QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University women's volleyball team returns to Pepsi Arena this weekend for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference matches, hosting Southwest Baptist on Friday, October 9, before welcoming Drury on Saturday, October 10.
First serve against Southwest Baptist is scheduled for 6 PM Friday, while Saturday's match against Drury is set for 3 PM.
Quincy enters the weekend with an 11-7 overall record and a 2-4 mark in GLVC play after splitting a pair of road matches last week. The Hawks earned a five-set victory over William Jewell before falling in three sets at Rockhurst.
Despite the 2-4 conference record, all four of Quincy's GLVC losses have come against teams currently occupying the top four spots in the conference standings.
Southwest Baptist enters Friday at 11-7 overall and 2-3 in conference action, while Drury comes into the weekend at 12-4 overall and 3-2 in GLVC play.
Last Time Out
Quincy opened last weekend with a dramatic five-set victory over William Jewell in Liberty, Missouri.
The Hawks took the opening set 27-25 before dropping the next two frames, 25-16 and 25-17, to fall behind 2-1. Quincy responded by taking control late, winning the fourth set 25-16 before dominating the deciding frame 15-8.
The Hawks were at their best offensively in the fifth, recording 10 kills with only one attack error to hit .600.
Aysem Kocaalp led the way with 24 kills and 12 digs, while Monika Bíliková added 11 kills while hitting .320. Olivia Curry also finished with 11 kills, while Erin Matzke recorded eight kills on a .389 hitting percentage. Setter Macey Rocco directed the offense with 49 assists and added 16 digs, while Amber Glen led the back row with 25 digs.
Quincy was unable to carry that momentum into the following afternoon against Rockhurst.
The Hawks were swept 25-12, 25-17 and 25-19 while struggling to establish offensive rhythm. Quincy finished with 24 kills and 27 attack errors, hitting -.030 for the match.
Kocaalp and Curry led the Hawks with seven kills apiece, while Rockhurst also applied consistent pressure from the service line with 11 aces.
Challenging Start to GLVC Play
Quincy's conference record does not tell the full story of its opening stretch.
The Hawks sit at 2-4 in GLVC action, but all four losses have come against teams currently sitting in the top four of the conference standings. This weekend provides Quincy with a chance to begin making up ground against two teams sitting much closer to the Hawks in the league race.
Southwest Baptist enters at 2-3 in conference play, while Drury sits at 3-2. With both matches at Pepsi Arena, Quincy will look to take advantage of the quick home turnaround and build momentum heading into the middle portion of the GLVC schedule.
Service Game Could Play Major Role
One of Quincy's biggest strengths this season has come from the service line.
The Hawks lead the GLVC with 1.99 service aces per set and have recorded 135 total aces. Kocaalp has been especially dangerous, leading the conference at 0.57 aces per set. At the same time, serve receive has been one of the biggest determining factors in Quincy's results.
The Hawks have recorded nine or more reception errors in eight matches this season and are 2-6 in those contests.
That will make Friday's matchup especially important.
Southwest Baptist ranks second in the GLVC with 1.86 aces per set, giving the Bearcats another weapon capable of putting pressure on Quincy's passing game.
Quincy Players to Watch
Kocaalp continues to lead the Quincy attack with 206 kills, averaging 3.27 per set. She also ranks among the GLVC leaders in points per set while leading the conference from the service line.
Rocco has recorded 632 assists and averages 9.29 per set, ranking among the conference's top setters. Glen anchors the defense with 245 digs, averaging 3.60 per set.
In the middle, Bíliková and Matzke have both been efficient offensively. Bíliková is hitting .306 while Matzke sits at .303. Matzke also leads Quincy with 56 total blocks, while Bíliková has added 52.
The Hawks will need contributions throughout the lineup against two opponents that rank among the better defensive teams in the GLVC.
Scouting Southwest Baptist
Southwest Baptist enters Friday at 11-7 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
The Bearcats split their two GLVC matches last weekend, sweeping William Jewell before falling in straight sets to Drury. SBU returned to the win column Tuesday with a 3-0 victory over NAIA opponent Mission University.
The Bearcats are led by seventh-year head coach James Hanger, who owns a 75-102 record at Southwest Baptist.
With 11 victories already, SBU is approaching Hanger's best single-season win total of 14, a mark the Bearcats reached in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Southwest Baptist has been strong in several areas defensively.
The Bearcats rank third in the GLVC by holding opponents to a .153 hitting percentage. That number creates an important benchmark for Quincy, which is 1-6 this season when hitting below .153.
SBU also ranks second in the conference with 1.86 aces per set and fifth with 2.03 blocks per set. The Bearcats average 12.54 kills and 14.81 digs per set.
Southwest Baptist Players to Watch
Gabriela Dupree has been the centerpiece of the Southwest Baptist offense. The sophomore outside hitter leads the Bearcats with 214 kills and averages 3.63 kills per set, ranking fourth in the GLVC. Dupree has recorded double-digit kills in 12 matches this season, including five straight.
Sophomore middle blocker Kailey Sexton provides the Bearcats with a strong presence at the net. Sexton has recorded 63 total blocks and averages 1.11 per set, ranking second in the GLVC. She has also added 65 kills while hitting .250.
Series History vs. Southwest Baptist
Quincy has controlled the series since Southwest Baptist joined the GLVC.
The Hawks are a perfect 7-0 against the Bearcats since 2019 and are 4-0 against SBU inside Pepsi Arena. Four of the seven meetings have ended in straight-set victories for Quincy, including each of the last two seasons.
The Hawks will look to continue that run Friday night.
Quick Turnaround Before Drury
Following Friday's match, Quincy will have less than 24 hours before returning to the floor against Drury.
The Panthers will face a similar turnaround.
Drury plays at Illinois Springfield on Friday before traveling to Quincy for Saturday afternoon's match.
The short recovery window could make depth, serve receive and efficiency especially important for both teams.
Scouting Drury
Drury enters the weekend at 12-4 overall and 3-2 in GLVC action.
The Panthers split their conference matches last weekend, falling 3-1 to Rockhurst before sweeping Southwest Baptist
Drury is led by first-year head coach Kelly Richardson, who previously spent seven seasons as the head coach at Southwest Baptist before leading Western Illinois for three seasons. The Panthers have established themselves as one of the most complete statistical teams in the conference.
Drury also leads the GLVC with 39.06 attacks per set, reflecting a team capable of extending rallies and generating a high volume of offensive opportunities.
Four different Panthers have already recorded more than 100 kills this season, giving Drury one of the more balanced attacks Quincy has faced.
Drury Players to Watch
Sophomore middle blocker Skylar Hilton leads Drury with 146 kills while averaging 2.75 per set.
Hilton has been one of the GLVC's most efficient attackers, hitting .387. She also leads the Panthers with 55 blocks and averages 1.04 per set.
Junior setter Jacy Bray impacts nearly every phase of the match. Bray has recorded 543 assists and averages 10.06 per set, ranking third in the GLVC.
She also leads Drury with 184 digs, averaging 3.41 per set, while adding 36 kills, 11 aces and 11 blocks. Her versatility gives the Panthers another dimension beyond a traditional setting role.
Series History vs. Drury
The series between Quincy and Drury has been much tighter. The Hawks hold a 12-11 advantage in the series dating back to 2007.
Quincy has won six consecutive meetings, with five of those victories coming in four sets and the other ending in a sweep.
The Hawks are also 7-4 against Drury inside Pepsi Arena and have not lost to the Panthers at home since 2013.
Matchup Outlook
Quincy enters the weekend with an opportunity to gain valuable ground in the GLVC standings during a pair of home matches.
Friday's matchup will place significant emphasis on serve receive and offensive efficiency.
Southwest Baptist owns one of the conference's best serving teams and holds opponents to a .153 hitting percentage, meaning Quincy will need to remain composed in serve receive and avoid the extended offensive struggles that proved costly against Rockhurst.
Saturday brings a different challenge.
Drury combines one of the GLVC's most productive offenses with an elite floor defense and strong blocking presence.
The Panthers' ability to extend rallies could put pressure on Quincy to remain patient offensively and convert when opportunities develop.
For the Hawks, a return to the balanced performance shown late against William Jewell could be key. Quincy has weapons throughout the lineup and remains one of the GLVC's most dangerous serving teams.
With two important conference matches in less than 24 hours, consistency from the service line, serve receive and attack efficiency could determine whether the Hawks are able to protect their home floor and make a move in the conference standings.
Quincy opens the weekend against Southwest Baptist at 6 PM Friday before hosting Drury at 3 PM Saturday at Pepsi Arena.
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Live Stats
Box Score vs. William Jewell
Box Score vs. Rockhurst
