Live Stats - North Alabama (Friday) - Christian Brothers (Saturday)
NEW ORLEANS - A season-long four-match homestand continues for the University of New Orleans volleyball team this weekend as the squad prepares to host North Alabama at 7 p.m. on Friday and Christian Brothers at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Both matches will occur at the Human Performance Center with periodic stat updates available on UNOPrivateers.com.
Just several days removed from playing the Gulf South Conference's league leader West Florida, UNO (2-14, 0-8 GSC) will get the task of facing the teams tied for the No. 2 position in conference on consecutive dates.
Since the Privateers fell to both squads earlier in the season on the road, UNA (17-5, 6-2 GSC) and CBU (20-6, 6-2 GSC) have consistently produced the results necessary to keep each at the top of the standings. In addition to a setback against UWF, this weekend's UNO opponents have split a pair of in-season matches against each other to provide their two losses during the league slate.
Entering this weekend,
Laila Hansen is the top hitter for the Privateers with 3.07 kills per set.
A balanced offense under head coach Kim Young-Buford, four other members of the UNO squad average at least one kill a frame led by
Jasmyne Walker with 1.92 kills per set.
Tory Hearn pounds down 1.25 kills a stanza with
Elena Villar and
Evelyn Kovacs at 1.24 kills a set.
A large majority of the Privateer kills have come off the set of
Ryan Hamilton, who averages 7.38 assists a frame.
Jessie Mouton is the team's leading defensive player with 4.18 digs a set with Hansen, Villar and
Rebecca Lacey all adding at least two more digs each time out.
UNA is led by reigning GSC Player of the Week Natalie Marsh's 3.8 kills per set and reigning GSC Defensive Player of the Week Lauren Greenhill's 5.05 digs a frame. The road schedule in the second half of the league season will test the Lions, who are 7-1 at home compared to 3-2 on the road.
Five student-athletes tally at least five kills per set for CBU led by Hannah Kurtz with 2.99 kills a frame. Kurtz is joined by Hailey Gillis (2.58), Kelly Nolan (2.14), Kaitlen Keathley (2.05) and Lizzie McClean (2.00). The only other regular starter for the Bucs – Corinne Doder – serves the role of libero and averages 4.87 digs a set.
Following this weekend, UNO will host Xavier on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the squad's annual 'Think Pink' match. The Privateers will wear pink in the contest, which is part of a day full of activities presented by UNO's athletic department .
