Villanova University

Aug. 30, 2012

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VILLANOVA, Pa.--After starting the season at home for the first time in more than a decade Villanova (2-1) will not have to go far for its first three matches on the road, as the team heads to Penn this weekend for the annual Big Five Tournament. The round-robin tournament format includes the Wildcats taking on La Salle, Temple and Penn in one match on Friday afternoon and two others on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Villanova opens up against La Salle on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., faces Temple on Saturday at 1 p.m. and then takes on host Penn in the final match of the tournament at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening. This is the fourth year that Penn has hosted the other Big Five teams at the Palestra and the Wildcats have previously gone 7-2 in the tournament, including six consecutive wins in the past two seasons.

Junior outside hitter Carly Edwards (Okemos, Mich.) and freshman outside hitter Lauren Carpenter (Lakewood, Colo.) were each named to the Villanova Classic All-Tournament Team last weekend. Villanova opened the season by winning two of its first three matches, including a sweep of Robert Morris and a dramatic rally for a 3-2 win over New Hampshire.

Edwards had a team-high nine total blocks in last weekend's tournament and also contributed 27 kills with just five errors in 85 total attempts (2.45 kills per set/.259 hitting percentage). In the win over New Hampshire her 14 kills were a career high and represented the first time in her career she reached double figures in kills during a match. The weekend was a good one for Carpenter as well, who made her collegiate debut by leading the Wildcats in kills and ranking second in digs. She totaled 33 kills (3.00/set) and 27 digs (2.45/set) and finished the weekend with a double-double of 16 kills and 13 digs against New Hampshire.

Villanova and La Salle play in the first match of the tournament on Friday afternoon and the Explorers come into the weekend with a 1-3 record. La Salle hosted a home tournament of its own last weekend and defeated Niagara in five sets for its lone win to begin the year.

Saturday's first opponent, Temple, went 2-2 in a tournament at South Carolina to begin the year. The two victories for the Owls came in their final two matches of the tournament against UNC-Asheville and Akron. This weekend's host Quakers will be playing for the first time this season when they debut against Temple on Friday night.

During the Wildcats three matches this weekend follow @VillanovaVB for live updates on Twitter. Live stats provided by Penn will also be available during each match and can be accessed by clicking on the link at the top of this release.