Oct. 19, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford volleyball team will be on the road this weekend as it takes on Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri. This will be the first of two meetings between these teams this season. Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri will also be the last teams to play the Bulldogs in Seibert Hall during the 2006 regular season.

Last season, Samford (6-16, 1-7 OVC) lost both of its matches against the EIU Panthers.

Samford took Southeast Missouri to five games in the first meeting last season, but eventually fell in the fifth game. However, the Bulldogs earned the win in the second meeting, sweeping the Redhawks in three games.

"We have had a good week of practice and are looking forward to our two matches this weekend," Samford head coach Michelle Durban said.

Samford has had some players take on new roles recently, especially libero Courtney Gay.

"Courtney Gay has been doing a great job for us in her new role as setter and the team is connecting with her better than ever," said Durban.

Southeast Missouri is currently in sixth place in the conference with an overall record of 10-12, and a conference record of 4-4. Samford sits in ninth place, while Eastern Illinois rounds out the conference in 11th place with a record of 5-14, 0-8 OVC.

Match play begins Friday at 6 p.m., as the Bulldogs take on the Panthers in Lantz Arena on the EIU campus. They will then face the Redhawks Saturday at 2 p.m., in Southeast Missouri's Houck Field House.