Volleyball gears up for weekend with postseason at stake

FILE PHOTO Kate Fuchs and JMU take on GMU Friday.

The volleyball team approaches the home stretch this weekend, hosting two conference matches that will make or break their post-season dreams as JMU is on the bubble for the Colonial Athletic Association tournament with a 4-4 record in the conference.

The Dukes currently are nestled in fifth place in the conference and will fight with the College of William & Mary, George Mason University and the University of Delaware for the 3-6 bids in the tournament.

JMU outdueled Virginia Commonwealth University in five games last Friday. That victory positioned them to earn a spot in the six-team postseason CAA tournament.

"The team is feeling feisty," assistant coach Johan Dulfer said. "We know that to get into the tournament we have to beat George Mason."

The Patriots are fourth with a 5-4 CAA record. At GMU Oct. 2, the Dukes took the first game from the Patriots 30-21, but were then swept the rest of the way, falling 3-1.

"No matter how much tape you watch, the first time you see a team, you never really know what’s coming at you," Dulfer said.

The Dukes now know what is coming and feel ready for the challenge.

"Losing to them last year [in the CAA tournament] and then again this year has not sat well with us," Dulfer said. "This has turned into a deep rivalry, and we are ready for revenge."

The change of venue should be in the Dukes’ favor this weekend. While they have struggled this season at away games (2-6), the Dukes are strong at Sinclair Gymnasium in Godwin Hall with a record of 8-1.

"Delaware came in here undefeated this year and left with a loss, partly because of the passion our crowd brought," Dulfer said.

After GMU Friday night, the Dukes host the first-place, Towson University Tigers Saturday, who sit at 8-1 in the CAA and have an overall record of 17-7, with 15 of those wins coming in three-game sweeps.

The Tigers will bring the reigning CAA Co-Player of the Week in setter Mary Clare Coghlan. She picked up 77 assists and 24 digs in six games, while posting a .347 hitting percentage with eight kills and four blocks last week. Coghlan also leads Towson in assists, averaging 11.79 per game.

Both the Towson match Saturday and George Mason Friday start at 7 p.m.

The final 150 of the "I Bleed Purple," Homecoming shirts will be distributed at the George Mason game.

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