MIAMI – The FIU volleyball team returns home this weekend to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center when it takes on Southern Miss on Sunday, Oct. 21. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. The contest is the Panthers' lone home match that they will play during a nine-match stretch.
 
FIU PANTHERS
13-7 (5-2 Conference USA)
Last Match: Oct. 14 at UTEP, W, 3-2 (17-25, 25-0, 19-25, 25-19, 15-11)
Next Match: Oct. 23 at Florida Gulf Coast, 7 p.m.
 
SOUTHERN MISS
11-11 (4-4 Conference USA)
Last Match: Oct. 17 at Florida Atlantic, L, 3-0 (22-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-27)
Next Match: Oct. 23 at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m.
 
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A LOOK AT FIU
The Panthers come into this weekend's match against boasting a 13-7 overall record and a 5-2 mark in Conference USA … They find themselves all along in fourth place in the C-USA standings … FIU has won three of its last four matches and seven of its last nine … FIU has already posted its most wins in a season since the 2015 campaign when it recorded 15 victories (15-13) and tied for the second most wins over the past seven seasons (2015, 15-13; 2013, 13-17) … Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy) leads the team, and is sixth in points-per-set (4.08), ninth in kills-per-set (3.44), and 10^th in aces-per-set (0.31) in Conference USA … In addition, Lina Bernier (San Juan, Puerto Rico) is third in digs-per-set (5.14) and Abbie Hughes (Mason, Ohio) is eighth-per-set in assists (8.66).
 
A LOOK AT SOUTHERN MISS
The Golden Eagles come into their match with FIU with a 11-11 overall record and an 4-4 mark in Conference USA following its 3-1 loss at Florida Atlantic on Friday night … Southern Miss is currently in seventh in the C-USA standings … The Golden Eagles have won four of their last six matches … Kylie Grandy is one of two players with more than 200 kills, leading the team with 366, along with Catherine Repsher with 216, and two of six with better than 100 kills … Sarah Bell is the team leader in assists with 917.
 
A LOOK AHEAD
Following Sunday's match against Southern Miss, the Panthers return to the road for the next five matches, beginning at Florida Gulf Coast on Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. FIU will also face Charlotte (Oct. 26, 7 p.m.), Florida Atlantic (Oct. 28, 12 p.m.), Western Kentucky (Nov. 2, 7 p.m.) and Marshal (Nov. 4, 1 p.m.) during the stretch. The Panthers will return home on Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. to take on Middle Tennessee.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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