HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. – Oakwood University volleyball finds itself at a crossroads halfway through the season.

The Ambassadors, currently 3-8 overall and 1-5 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, find themselves in a rut. Oakwood has lost seven of its last eight games, but can right itself starting tonight when it visits Rust College (4-15, 2-4) in an important GCAC game at W. A. McMillan Center. First serve is set for 7.

Starting tonight, 10 of Oakwood's last 11 games are conference games.

"We've got to start winning some of these games if we want to make the tournament," Oakwood coach Takhera Sanders said.

All nine teams will qualify for the tournament, but Sanders knows seeding will be important. Last season, Oakwood finished last in the league and was eliminated in the first round.

"We want to go and stick around for a while," Sanders said.

Currently, Rust is fifth in the league, while Oakwood is seventh. Southern University of New Orleans is eighth and Tougaloo College is ninth. Oakwood's lone conference win came against Tougaloo.

After tonight's game, Oakwood will host Dillard on Friday and host SUNO in a doubleheader on Sunday.

"This is a big stretch for us," Sanders said. "If we can take care of business, we can improve our chances of making the tournament."

Trinity Williams (Midlothian, TX), Shaniya Brown (Dallas, TX) and Cameryn Bucknor (Huntsville, AL) has led the Ambassadors throughout the season.

Williams has a team-high 83 kills, while Brown leads the team in digs with 123. Bucknor has a team-high 190 assists.

Rust, which snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win last Thursday at Tougaloo, has been led by Gabriella Gabriel, Saraih Taylor and Annie Narvaez.

Gabriel leads the team with 94 kills, while Narvaez leads team in digs with 168. Taylor has a team-high 260 assists.
 
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