FORT LAUDERDALE - Coming of a weekend split, the Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (11-4, 4-1 SSC) will be looking to maintain their current position in the Sunshine State Conference standings facing two conference opponents on the road this week. The Sharks play at Saint Leo on Friday at 7 p.m. and then at Eckerd on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
NSU will have their work cut out for them this weekend. Both of their weekend opponents have picked up upset wins over then ranked No. 6 Florida Southern in the past week. NSU will have to be on their toes defensively with Saint Leo and Eckerd ranking in the top half of the conference in offensive efficiency.
 
The Sharks will first head into the Lions' den on Friday night to face the Saint Leo Lions (8-5, 3-2 SSC). SLU is fresh off back-to-back conference wins, which includes a 3-0 win over No. 6 ranked FSC and have moved into fourth place in the conference standings. The Lions are ranked 8^th in league opponent hitting percentage, which could play into the Sharks strengths. However, they will have to be on the lookout for SLU's Hope Lemon, who is ranked seventh in the SSC with 3.22 kills per set.
 
After Friday's match, NSU will close out the weekend against another tough opponent on their home court at Eckerd in St. Petersburg. The Tritons are 7-6 on the season and 2-3 in the Sunshine State Conference, but just like Saint Leo, have picked up a surprise win over Florida Southern in the past week. Eckerd is third in the SSC in team hitting percentage and that's behind the power threat of Tjasa Kotnik who is the overall conference leader in kills per set.
 
NSU split a pair of matches last weekend picking up a 3-1 win over Rollins, but fell in their final weekend matchup against Embry Riddle. Despite the split, NSU had some notable performances worth a mention. Katie Pyles (Jr., Denver, Colo.) recorded a triple double performance against ERAU picking up 11 kills, 47 assists and 11 digs after hitting .409. It was her first triple double of the year and fourth in her career.
 
Kaelyn Brock (So., La Quinta, Calif.) played sound defensively for NSU recording a career-best 25 digs and even added five assists offensively. Freshman Denvyr Tyler-Palmer (Jacksonville, Fla.) continued to display veteran poise on the court picking up 17 kills and 17 digs for her second career double-double. And playing in only her seventh match of the season, freshman Samantha Blasko (Ocala, Fla.) added a career high 12 digs.
 
Emerging as the Sharks' kill leader this season, Dana Holger (Sr., Lino Lakes, Fla.) will continue to anchor the NSU offense averaging 3.39 kills per set, which ranks fifth in the Sunshine State Conference.

Both Saint Leo and Eckerd will be providing multimedia services for the scheduled matches. Visit www.NSUSharks.com for more information.