The Wiley College volleyball team heads to New Orleans to compete for its first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship beginning with a first round matchup against Rust College at 7 p.m. Friday in Dillard University’s Dent Hall.
The games will be broadcast on HBCU League Plus which is free to download from the app store. Tickets are available to purchase online: https://gcac.hometownticketing.com/embed/all?utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=2022+GCAC+VB
The Lady Wildcats (10-18) won their final two conference matches against Oakwood University and Tougaloo College to earn the fourth seed in their 16th conference tournament appearance. They are seeking their third conference tournament title after winning the 2008 and 2018 Red River Athletic Conference tournaments.
Wiley College won both regular season meetings against Rust College with a sweep on October 9 and a four-set victory on October 15. It outhit the Lady Bearcats .289 to .063 in the first match. Marissa Neal put down 17 kills in the first match and 14 in the second. Kailie Williams had 13 kills and Shayla Arthur had 12 in the October 15 match.
Neal finished the regular season as the GCAC leader with 324 kills and 3.12 per set. Scott led the conference with 5.37 digs per set and was second with 446. Hailie Williams ranks second in the conference with 273 kills, averaging 2.68 per set – which is fourth. LeAndria Jackson is third in the conference with 562 assists and 6.46 per set. Shayla Arthur is third in the GCAC with 74 blocks and fourth with 0.73 per set.
Rust College (9-21) enters Friday’s first round match on a six-match losing streak – only winning two sets. Jasmine Coleman ranks fifth in the conference with 2.65 kills per set and 0.44 service aces per set. Michelene Coleman ranks second in the GCAC with 0.89 blocks per set and fourth with 0.46 service aces per set. Jelisa Alexander is fourth in the conference with 6.30 assists per set.
If the Lady Wildcats win, they will face top seed Dillard University in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Saturday. The championship is 2 p.m. Sunday. Second seed Philander Smith College faces seventh seed Oakwood University and third seed Fisk University plays sixth seed Tougaloo College.