QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University women's volleyball team looks to carry the momentum from a perfect weekend in Oklahoma into its final nonconference tournament as the Hawks travel to Memphis, Tennessee, for the Christian Brothers Invitational inside Canale Arena.

Quincy opens play Friday, September 11, at 11 AM against Miles College before facing LeMoyne-Owen College at 3 PM The Hawks return Saturday for a 9 AM matchup against Southern New Hampshire before closing the tournament against host Christian Brothers University at 3 PM.

All four matches will mark the first-ever meetings between Quincy and its opponents.

The Hawks enter the weekend 5-3 overall and riding a four-match winning streak after sweeping the Cameron Invitational last weekend in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Hawks Find Their Rhythm in Oklahoma

After opening the season 1-3 at the Warrior Invitational, Quincy responded with its best weekend of the young season.

The Hawks went a perfect 4-0 at the Cameron Invitational, defeating Minot State and Northeastern State in four sets Friday before sweeping host Cameron and defeating Newman in four sets Saturday.

Quincy used pressure from the service line and improved defense to control much of the weekend.

The Hawks recorded 37 service aces across the four matches while holding their opponents to a combined .077 hitting percentage.

Quincy was particularly effective defensively Saturday, holding Cameron to a .041 attack percentage before limiting Newman to just .028.

The four victories quickly flipped the Hawks' start from 1-3 to 5-3 and gave a young roster another weekend of valuable experience as head coach Mark Jones continues to settle into his rotation.

Matzke Continues Strong Start

Senior middle blocker Erin Matzke continued to provide a veteran presence for Quincy throughout the weekend.

The Olathe, Kansas, native totaled 45 kills, averaging 3.00 kills per set while hitting .365 across the four matches. Matzke also added 16 total blocks, averaging 1.06 per set, and accounted for 54 total points.

Matzke has provided stability in the middle for a roster featuring 16 freshmen and has been one of Quincy's most consistent performers through the opening two weekends.

Young Attack Continues to Develop

Quincy's freshmen also continued making an impact during the four-match sweep.

Aysem Kocaalp totaled a team-high 46 kills across the weekend, averaging just over three kills per set as she continued to emerge as one of Quincy's primary attacking options.

Kocaalp's performance followed a 16-kill outing against Indiana University of Pennsylvania during the opening weekend.

Freshman middle blocker Monika Bíliková also provided efficient offense. Bíliková recorded a career-high 11 kills while hitting .647 against Northeastern State before adding eight kills on a .583 attack percentage against Cameron.

The continued development of Quincy's younger players has given the Hawks more options around Matzke as the team prepares for the final weekend before GLVC play.

Friday Morning: Miles College

Quincy opens the Christian Brothers Invitational against Miles College.

The Golden Bears enter the weekend with a 3-1 record and were selected eighth out of 14 teams in the SIAC Preseason Poll. Head coach Reaucheandra Matthews is in her third season leading the program.

Miles has been effective on both sides of the net early in the season, hitting .231 as a team while holding opponents to a .124 attack percentage.

That opponent hitting percentage ranks among the better marks in NCAA Division II through the opening weeks of the season and provides an early test for a Quincy offense that showed improved consistency in Oklahoma.

Sophomore outside hitter Karea Copeland has been the centerpiece of the Miles attack. Copeland leads the Golden Bears with 60 kills while hitting .250 through the team's first four matches.

Friday Afternoon: LeMoyne-Owen

The Hawks remain in Memphis Friday afternoon for a matchup with LeMoyne-Owen College. The Magicians enter the weekend 0-9 overall and 0-8 in neutral-site matches.

LeMoyne-Owen was picked 14th out of 14 teams in the SIAC Preseason Poll and is led by first-year head coach Ma-Kayla "Mjayee" Johnson.

The Magicians feature another young roster, with eight of their 16 players listed as underclassmen and only two seniors.

LeMoyne-Owen has won five sets through its first nine matches and has been swept six times. The Magicians are hitting .067 as a team while averaging 8.22 kills per set.

One player Quincy will have to account for throughout the match is Madelyn Ross.

Ross has filled several roles for the Magicians and leads the team with 78.5 points and 66 kills. She is also LeMoyne-Owen's leading setter with 112 assists and leads the team with eight service aces.

Freshman Kennedy White has added another offensive option with 54 kills while hitting .143.

Quincy's serving pressure could be an important factor in the matchup as the Hawks look to continue forcing opponents out of system.

Saturday Morning: Southern New Hampshire

Quincy opens Saturday against Southern New Hampshire. The Penmen enter the tournament 1-5 overall and 0-3 in neutral-site contests.

Their lone victory came August 30 against Assumption University and snapped a lengthy drought after Southern New Hampshire went winless during the 2025 season.

The Penmen were selected 10th out of 10 teams in the NE10 Preseason Poll and are led by first-year head coach Lauren Havill, who joined the program after spending the previous three seasons at Lees-McRae.

Southern New Hampshire has struggled to generate much production at the net, averaging just 0.83 blocks per set.

The service line, however, has been a strength. The Penmen average 2.61 service aces per set, a mark that ranks among the best in Division II.

Junior outside hitter Jordyn Carroll leads the offense with 82.5 points and 75 kills, averaging 3.26 kills per set.

Freshman right side Valentina Bugnatto has been especially dangerous from the service line, recording 17 aces through the team's first six matches. Bugnatto also ranks second on the team with 52 kills.

That sets up an interesting matchup between two teams that have shown the ability to create pressure from behind the service line.

Saturday Afternoon: Christian Brothers

The Hawks close the weekend against host Christian Brothers.

The Buccaneers enter the tournament 1-6 overall and will be playing their first home matches of the season inside Canale Arena.

Christian Brothers went 8-5 at home last season and was selected fifth out of 10 teams in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Head coach Lashaunda Spurgeon enters her second season leading the program.

While the Buccaneers have dropped six of their first seven matches, three of those losses have gone the full five sets.

Christian Brothers has also shown the ability to extend rallies, averaging 16.97 digs per set, which ranks 31st in the country.

Sophomore defensive specialist/libero Sophia Nowacki leads that effort with 127 digs, averaging 4.88 per set. She also leads the Buccaneers with 12 service aces.

Offensively, Christian Brothers is hitting .112 as a team.

Ana Sacca leads the Buccaneers with 57 kills while hitting .197, while Alana Martinez follows closely with 55 kills.

Sophomore middle blocker Sara Helm has provided the team's most efficient offense through the middle. Helm is hitting .333 with 31 kills and only four errors while also leading Christian Brothers with 28 total blocks, averaging 1.08 per set.

One area Quincy could look to exploit is serve receive. Christian Brothers enters the weekend with a .886 reception percentage, setting up another opportunity for a Quincy team that used the service line as one of its biggest weapons in Oklahoma.

Carrying Momentum Into Conference Play

The Christian Brothers Invitational gives Quincy four final opportunities to build consistency before the Hawks turn their attention to GLVC competition.

After a difficult opening weekend in Detroit, Quincy showed significant improvement in Lawton.

The Hawks served aggressively, defended efficiently and received production from both their experienced returners and a growing group of freshmen.

This weekend will present several different challenges.

Miles enters with a winning record and has been difficult for opponents to hit against. LeMoyne-Owen features a versatile player in Ross. Southern New Hampshire brings one of the tournament's most dangerous serving teams, while Christian Brothers has shown an ability to extend matches behind its back-row defense.

For Quincy, the goal will be to continue the progress made during its four-match winning streak and carry that momentum into conference play.

Christian Brothers Invitational Schedule

Friday, September 11
11 AM – Quincy vs. Miles College
3 PM – Quincy vs. LeMoyne-Owen College

Saturday, September 12
9 AM – Quincy vs. Southern New Hampshire
3 PM – Quincy at Christian Brothers University

All four matches will be played inside Canale Arena in Memphis, Tennessee.