Lee University Hosts Volleyball Showcase

Wednesday, September 05, 2012
By 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon Lee’s Lady Flames will have completed a whirlwind beginning to the 2012 season and will have challenged the Who’s Who in 2012 NAIA college volleyball.

Coach Andrea Hudson’s team stands at 6-3 headed into the Lee University Showcase on Friday. It is ranked No. 6 in this week’s NAIA poll. The three defeats have come at the hands of No. 2 Concordia (Calif.), No. 4 Biola (Calif.) and No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan.

After a big Monday win over an Emory University that is ranked No.
4 in NCAA Division III competition, you might say the best is yet to come (competition-wise) for Hudson’s battle tested ladies. Lee opens play in the Showcase on Friday at 1:45 p.m. against unbeaten and third-ranked Columbia College (Mo.).

After a few hours of R&R, (6:15 p.m.) the Lady Flames will return to Walker Arena and will be trying to upend No.1-ranked Texas-Brownsville. The Scorpins defeated the Flames twice last season en route to the NAIA National Championship and bring an unbeaten mark to town.

If that wasn’t enough for one weekend, Lee will make one final appearance in the Showcase. The Lady Flames will entertain No. 5 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon. If you are keeping score, that simply means that before Hudson’s club enters Southern States Athletic Conference play against Brewton-Parker on Sept. 11, it will have faced seven of the NAIA’s top 10 teams, including numbers 1-5.

While all three of Lee’s matches will own a share of the spotlight, plenty of interest will be created when Columbia and Brownsville tangle at 10 a.m. on Saturday. All totaled six teams will be taking part in the Showcase. Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.) and Indiana Tech (Fort Wayne, Ind.) will also help provide plenty of excitement.

Showcase Schedule
Friday
9:15 Indiana Tech vs. Columbia (Mo.)
11:30 Texas-Brownsville vs. Bethel (Tenn.)
1:45 Lee vs. Columbia (Mo.)
4:00 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) vs. Indiana Tech
6:15 Lee vs. Texas-Brownsville
8:30 Bethel (Tenn.) vs. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)

Saturday

10:00 Columbia (Mo.) vs Texas Brownsville
12:15 Bethel (Tenn.) vs Indiana Tech
2:30 Lee vs. Embry-Riddle

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