FLORENCE, Ala. (November 2, 2023) – The North Alabama volleyball team will have its final two-match home slate this weekend when the Lions face the Bellarmine Knights and the EKU Colonels for Senior Day in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
UNA will face the Knights and Colonels for the second time this season, facing the Knights first on Friday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. before the matchup with the Colonels on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
North Alabama split two contests in the previous week of action, taking a four-set match against Central Arkansas before falling to ASUN-leaders FGCU in straight sets, respectively. The win against the Sugar Bears set a program record for the Lions, as they set a new mark for the most wins in a season in the Division I era at 14.
Tickets can be purchased through the ticket portal on roarlions.com, and live stats will be provided for the match through StatBroadcast. The matches will also be live streamed on ESPN+.
MATCHUP
Game 1
North Alabama vs. Bellarmine
Friday, November 3
6 p.m.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets | Watch
Game 2
North Alabama vs. EKU
Sunday, November 5
1 p.m.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets | Watch
NOTES
Championship Race Heats Up: With only four matches left in the regular season, the Lions are looking to cement their spot in their first Atlantic Sun Volleyball Championship tournament. UNA is currently seventh in the standings with a 6-6 record in the conference, sitting in a two-way tie with Stetson. On the outside looking in is Jacksonville with a 5-8 conference mark, meaning the race to the tournament will come down to the last four matches for the Lions.
Meeting History: North Alabama meets Bellarmine and EKU for the second time this season, with these meetings coming in CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall. In the first two matches of UNA's five-match roadtrip from Sept. 29-Oct. 15, the Colonels defeated the Lions in straight sets on Sept. 29, and a day later, the Knights took a four-set match against North Alabama on Sept. 30. This will be the fifth time UNA plays Bellarmine, and the eighth time the Colonels meet the Lions on the court. North Alabama will be looking for their second win in the series against both EKU and Bellarmine.
Holding Down the Fort: The Lions have made CB&S Bank Arena a tough place to play for opponents during the 2023 season. UNA has a 7-2 record at home, with the only two defeats against the two teams that have clinched berths in the ASUN Championship tournament: FGCU and Lipscomb. Regardless of this weekend's results, North Alabama will have their highest win total at home since their final year in Division II, when they finished 11-1 at home in 2017.
Scouting the Opponents: The Bellarmine Knights and EKU Colonels make the return trip to Florence, Ala. after playing North Alabama in Kentucky in the first matchups. Bellarmine begins a two-match weekend on the road against the Lions, while EKU begins a stretch of four matches on the road to end their regular season. Third and fourth in the ASUN Volleyball standings team, both teams sit one match apart in conference record with EKU at 8-4 and Bellarmine at 7-5. Statistically, the Colonels lead the conference in point (17.81), hitting percentage (.253), assist (13.24), kill (14.16) and opponent service ace (1.13) averages.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
