CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville women's volleyball team begins its national tournament run with the program's first appearance in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The Lady Tigers face Texas Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas.
 
This is Campbellsville's first appearance in the NAIA National Tournament since 2007. The winner of Saturday's opening round match earns a spot at the NAIA National Championship Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.
 
Entering the national tournament, the Lady Tigers are 26-8 and are ranked 22nd in the national poll. Campbellsville finished as the runner-up in the Mid-South Conference Tournament last week, which was the best finish in program history since 2009 when the Lady Tigers also finished as the runner up in the conference tournament.
 
Leading the way for Campbellsville this season has been Annija Abolina. Abolina has recorded a team high in kills (347) and aces (48). The senior has also recorded 67 blocks, which is third on the team. Marcella Compeau leads the Lady Tigers with 544 digs during her senior campaign, while averaging 4.61 digs per set.
 
Julia Fonseca and Olivia Jarvis have paced the Campbellsville block this season with Fonseca notching 79 blocks and Jarvis has totaled 77 blocks – highlighted by a team-best 26 solo blocks.
 
Texas Wesleyan is making its first national championship appearance since 2005 after it finished as the runner-up in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. The Rams have compiled a 26-4 overall record. All four of the Texas Wesleyan's losses this season have come against SAC opponents losing twice to Oklahoma City University and Southwestern Assemblies of God University.
 
Shelby Stinnett leads the Rams this season with 301 kills and a .311 attacking percentage. As a team, Texas Wesleyan ranks 15th in the nation with an attacking mark of .244. Three different players for the Rams have over 200 digs this season with Stinnett notching 296 to lead the team. Tierra Coverson ranks 16th in the NAIA with 1.18 blocks per set and her 119 total blocks are 37th in the nation.
 
All time in the NAIA National Championship, Campbellsville is 1-2 after reaching that mark in pool play during its only other appearance in 2007. During the 2007 season, the Lady Tigers finished in a threw-way tie for second place in their pool and split their two playoff sets beating University of Mobile, 30-15, but dropped a tight 31-29 set against Columbia College – who was hosting the tournament in 2007 – in the final tiebreaker set.
 
First serve on Saturday is set for 2 p.m. ET from Sid Richardson Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

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