CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern volleyball plays its final two regular season games Friday and Saturday when it hits the road to face Hampton and Campbell.
 
First serve against the Pirates is set for 6 p.m. Friday, while Saturday's match against the Camels is set for 2 p.m.
 
CSU is coming off an important four-set win over Gardner-Webb that kept the Bucs in contention for a spot in the Big South Tournament. Peyton Thompson tied her career high of 26 kills while hitting .438 in the win over the Runnin' Bulldogs. As a team, the Bucs hit .410 for the match, with Thompson, Kaileigh Ammons and Indigo Young all hitting over .400 for the Buccaneer attack. Emma Minnick also tied her career high with 51 assists for CSU and passed the 30-assist mark for the 16th time this season.
 
Thompson was named Big South Player of the Week for the first time in her career after posting 51 kills across last weekend's matches against Winthrop and Gardner-Webb. The Spartanburg native had 25 kills against the Eagles before her career-high effort against the Runnin' Bullldogs, and she also added seven aces from the service line.
 
In addition to leading the Bucs, Thompson also leads the Big South in kills with 349 and kills per set with 3.92. The latter of those stats rises to 4.76 kills per set in conference matches, which is more than one kill per set better than anyone else in the conference.
 
Paige Reagor and Young have both eclipsed 100 kills this season, while Ella Lochbiler and Kaileigh Ammons have both surpassed 75 kills. Minnick leads the conference with 790 assists, while her 9.52 assists per set rank second in the Big South. In conference matches, Minnick's 508 assists and 9.96 assists per set are both tops in the conference. Ashleigh Holweger leads the Bucs with 359 digs, with Minnick, Thompson and Angelika Rusin all recording more than 100 this season.
 
CSU is currently seventh in the Big South at 5-9 in conference play, just behind sixth-place Presbyterian at 6-8. The top six teams will make the Big South Tournament, which is hosted by Campbell this year.
 
This Week's Scouting Report
Hampton – Friday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.
2021 Record: 13-9, 8-4 Big South
Hampton enters the weekend at 2-19 overall and 1-13 in Big South play. The Pirates have lost each of their last four matches, including both ends of a road trip last week at UNC Asheville and USC Upstate.
 
Gabby Calloway and Clara Smith lead the Pirates with 191 and 186 kills, respectively. Brooke Irvin has a team-leading 408 assists, while Jessica Pugh leads the Pirates with 338 digs. Three other Hampton players have also eclipsed the 100-kill mark.
 
Hampton and CSU met earlier this season, with the Bucs winning in five sets in Charleston. Thompson had 26 kills in that match for CSU.
 
Campbell – Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m.
2021 Record: 17-9, 12-2 Big South
Campbell enters the weekend at 17-9 overall and 12-2  in conference play. The Camels are 8-1 in their last nine matches, with four sweeps during that span.
 
Lailah Green leads a balanced Campbell attack with 262 kills, as four different Campbell players have more than 200 kills this season. Maddie Miner and Emily Mitter both have more than 400 assists, while Claranne Fechter leads the team with 459 digs.
 
Campbell defeated CSU in three sets in the last meeting between the schools, which was played in Charleston.
 
Up Next
The Bucs' postseason fate will be determined following this weekend's matches. The Big South Tournament is set for November 19-21 at Campbell.