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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University volleyball team will honor its six-member senior class Friday prior to the Bulldogs' regular-season ending showdown against the UNCG Spartans at 4 p.m. (CST) in a Southern Conference contest to be held at Seibert Hall.
 
Friday's match is being held at historic Seibert Hall and not the Pete Hanna Center due to the campus' 175-year celebration schedule for that evening. The contest will mark Samford's first match in the venerable 55-year-old facility in over nine years, dating back to a 3-0 victory over Jacksonville State on Oct. 23, 2007.
 

SENIOR NIGHT
The match will also mark Samford's Senior Night contest and fans are encouraged to arrive early for a special presentation for the Bulldogs' 2016 senior class, which is comprised of T.J. Russell, Kiahna Wicks, Erin Bognar, Erika Pifer, Gabbi Greenwald and Mattie Newson.
 
Samford (18-12, 9-6 SoCon) enters the matchup with a full head of steam after rolling to a 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-18) victory against Wofford on Wednesday in a battle for third place in the SoCon standings.
 
With the triumph, the Bulldogs extended their winning streak to five and haven't been defeated at home since Sept. 24. Samford owns a stellar 11-2 record in Birmingham this season.
 
The Bulldogs' only losses at home in 2016 have come against Indiana State, 3-0, in their second match of the season on Aug. 26, and versus ETSU, 3-2, on Sept. 24. ETSU is currently ranked first in the SoCon with an 11-3 conference record.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - - BULLDOGS BLANK WOFFORD, 3-0; WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT HOME MATCH
On Wednesday, Samford defeated Wofford, 3-0, at home in the Pete Hanna Center. Senior outside hitter Erin Bognar paced the squad with 16 kills and only two attack errors. The three-time defending SoCon Offensive Player of the Week also finished with eight digs, 17.5 points and a .452 hitting percentage.
 
True freshman Kelsi Hobbs posted a team-high .571 hitting percentage with nine kills and one error. Senior setter Erika Pifer turned in a brilliant performance Wednesday with 25 assists. Sophomore Taylor Anderton added nine assists and tallied a pair of digs in the victory.
 
The teams battled back and forth in the first set before Samford finally pulled away for the key 25-23 victory. Then, in the second set, the Bulldogs turned in one of their most dominant performances of the season with a 25-13 triumph over Wofford.
 
During the frame, Samford turned in a phenomenal .750 hitting percentage, as well as a 91-percent sideout performance (11-of-12).
 

Following their second-set blowout, the Bulldogs continued their momentum in the third stanza and closed out the match with a 25-18 victory. True freshman Grace Tiesman led Samford with 10 digs on the evening.
 
In its last five home matches, Samford has outscored its opponents by a total of 15-2.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
UNCG (16-11, 10-4 SoCon) enters Friday having defeated Western Carolina in four sets in Fleming Gymnasium on Wednesday. The Spartans are 4-6 on the road this season, included in those four wins are three SoCon victories.
 
Ashley Muench leads UNCG with 401 kills, averaging 3.86 per set. Her per set average ranks third in the SoCon. Muench also owns 261 digs, with a 2.51 digs per set average, tied for second best on the team.
 
The Spartan offense utilizes three players who have earned over 200 kills. Jasmine Jones has earned 238 kills, hitting at a team-best .310 average, fourth-best in the league. Alexis Mourier has connected for 222 kills, averaging 2.24 per set. Jessica Brezwyn rounds out the 200 kill club, having earned 208, with a 2.36 kills per set average.
 
Allison Penner leads the SoCon with 971 assists, with a 10.79 assists per set average. That average ranks 41st in the country. Penner has earned 226 digs this season, averaging 2.51 per set.
 
The Spartan defense is top in the SoCon and seventh in the country averaging 18.06 digs per set.  Christina Gregory leads the team and the conference with a 5.27 digs per set average. Anna Romaniszyn adds 238 digs, with a 2.29 per set average. Ronni Katarzynski chips in with 231 digs, 2.36 per set.
 
SAMFORD vs. UNCG - - THE ALL-TIME SERIES
The Bulldogs and UNCG have met 17 times, with Samford holding a 12-5 advantage. The teams split their matchups last year, with each team winning on its home court. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs lost to UNCG on Oct. 14, 3-1, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The last time UNCG won in Birmingham was in 2014, a 3-0 Spartan victory.
 

IN THE LAST MEETING - - BULLDOGS COME UP SHORT ON THE ROAD AT UNCG, 3-1
Despite a stellar night by Bognar, who posted 20 kills with only one error, Samford volleyball dropped the match 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-22) to SoCon foe UNCG on the road. Bognar finished the night hitting .413 with eight digs and a pair of assists.
 
The Bulldogs jumped out in front early 1-0 over the Spartans with a decisive 25-21 victory in the initial set. However, the Spartans' efficiency on offense with having three players with double-digit kills and less than two errors a piece made the difference in the match.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following its regular-season finale against UNCG on Friday, the Samford University volleyball team will next be in action in the upcoming 2016 SoCon Tournament. The Bulldogs will be hosting the nine-team postseason competition at the Pete Hanna Center on Nov. 19-21.
 
Samford's seed in the tournament has yet to be determined, as does the Bulldogs' opening-round opponent.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordVB and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

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