October 31, 2007 - This weekend, the Hillsdale College volleyball team has a chance to solidify its postseason future, both in the conference and in the NCAA regionals. But who and where the team plays, as well as its seeding in both tournaments, will be determined by how well it does against two arch-rivals this weekend.

The Chargers, 22-6 overall and 13-2 in the GLIAC, hit the road to face the University of Findlay (7:30 p.m. Friday) and Ashland University (1 p.m. Saturday) in a pair of matches that will decide the South Division champion for 2007. Hillsdale's final ranking in the Great Lakes Region will also likely be dictated by how it fares against these two strong foes.

Hillsdale and Ashland are tied for first place in the South Division with identical 13-2 conference records. The winner of the division will get the No. 2 seed at next week's GLIAC Tournament, which starts with first-round matches on Wednesday. The second-place team in the South Division will take on the third-place team in the division in the first round. Findlay (7-8 in the GLIAC) needs one win or a Wayne State loss this weekend to clinch third place in the division.

Ashland is 24-3 on the season and ranked ninth in the nation. The Chargers handed the Eagles one of their three losses this season in a 3-2 decision back on Sept. 14. Hillsdale has won three straight over Ashland in the regular season, but the Eagles handed the Chargers their only two losses of the 2006 season, both coming in the postseason. The two teams are very evenly matched and tend to bring out the best in one another. Both teams lost to Grand Valley earlier this season 3-2.

Hillsdale and Ashland players are easy to find among the GLIAC's statistical leaders. Charger senior Melissa Bartlett, the reigning GLIAC South Division Player of the Week, leads the conference with 5.32 kills per game. Ashland's Mary Kate Glowe is third in kills per game with a 4.58 mark.

The two setters on the teams (Hillsdale's Stephanie Booms and Ashland's Lynsey Warren) each average 12.7 assists per game, the top figure in the conference. Booms (pictured) has 102 more total assists in eight more games played this season than Warren.

Hillsdale's Megan Howard and Glowe rank 5-6 in the GLIAC in digs per game. Howard is the Chargers' career leader in that category, with more than 2,000 for her career.

But before Hillsdale and Ashland meet, the Chargers will have to face Findlay, who always plays Hillsdale tough inside the Croy Gymnasium. Hillsdale has won the last two road matches vs. the Oilers, including a memorable 3-2 decision in the first round of the 2005 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament.

Mallory Fleming is a dangerous outside hitter for the Oilers, and is fifth in the GLIAC with 4.51 points per game.

The GLIAC Tournament semifinals and finals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10 and Sunday, Nov. 11. This is a change from last year's schedule, which played matches on Friday and Saturday. The highest remaining seed after Wednesday's quarterfinal matches will host the weekend tournament.