D'YOUVILLE SAINTS (1-9, 0-2 ECC) at GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (12-2, 2-0 PSAC West)
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 28, 2021 l 7:00 p.m.
Location: Erie, Pa. l Hammermill Center
 

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon will continue its five-match home stand with a nonconference match against D'Youville College on Tuesday evening inside the Hammermill Center. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
 
The Golden Knights enter Tuesday's match winners in nine of their last ten matches, including a pair of 3-0 sweeps against Indiana (PA) and Seton Hill last week in PSAC West action. Gannon is 12-2 on the season and has won 3-0 in 11 of its 14 matches this season. In addition, both of GU's losses have come in five sets to a pair of nationally ranked teams (No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney, No. 19 West Florida).
 
In last week's win over IUP, Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) led the Golden Knights with 13 kills, while Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) chipped in 10. Gannon hit .351 with just eight errors against the Crimson Hawks. On Saturday against Seton Hill, Gannon was led by nine kills from Sam Deinek (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon East) and eight more from Sampson. The Knights also finished Saturday's match with 11 blocks and eight aces.
 
Following Tuesday's match, Gannon will return to action on Friday and Saturday with back-to-back PSAC contests against Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion. The UPJ match is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, while the Clarion match is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 2).
 
 
LADY KNIGHTS AMONG OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES IN AVCA POLL
Gannon is knocking on the door of a spot in the AVCA Division II Top 25 poll. The Lady Knights were among "others receiving votes" with a total of 59 points in last week's poll (Sept. 20, 2021). Gannon received the 28th-most votes in the poll voting. A new poll will be released on Monday evening.

GANNON WESTERN DIVISION FAVORITE IN PSAC COACHES' PRESEASON POLL
The Lady Knights were chosen the preseason favorite in the PSAC West, marking the fourth straight year they have been voted as a divisional favorite.
 
SAMPSON CLOSING IN ON 1,000 KILLS
Senior Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson), a 5'10" outside hitter, is nearing 1,000 career kills. The two-time All-PSAC selection added 21 to her total while leading Gannon to a pair of PSAC wins last week. Sampson has boosted her career total to 997 kills, leaving her three shy of becoming the 18th Lady Knight with 1,000 kills.  Two other Lady Knights are approaching 1,000 kills, as well. Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) currently has 845 kills and Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) has 843.

BEYERS MOVES INTO 2ND PLACE IN CAREER ASSISTS
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland), Gannon's redshirt senior setter, has moved into second place in career assists at GU following her 26-assist performance on Saturday against Seton Hill. The 2019 AVCA honorable mention All-American leads Gannon with 477 assists this season, boosting her career total to 3,754 assists (passed Jess Deemer, 3,753, on Saturday). Megan Wendel holds the GU career record with 4,244 assists.

KERESTES LOOKING TO CAPTURE CAREER BLOCKS RECORD
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) entered the 2021 season with 412 career total blocks, good for second all-time at Gannon and just 24 away from Kara Cullen's career record of 463. The redshirt senior middle blocker has added 27 blocks to her total this season, boosting her total to 439.

A LOOK AT THE PSAC STAT LEADERS
Outside hitter Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) currently ranks second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in both points per set (4.65) and kills per set (3.97) this season.
 
During the 2021 season, setter Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) ranks second in the PSAC in assists per set (10.84).
 
In addition, four Golden Knights rank in the top 10 of the PSAC volleyball statistics in hitting percentage during the 2021 season. Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) (.325) ranks fourth, Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) (.288) is eighth, Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) (.286) ranks ninth, and Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) (.285) is currently 10th in the league.