Manatee Review

Edward Waters College Athletics issued the following announcement on Nov. 4.

It has been an incredibly successful, monumental, and memorable regular season for the Edward Waters women's volleyball program in 2021. Under first year head coach, Dr. Brandon Reeves, the Lady Tigers have rewritten history, recording the program's largest win output to date, sporting a 19-7 overall record.

The Lady Tigers will look to put the proverbial cherry on top of the sundae this weekend as they will take part in the 2021 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship. The two-day tournament will take place November 5th-6th at Henderson A. Johnson Gymnasium on the campus of Fisk University.

Edward Waters quest for the program's first GCAC Tournament Championship, and first title since the 2004 Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship will begin in a first round matchup as the #4 seeded Lady Tigers will face #5 Tougaloo at 11:00am CST/12:00pm EST on Friday. The winner of this contest will face #1 seed Dillard at 3:30pm CST/4:30pm 4:30pm EST. #3 seed Philander Smith will #6 seed Rust in the other first round matchup on Friday, with the winner facing #2 seed and host school Fisk on Friday evening in the second semifinal.

The Lady Tigers enter the tournament on a four-game winning streak and winners of 12 of their last 13 contests. EWU has been electric in their work on the floor this season as well, averaging 10.99 kills per set, a .230 hitting percentage, 9.58 assists per set, 2.45 service aces per set, 1.84 blocks per set, and 13.80 digs per set. 

Freshman outside hitter and middle blocker, Saldy Amparo Smith has been a revelation in her debut season in Purple & Orange. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native as appeared in 19 matches, and 62 sets, leading the team in total kills with 3.84 and hitting percentage with .295. Amparo Smith is also third on the team in service aces with 33,  and third in digs per set with 2.44.

Junior outside hitter Arielly De Souza has also been instrumental in EWU's success this season. The Sao Paulo, Brazil native is second on the squad in total kills with 181, kills per set with 2.33, and has a .209 hitting percentage. She is also second on the team in total digs with 249 and digs per set with 3.19. 

Freshman middle blocker Catherine Richards has been solid in her first season at EWU as well, sporting a .297 hitting percentage which is second on the team. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native has made her name on the defensive side, leading the team in total blocks with 76 and blocks per set with 0.97.

Seniors Andrea Diaz Merced and Katarina Ribar have been solid in the assists catagory. Diaz Merced is the team's leader with 360 total assists and 5.07 assists per set. Ribar is just behind with 277 toal assists and 4.13 assists per set. 

Senior libero Anyssa Guzman is the team's leader with 255 digs and 3.27 digs per set. 

All of the action of the 2021 GCAC Volleyball Championship can be seen at the Fisk University Athletics Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/FiskUniversityBulldogs/.

Original source can be found here.