Friday, August 25
Morgantown, W.Va.
7:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
Delaware
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Mountaineers to Host WVU Invitational
August 24, 2017 04:26 PM | Volleyball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In its third season under coach Reed Sunahara, the West Virginia University volleyball team will open the 2017 season on Friday when the team hosts Delaware in a 7 p.m. match at the WVU Coliseum as part of the WVU Invitational.
The contest will mark the second match of the tournament, as UT-Martin and No. 6 Penn State will square off at 4:30 p.m. The event continues Saturday as the Mountaineers host UT-Martin at 12:30 p.m. before wrapping things up against the Nittany Lions at 7 p.m.
Also in Saturday action, Delaware and Penn State will square off at 10 a.m., while UT-Martin will face Delaware at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets for all matches can be found at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the Gold Gate of the Coliseum. The cost is $5 for the general public, $3 for youths and seniors and $2 for groups of 10 or more. Students are admitted free with a valid WVU ID.
WVU will host a Gold Rush on Friday, with all fans encouraged to wear gold. In addition, fans 13 and under who download and complete a Musket coloring sheet can receive free admission to the match. West Virginia will host a book drive during Saturday's matches, as fans who bring a book to donate are eligible to receive discounted admission ($3). Following Friday's tilt with Delaware and Saturday's match against PSU there will be a post-match autograph session with the Mountaineers, who will sign the 2017 team poster.
To provide a safer environment for Mountaineer fans and to expedite entry into all ticketed WVU athletic events, the West Virginia Department of Intercollegiate Athletics enforces the NFL's Clear Bag Policy. The athletic department invites and encourages fans to visit WVUsports.com/clearbag for more information, to view pictures of permissible and non-permissible items and to obtain answers to frequently asked questions about the clear bag policy.
The 2017 season marks the second year in a row WVU will see perennial national contender Penn State in the opening weekend. The Mountaineers fell to the Nittany Lions, 3-0, last August on the second day of the Penn State Classic. Penn State enters the season ranked at No. 6 in the AVCA Coaches' Poll.
Team captains Gianna Gotterba and Morgan Montgomery will see a familiar face on the opposing bench in Friday's season opener, as former WVU assistant Sara (Kidd) Matthews is in her first season as the head coach of the Blue Hens. It marks the first meeting between the two since 1999. WVU will face UT-Martin for just the second time in program history, bringing a 1-0 series lead into Saturday's match.
"I think we're all looking forward to seeing another team on the other side of the net," Sunahara said. "We've had a couple of good weeks of practice where we were able to integrate the newcomers into the rotation. We need to keep looking forward and just trying to get better every match. I'm looking forward to a great crowd and atmosphere in the Coliseum this weekend."
In addition to Gotterba and Montgomery, the Mountaineers bring seven veterans into the matchup, including four seniors and five sophomores. Senior setter Emma Anderson joins the squad as a transfer from South Alabama, along with six freshmen.
Highlighting the veterans, AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year Payton Caffrey returns at outside hitter after a stellar freshman campaign. Senior middle blocker Mia Swanegan is back for her final season after leading the Big 12 in blocking in 2016.
The contest will mark the second match of the tournament, as UT-Martin and No. 6 Penn State will square off at 4:30 p.m. The event continues Saturday as the Mountaineers host UT-Martin at 12:30 p.m. before wrapping things up against the Nittany Lions at 7 p.m.
Also in Saturday action, Delaware and Penn State will square off at 10 a.m., while UT-Martin will face Delaware at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets for all matches can be found at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the Gold Gate of the Coliseum. The cost is $5 for the general public, $3 for youths and seniors and $2 for groups of 10 or more. Students are admitted free with a valid WVU ID.
WVU will host a Gold Rush on Friday, with all fans encouraged to wear gold. In addition, fans 13 and under who download and complete a Musket coloring sheet can receive free admission to the match. West Virginia will host a book drive during Saturday's matches, as fans who bring a book to donate are eligible to receive discounted admission ($3). Following Friday's tilt with Delaware and Saturday's match against PSU there will be a post-match autograph session with the Mountaineers, who will sign the 2017 team poster.
To provide a safer environment for Mountaineer fans and to expedite entry into all ticketed WVU athletic events, the West Virginia Department of Intercollegiate Athletics enforces the NFL's Clear Bag Policy. The athletic department invites and encourages fans to visit WVUsports.com/clearbag for more information, to view pictures of permissible and non-permissible items and to obtain answers to frequently asked questions about the clear bag policy.
The 2017 season marks the second year in a row WVU will see perennial national contender Penn State in the opening weekend. The Mountaineers fell to the Nittany Lions, 3-0, last August on the second day of the Penn State Classic. Penn State enters the season ranked at No. 6 in the AVCA Coaches' Poll.
Team captains Gianna Gotterba and Morgan Montgomery will see a familiar face on the opposing bench in Friday's season opener, as former WVU assistant Sara (Kidd) Matthews is in her first season as the head coach of the Blue Hens. It marks the first meeting between the two since 1999. WVU will face UT-Martin for just the second time in program history, bringing a 1-0 series lead into Saturday's match.
"I think we're all looking forward to seeing another team on the other side of the net," Sunahara said. "We've had a couple of good weeks of practice where we were able to integrate the newcomers into the rotation. We need to keep looking forward and just trying to get better every match. I'm looking forward to a great crowd and atmosphere in the Coliseum this weekend."
In addition to Gotterba and Montgomery, the Mountaineers bring seven veterans into the matchup, including four seniors and five sophomores. Senior setter Emma Anderson joins the squad as a transfer from South Alabama, along with six freshmen.
Highlighting the veterans, AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year Payton Caffrey returns at outside hitter after a stellar freshman campaign. Senior middle blocker Mia Swanegan is back for her final season after leading the Big 12 in blocking in 2016.
Players Mentioned
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