In the first match under new head coach Flavia Siqueira the Auburn Montgomery volleyball team will take on Missouri S&T in a match set to begin at 7 p.m. as part of the Miner Invitational in Rolla, Mo., as the Warhawks will play four matches over three days to start the 2019 season.
 
Match Information: Missouri S&T (0-0)             Match Information: Arkansas-Monticello (0-0)
Date:  Thursday, Sep. 5, 2019                            Date:  Friday, Sep. 6, 2019
Time:  7:00 p.m.                                                  Time:  1:00 p.m.
Location: Rolla, Mo. | Gibson Arena                  Location: Rolla, Mo. | Gibson Arena  
Media Coverage:  Live Stats | Live Video          Media Coverage:  Live Stats | Live Video
 
Match Information: Arkansas Tech (0-0)           Match Information: Arkansas-Fort Smith (0-0)
Date:  Saturday, Sep. 7, 2019                             Date:  Saturday, Sep. 7, 2019
Time:  9:00 a.m.                                                  Time:  1:00 p.m.
Location: Rolla, Mo. | Gibson Arena                  Location: Rolla, Mo. | Gibson Arena  
Media Coverage:  Live Stats | Live Video          Media Coverage:  Live Stats | Live Video
 
About the Warhawks
AUM went 11-20 last season with a 2-14 mark in the Gulf South Conference, a 4-8 road mark, a 3-8 record in away matches and a 4-4 mark at neutral sites. The 11 wins on the season for the Warhawks is the most in a season for the then second-year program, having gone 9-21 in their inaugural season. The two conference victories also set a new record for new league wins in a season, as AUM went 1-15 in 2017 in the Gulf South Conference.
 
It will be a new-look AUM squad that starts the season, with only five returners coming back from 2018. A total of 10 newcomers will debut for the Orange & Black on Thursday alongside Skylar Coppinger, Dariona Dash, Jaylyn Felder, Sommer Rhea and Nyah Whittlesey.
 
Middle blocker Ariadne Borges and setter Isadora Nicolai were named the top newcomers in the GSC preseason release and should make an immediate impact with the Warhawks. Borges comes to AUM from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo., where she appeared in 89 matches over two seasons. Last season she earned First Team All-American Midwest Conference honors while also earning AVCA Midwest All-Region Honorable Mention. She ranked second in the nation in the NAIA in total blocks with 175 and finished the season with 283 kills.
 
Nicolai comes to AUM after spending her freshman season at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., where she also played under Siqueira. Last season she played in all 30 matches for the Fighting Knights making 24 starts. She was named the Sunshine State Conference Setter of the Week for the firs week of 2018, tallying 50-plus assists in three out of four matches. Nicolai was also named to the All-Tournament team at the 11th annual Nova Southeastern Shark Invitational.
  
AUM lost middle blocker Brianna Garvin to graduation this past offseason. Garvin led the team in kills with 242, averaging 2.69 kills per set. She was also hitting for a .295 attack percentage, which was good enough for fourth place in the GSC. Garvin also led the team in blocks with 91 and blocks per set at 1.01. Her blocks per set mark was good enough for sixth in the league while her total blocks were good enough for seventh.
 
The Warhawks also lost assist leader Carly Smart to graduation. Smart led the team in assists with 715 which ranked seventh in the GSC. Smart's 7.30 assists per set ranked sixth in the league. Smart also led the team in digs with 248 and service aces with 33.
 
The matches against the teams at the Miner Invitational will be the first time AUM have face any of these opponents.
   
 
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