NASHVILLE — The Tennessee State volleyball team will open its season this Saturday with a home game versus the 14^th-ranked Stanford Cardinal on Saturday at 6 p.m. from the Gentry Center.  Saturday's contest with Stanford will be streamed live on ESPN+.  This will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Stanford's trip to Nashville begins on Friday at Lipscomb before the Tigers and the Bison conclude the series on Sunday at Allen Arena.

The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers (Season Opener) vs. No. 14 Stanford Cardinal (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
Date/Time: Saturday, August 27 || 6:00 p.m. (CST)
Location: Gentry Center || Nashville, Tenn.
Watch Live: Big Blue Sports Network and ESPN+ will carry the game live with Will Brown (play-by-play).
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The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers at Lipscomb Bison
Date/Time: Sunday, August 28 || 1:00 p.m. (CST)
Location: Allen Arena || Nashville, Tenn.
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SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• The Tigers defeated Trevecca Nazarene in an exhibition game in three sets this past Tuesday. Senior setter Sofia Garcia-Guerrios recorded a triple-double with 10 kills, 13 digs, and 15 assists. Senior Aleksandra Rojecka had a match-high 12 kills. Senior Carla Boudal tallied four aces.
• Graduate student Gina Rivera-Ortiz was the lone Tiger named to the 2022 Preseason All-OVC Volleyball Team. Rivera-Ortiz, a four-year starter at Libero, set the TSU record for digs (1,692) on October 12, 2021. Last year, Rivera-Ortiz ranked second in the OVC in digs per set (5.4) and third in total digs (556).
• Transfers Kennedy Davis and Nicole Taylor look to make their Tiger debuts. Davis had four kills in the exhibition game against Trevecca.

SCOUTING THE CARDINAL:

• Stanford was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 by the conference coaches. Three Cardinal were selected to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team - senior opposite Kendall Kipp, redshirt junior outside hitter Caitie Baird and sophomore setter Kami Miner.
• Stanford enters the season after reaching its 40th NCAA Tournament in 41 years. The Cardinal fell to second-round host Minnesota after winning a national championship in 2018 and 2019. 
• Stanford produced two AVCA All-Americans as both Caitie Baird and Kendall Kipp were selected to the second team. Rookie setter Kami Miner led the Pac-12 and was seventh nationally with 11.45 assists per set, earning her Pac-12 and AVCA Pacific North Region Freshman of the Year honors in 2021. 

SCOUTING THE BISON:

• Lipscomb exited the 2021 season with a loss to North Florida in the first round of the ASUN Tournament. 
• Brandon Rosenthal enters his 20th season at Lipscomb and will be looking for his 350th win this season. 
• Meg Mersman garnered the Fan-Voted ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year award. Lipscomb finished with three players that reached 200-plus kills last season (Mersman (262), Kamryn Bacus (256), and Addi Pelham (203).

UP NEXT:

• The Tigers will hit the road for seven straight games including two tournaments during a nine-day span. 
• TSU heads to the Pam Littleton Classic, hosted by Tarleton State — Sept. 2-3 — with games against Prairie View A&M and Tarleton State (Sept. 2) and Southeastern Louisiana (Sept. 3).