PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne University volleyball team begins a four-game homestand to finish the regular season with two matches against George Mason this weekend inside the UPMC Cooper FIeldhouse.

THE BASICS 
November 3, 2023 - 6:00 PM  | November 4, 2023 - 4:00 PM 
UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (Pittsburgh, PA) 

Duquesne Dukes (10-12, 5-9 A-10) 

• Streak: L4 | Roster | Stats | Schedule 

George Mason Patriots (7-19, 3-11 A-10) 

• Streak: L2 | Roster | Stats | Schedule 

GAMEDAY LINKS
Friday: Watch Live on ESPN+  |  Follow Live Stats
Saturday: Watch Live on ESPN+  |  Follow Live Stats

THE DUKES

• The Dukes return home after a tough road stretch against the top-two teams in the Atlantic 10 standings ... Duquesne dropped a straight-set match at Dayton in a mid-week matchup, before battling against Loyola Chicago coming up just short both times in three and five sets ... The current four-match losing streak is the longest of the season.

• DU is fourth in the conference in assists per set (11.79), digs per set (15.27), and kills per set (12.56) ... Duquesne averages a .197 hitting percentage, while opponents are hitting .207.

• Freshman Chloe Wilmot is coming off her fourth A-10 Rookie of the Week honor and currently ranks second in the A-10 in assists (867 / 10.32 per set), both marks are good for top-35 in nation.

• Three Dukes are in the top-10 of the conference in kills per set ... Sophomore Carsyn Henschen has a team-high 251 kills averaging 3.22 per set, good for fourth in the league ... Freshman Avery Hobson is sixth in the A-10 at 3.04 kills per set (246) ... Graduate transfer Morgan Gish is right behind at 10th in the league averaging 2.82 per set with 231 kills on the year.

• Sophomore Madison Grimm (297) is one of four Dukes with over 200 digs, alongside Wilmot (228), Gish (218), and Hobson (216). Grimm's 297 digs rank eighth in the A-10.

• Sophomore Ariel Helm and freshman Jordan Robertson sit in a tie for fifth in the A-10 in blocks per set at 1.0. Robertson leads the Dukes in total blocks with 83.0, while Morgan Gish has posted 64 and Helm has 59.   

• Duquesne is 3-3 in both five set and four-set matches this year, while sitting at 4-6 in three-setters ... The Dukes are a perfect 9-0 when hitting above .200 in a match and 8-2 when holding opponents to under a .200 hitting percentage.

THE PATRIOTS

• George Mason enters after dropping both matches at VCU last weekend, the first in five sets then a sweep on Sunday.  

• After winning their first two conference matches against Rhode Island, the Patriots have picked up just one win in their last 12 matches. 

• Gabriella Gelfound leads the team with 399 assists (3.99/set) and has recorded a triple double this season, one of 25 players to do so in Divsion I volleyball.

• Nani Spaar leads the team averaging 3.52 points per set and 3.16 kills, while Ewelina Gacek has a team-best 228 kills on the season. Borum leads the A-10 in triple-doubles and has the seventh most in the country. 

• GMU averages a .180 hitting percentage, while opponents are hitting .212 against the Patriots.

• George Mason was picked to finish ninth in the A-10 Preseason Coaches Poll.

• The Patriots have the fourth-most aces in the A-10 this seaosn with 150 ... Three players have 20 or more, paced by Gracie Halley with 24.

THE SERIES 

• Duquesne is 11-8 all-time against George Mason in a series that dates to 1986 ... The matchup has been played every season since 2013 ... During the stretch since 2013, DU is 11-3 against the Patriots.

• Last season, the teams split a pair of three-set matches in Fairfax ... Duquesne has won five of the last six meetings. 

• When played in Pittsburgh, the Dukes are 5-1. 

AROUND THE A-10 

• Duquesne is currently one-game out of the A-10 tournament (top-six), sitting at 5-9 in league play behind 6-8 Saint Louis.

• George Mason sits in ninth out of 10 teams in the conference standings at 3-11. 

• For A-10 volleyball schedule and results click here ... For the full A-10 standings click here.

WEEKLY HONORS FOR THE DUKES 

• Chloe Wilmot earned her league-leading fourth A-10 Rookie of the Week honor this week after averaging 9.0 assists and 2.8 digs per set in three matches with a pair of double-doubles capped off by a 42-assist outing last time out. 

• Avery Hobson has also been named A-10 Rookie of the Week twice, most recently two weeks ago after posting double-digit kills in each of the thrilling, five-set victories over conference foe Saint Louis along with a match-high 17 kills and early career-best 16 digs in the Friday night victory. 

• A Duquesne player has taken the honor six out of the 10 weeks this year ... It is the first time since 2012 that a Duke has earned multiple Rookie of the Week honors, when Mary Henry garnered five ... Wilmot's four are tied with Sarah Brown (2000) for the second-most in a season in program history ... The last time the Dukes had two players earn multiple player of the week awards was 2008, when Tricia Mullen and Liz Homan won two and three times, respectively.  

• Morgan Gish also earned Player of the Week on September 5. 

STANDOUT PERFORMERS 

• Chloe Wilmot leads the team in double-doubles with 10 ... Seven of which have been in A-10 action ... She has had 20+ assists in all but one match so far this season with 11 above 40 and five above 50. 

• Avery Hobson is second on the team with eight double-doubles on the year, most recently a tie of her season-high 16 digs with 14 kills in the last match against Loyola Chicago ... Hobson has posted double-digit kills 11 times and 10+ digs on 12 occasions.  

• Morgan Gish also has seven double-doubles, with five coming in conference play including in the five-set finale versus Saint Louis with 15 kills and 15 digs ... The Kansas City, Mo. native has a team-high 12 matches with double-digit kills along with 10 matches with 10+ digs.  

• Carsyn Henschen charted a double-double on opening weekend with 22 kills and 10 digs against Binghamton ... The New Knoxville, Ohio native has had 13 matches with double-digit kills, including 10 of the 14 league matches. 

• Middle blocker Jordan Robertson has a team-high 83 blocks this season ... She has posted 5+ in eight matches with a season-best nine coming in the five-setter against George Washington.

• Camille Spencer recorded a pair of double-doubles in the doubleheader against Canisius on September 1, including a career-high 21 kills in the night cap.  

SEASON-HIGHS AMONG THE BEST

• Duquesne's 14 aces in the five-set battle at Fordham are tied for the most in a match in the A-10 this season.

• The Dukes charted 62 assists twice this season (vs. Canisius and at RMU), which are tied for the most in a four-set match this season in the A-10.

• Duquesne slammed 66 kills in both the four-set wins over Canisius and RMU earlier this season, the most kills in a four-set match by any A-10 team this season ... In the RMU match, DU hit a season-best .338 and is one of four teams in the A-10 to hit over .300 in a four-set match this year alongside Davidson, Saint Louis, and VCU all in non-conference action.

• Ariel Helm's .857 hitting percentage versus Rhode Island is the second-best mark in a match in the A-10 this season and the top hitting percentage in a four-setter.

• Chloe Wilmot's 56 assists at RMU and 55 vs. Canisius are the second and third-most in a match in the A-10, while holding the top spot for most in four-set matches this year.

• Carsyn Henschen (22 kills at Binghamton), Avery Hobson (22 kills vs. Canisius), and Morgan Gish (20 kills vs. Canisius) are the only three A-10 players to have 20+ kills in a four-set match this season.

• Jordan Robertson's nine-block outing against George Washington is the second-most in a five-set match this season in the conference.

STRONG START 

• Duquesne's 5-1 record was the school's best start since 2012.  

• Last year the Dukes didn't win their fifth game until October 22, while this year they reached five wins in their sixth game on September 2. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

• The Dukes garnered all-tournament team recognition at all three of their non-conference tournaments early in the season. 

• Jordan Robertson – Virginia Tech Classic  

• Morgan Gish (MVP), Chloe Wilmot, Avery Hobson – RMU Invite  

• Carsyn Henschen, Madison Grimm – Binghamton Invitational 

PRESEASON POLL 

• Duquesne was picked to finish eighth out of 10 in the A-10 Preseason Poll after an 8-22 (5-13 A-10) record in 2022. 

• Defending A-10 champion Loyola Chicago was tabbed the favorite with 97 points and seven first place votes. Dayton (2) and Davidson (1) also received first-place votes, taking second and third in the poll. 

FRESHMAN STARTERS

• Coach Opperman brought in four talented freshmen this season, three of which are immediate impacts: Jordan Robertson, Avery Hobson, and Chloe Wilmot. 

• Successful players at the highest club and high school levels, the trio has started every match this season, three of four Dukes to do so. 

OUR COACH 

• The Dukes are led by 26th year head coach Steve Opperman. 

• With an all-time record of 361-384 at Duquesne, Opperman has the most wins of any coach in program history. 

• Four-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (co-2001, co-2004, co-2010 and 2013) 

• Opperman, whose teams have appeared in nine of the past 13 Atlantic 10 postseason tournaments, guided the Dukes to the school's first A-10 regular season and tournament championship in 2013. The 2013 Dukes went on to make the first NCAA Championship appearance in school history. 

• Opperman entered the season with 470 career wins (Wright State & Duquesne). 

ACADEMIC SUCCESS 

• Duquesne earned its fifth consecutive and 13th overall AVCA Team Academic Award for its classroom success last year. 

• DU's 13 AVCA Academic Awards most in A-10 since 1992-93 

UP NEXT 

• Duquesne finishes the regular season with a pair of home matches against Davidson next Friday and Saturday inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

FOLLOW THE DUKES 
For the latest news and updates for Duquesne volleyball, follow @DuqVB on Twitter (X) and Instagram.