Samford volleyball opened Southern Conference play with back-to-back victories over East Tennessee State University, continuing their three-match win streak as the Bulldogs prepare to face Western Carolina this upcoming Thursday, Oct. 1.
After kicking off the week on Sunday with a nonconference victory over University of Alabama at Birmingham, Samford returned to the Pete Hanna Center on Thursday, Sept. 24 and Friday, Sept. 25, defeating ETSU 3-1 in both matches.
The victories set a positive tone for conference play for a young Samford team that continues to build confidence and chemistry together.
Following Thursday’s opening conference victory, head coach Keyler Chan praised the team’s ability to come together when times were tense.
“We played what we call connected volleyball,” Chan said.
That connection was seen throughout the opening match. Samford recorded 16 blocks and delivered 11 service aces as they secured their first conference victory this season.
Despite losing a challenging third set, the Bulldogs came through with a 25-22 victory in the fourth set to secure the match.
For outside hitter Brianna Hamilton, maintaining a calm mindset was an important part of the team’s success.
“I think the biggest thing in volleyball, we talk about when we get in moments like this is that we just have to trust in the person to the left and the person to the right of us,” Hamilton said.
That trust carried into the rematch on Friday, when Samford secured another 3-1 victory over ETSU. Senior Ally Cordes led Samford with 20 kills and 11 digs, while freshman Hazel Slusher contributed 12 kills and nine blocks. Redshirt freshman Alison Ohlinger also contributed 42 assists and 12 digs.
The team’s performance emphasized Coach Chan’s praise on the contributions from throughout the roster.
“The best thing is that every night any person can step up,” Chan said following Friday’s win.
As the team continues to carry their confidence from these wins into the remainder of SoCon play, Brianna Hamilton emphasized the importance of maintaining team energy and confidence.
“I think just good mojo and positive attitudes is going to be so important as we work throughout the conference season,” Hamilton said.
With three consecutive wins and a 2-0 conference record to start, the Bulldogs will now shift their attention to their first SoCon away game of the season.
Samford will face Western Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 1 and Friday, Oct. 2 at 5:00p.m. Central Time.
As Samford works to continue their winning streak, the team’s ability to stay cool and calm and continue to work together will remain their top priority.
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