Nazor is averaging 5.67 assists per set with Sarah Nelson close behind (5.18/set).
• Mackenzie Cole heads up Duke's defensive efforts with 3.92 digs per set followed by Schwantz who is averaging 3.08 per set. Lily Cooper has also been key along the net for the Blue Devils, averaging 1.71 blocks per set. 

GEORGIA NOTES

• The Bulldogs enter the weekend at 3-3 for the season with wins against Kennesaw State, 3-2, Wofford, 3-0, and Long Beach State, 3-1. All three of Georgia's losses were sweeps against Clemson, UCLA, and most recently Texas State.
• Five players are averaging over 2.00 kills per set, starting with Rachel Ritchie (2.90) and Mallory Hernandez (2.83).
• Meghan Donovan has worked as the team's primary setter with 10.29 per set.
• Kendall Glover paces the Bulldogs on the defensive end with 3.62 digs per set.

NORTHWESTERN NOTES

• The Wildcats are coming off their first loss of the season after falling to Stephen F. Austin, 3-1, to close the NU Under Armour Challenge on September 7.
• Northwestern opened the season with a 5-0 run, losing only four sets during wins over USC Upstate (3-0), Virginia Tech (3-0), Miami (OH) (3-1), Austin Peay State (3-1), and Texas Tech. (3-2).
• Nia Robinson has controlled Northwestern's offensive efforts with 4.09 kills per set, followed by 3.45 per set from Temi Thomas-Ailara.
• Payton Chang has averaged 11.11 assists per set in 18 sets played while Kiara McNulty averaged 11.40 in five sets played against Texas Tech. (Sept. 6) and Stephen F. Austin (Sept. 7).
• Lexi Pitsas leads the team with 4.23 digs per set while Alana Walker and Olivia Viscuso both average over 1.00 blocks per set with 1.23 and 1.10, respectively.

For the latest on American University Volleyball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Volleyball) and Instagram (@AU_Volleyball).