#1W Edinboro Fighting Scots (31-5, 18-4 PSAC) vs. #2E Shippensburg Raiders (28-8, 16-6 PSAC)
DATE: Friday, November 20
SITE: Sports Center
LOCATION: Johnstown, Pa.
TIME: 5:00 p.m.
LIVE STATS: http://www.sidearmstats.com/upj/wvball/?
LIVE STREAM:http://136.142.229.86/VIDwb160.cfm

GAME STORY
Edinboro enters this Friday's matchup with Shippensburg with a 31-5 overall record and an 18-4 mark in the PSAC. Shippensburg enters the contest 28-8 overall and 16-6 in the PSAC. Friday's playoff contest is the second encounter between the two teams this season, with the last being an Edinboro victory in a PSAC Crossover on September 25^th, hosted by Mercyhurst. The past five meetings have all gone to a fifth set with Edinboro holding a 3-2 advantage in those games.

The top seed out of the Western Division, Edinboro makes its first PSAC semifinals appearance since 2010 after defeating California (Pa.) in straight sets, 3-0, on Tuesday. Head Coach Missy Soboleski's Fighting Scots registered their 31^st win of the season, the most since the 1990 team won 33.

Edinboro earned the top seed in the Western Division despite battling several injuries. Jen Gruber, the teams kill leader from 2014, missed a majority of the season with an injury, while fellow junior Latoya Hutchinson missed some games late in the season with a nagging injury.

Shippensburg enters the contest treading in familiar territory having appeared in the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament each of the last three years. The number two seed in the East, Shippensburg has won seven straight contests and 13 of its last 14 matches.

ALL-TIME VS. SHIPPENSBURG
Series Record: Edinboro leads 19-8

THE LAST MEETING
September 25 - Edinboro 3, Shippensburg 2 (at Mercyhurst)
After dropping the first set, the Fighting Scots won the next two before the Raiders won the fourth set to force an extra fifth set. Edinboro ultimately prevailed in the fifth, 16-14 to win their ninth straight game. Win the win Edinboro improved to 12-1, the best start under Soboleski's tenure. Litwiler and Severo led the Edinboro offense with 19 and 18 kills, respectively. Trathen totaled 39 assists, while Maycock had a team-high 16 digs. The match marked the ninth time in the past eleven years that they have gone into five sets and the fourth time the game has gone into extra points in the fifth set.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING SCOTS

HEAD COACH
Missy Soboleski (Gannon '93)
Record at Edinboro: 256-139, 15^th year
Career Record: 389-317, 20^th year

Earlier this week, Soboleski was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for her outstanding season at the helm. Soboleski has guided Edinboro to their first PSAC semifinals appearance since 2010. The Fighting Scots got off to the best start in school history, beginning the year 28-2. The team recorded the second-longest winning streak in school history, winning 15-straight at one point. Under Soboleski, Edinboro clinched its first PSAC playoff berth since 2011 and finished in first place in the PSAC West for the first time since 1997. Edinboro's 31 wins are the most since the 1990 team won 33. Soboleski led Edinboro to its first 30 win season since 2010 and just the sixth time in program history. Soboleski ranks second in school history with 256 wins, four short of Dr. Patrick McLane's record 260.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Challen Litwiler (Middle Hitter) - Earlier this week Litwiler was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and a PSAC West first team all-conference member. She has totaled 475 kills, the eighth-highest season total in school history. She ranks second on the team with 460 digs and is the only player in the PSAC to have both 450 kills and 450 digs. Litwiler leads the PSAC with a team-high 66 service aces, tied for the eight-highest season total. Her 475 kills and 460 digs ranks second and fifteenth in the PSAC, respectively.

Sydney Trathen (Setter) - Trathen was recently named to the PSAC West first team all-conference. The sophomore already ranks ninth all-time in career assists with 2,079, including 1,254 this season. That total is good for second place in the PSAC and ranks eleventh in a season at Edinboro. She ranks third on the team with 54 total blocks, including 15 block solos.

Marah Maycock (Libero) - She has played in every set this season, the only Fighting Scot to do so. Maycock ranks second all-time in sets played with 506, along with ranking fifth all-time in career digs (1,657) and fifth all-time in career service aces (153). She ranks eighth in the PSAC in digs (618) and seventh in service aces (48). She anchors an Edinboro defense that allows just 9.40 kills per set, good for second in the PSAC.

Victoria Severo (Middle Hitter) - A PSAC West second team all-conference recipient, the junior ranks second on the team with 334 kills, while posting a team-high .323 hitting percentage. Her .323 percentage ranks second in the PSAC. She controls the front of the net with 100 total blocks.

Latoya Hutchinson (Middle Hitter) - The junior has battled injuries as of late. She ranks third on the squad with 226 kills. She ranks also third the team with 55 total blocks, including 15 block solos.

Megan Screptock (Outside Hitter) - The 2015 PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Screptock has played in all but eight sets this season, totaling 205 kills and 302 digs. Her 205 kills rank fourth on the team, while her 302 digs are good for third.

SCOUTING SHIPPENSBURG
The Raiders boast a 28-8 overall record and a 16-6 record in the PSAC. Shippensburg has won seven straight games and 13 of its last 14. Earlier this week, Junior Maura Nolanwas named to the PSAC East first team all-conference and seniorTaylor Gottshallwas named to the PSAC East second team all-conference. Nolan ranks third in the PSAC with 1,158 assists, while Gottshall is top in the PSAC with 31 block solos. Shippensburg defeated West Chester in the PSAC Quarterfinals this past weekend in five sets to advance to the semifinals this Friday.

Head Coach: Leanne Piscotty (Penn State '97)
Record at Shippensburg: 271-175, 12^th year

Piscotty, a four-time PSAC East Coach of the Year, is Shippensburg all-time wins leader. She has led the Raiders to nine-straight PSAC Tournament appearances and ten total appearances. Piscotty is the longest-tenured coach in Shippensburg history and ranks second in all-time winning percentage with .593.

EDINBORO IN THE PSAC TOURNAMENT
This marks Edinboro's first appearance in the tournament under Soboleski since 2011, but it's seventh in the last ten years. The Fighting Scots fell to Clarion in the 2011 quarterfinals by a score of 3-2. Edinboro makes its first appearance in the PSAC semifinals since 2010. The Fighting Scots have appeared in the PSAC Championship 21 times, claiming the title nine times, the last in 2001. From 1988 to 2004, the Fighting Scots appeared in every PSAC Championship game.