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Volleyball Huddle
Steve Simoneau

Volleyball Athletic Communications

Hatters Set to Compete for ASUN Championship

Stetson to Face Lipscomb in Thursday's Quarterfinals

No. 5 Stetson (12-14) vs. No. 4 Lipscomb (12-15)
Thursday, Nov. 21 • 5:00 p.m. • Fort Myers, Fla. • Alico Arena

ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter @StetsonVB | HatCheck  | Notes (PDF)
Tournament Central  |  Bracket

Stetson's 2019 regular season was a tale of two halves. In their first 13 matches, the Hatters won just twice overall and went 0-4 in conference play.

The season then spun 180 degrees, and in the 13 matches since, Stetson has gone 10-3 overall and 9-3 in conference play.  The Hatters followed an eight-game losing streak with a single-season record eight-game winning streak, and the team posted its first winning season in conference play since 2002.

"I think the biggest lesson we learned is how to come together," Stetson head coach Yang Deng said.  "We went from not being on the same page to everybody being on the same page and having fun together.  This teams has a really good connection.  I think that's what has helped us win more, not because we have a team of superstars, it because we play together well."

Stetson will look to carry that momentum into this week's conference tournament when it competes for the 2019 ASUN Conference Volleyball Championship and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.  

The fifth-seeded Hatters (12-14) will face fourth-seeded Lipscomb (15-12) in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Thursday at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. 

If the regular season is any indication, Thursday's match figures to be very tightly contested.  Stetson and Lipscomb split a pair of five-set marathons this year, with each team winning on the road.  The match in Nashville lasted a season-high two hours and 50 minutes and ended on back-to-back kills by Riley Nieporte in the fifth set.

Prior to that meeting, Lipscomb had won 23 straight vs. Stetson.

"Both teams have a great chance to win, and it's going to come down to consistency and performance," Deng said.  "How badly do we want it as a group?  That is going to make a huge difference."

The winner of Thursday's match will advance to play top-seeded FGCU at 5 p.m. Friday.  The championship match will be played at 5 p.m. Saturday.  

Stetson is making its fifth postseason appearance in the past seven years, but the Hatters are seeking their fist postseason victory since 1995.  Stetson's last and only tournament title came in 1985, but the Hatters have never been to the NCAA Tournament.

Stetson has been backed by solid defensive play all season long.  The Hatters lead the ASUN and rank 59th in the NCAA in digs-per-set (16.14). Stetson also ranks third in the ASUN in blocks-per-set (1.94).  Brianna Schmid leads the league with 17 solo blocks.

Offensively, the Hatters are hitting .231 as a team, currently their best season attack percentage since 1988.  Setter Emily DeStaffino has helped run a very balanced offense as five different Hatters have topped the 170-kill mark this season.  Eva Deisa leads the way with a 2.91 kps average.

All tournament matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+.  In addition, live stats, Twitter (@StetsonVB), and the HatCheck text messaging service will provide live updates as well.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.

 
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Players Mentioned

Emily DeStaffino

#11 Emily DeStaffino

S
5' 10"
Senior
Eva Deisa

#23 Eva Deisa

OH
5' 10"
Senior
Riley Nieporte

#8 Riley Nieporte

OH
5' 9"
Junior
Brianna Schmid

#2 Brianna Schmid

MB
6' 1"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Emily DeStaffino

#11 Emily DeStaffino

5' 10"
Senior
S
Eva Deisa

#23 Eva Deisa

5' 10"
Senior
OH
Riley Nieporte

#8 Riley Nieporte

5' 9"
Junior
OH
Brianna Schmid

#2 Brianna Schmid

6' 1"
Senior
MB