UNO Game Notes - Millsaps Invitational
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JACKSON, Miss. – With a freshman-laden team that features two returnees, the University of New Orleans volleyball team will start the 2011 season by participating in the Millsaps Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Hangar Dome.
UNO is joined by NAIA squads from Spring Hill and Martin Methodist, in addition to Division III programs from Rhodes and the host Millsaps during the weekend.
The Privateers open play with a 3:30 p.m. contest Friday against SHC before playing Millsaps that night at 7 p.m. The team will continue play with matches at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday against MMC and 2:30 p.m. against Rhodes.
Eight freshmen and one sophomore will suit up for the first time this weekend for second-year head coach Kim Young.
The nine newcomers will join middle blocker
Samantha Hauck and lone returning starter
Evelyn Kovacs. The two returnees have combined to play in 39 matches with Kovacs accounting for 25 of the appearances
SHC is 2-0 on the young season with a pair of wins against Southeastern (Fla.) and Concordia-Selma. Led by NAIA All-American Yiting Cao (4.6 kills per set last season), the Badgers went 27-5 in 2010 and fell in the Southern States Athletic Conference championship game.
Millsaps posted a 21-18 record last season and is scheduled to play at Tougaloo on Thursday night. The Majors placed sixth in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference last year and returns third-team all-conference selection Maggie Tumminello (2.49 kills per set, 50 service aces).
MMC (1-0) defeated Talledega in their opener on Tuesday and look to build on a 17-20 record from a season ago. The Redhawks were picked fourth in the TranSouth Conference poll and are led by seniors Ann-Katherin Kuehorn and Precious Sanders.
Rhodes was 18-21 last season and will join UNO in opening their 2011 slate this weekend. The Lynx top player last season was Megan Mansfield, who averaged 3.03 kills per set last year.
Following this weekend's opening tournament, the Privateers will host Alcorn State on Tuesday in their home opener. Scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, the contest was recently moved to the Human Performance Center and is preceded by a UNO Blue Krewe Tailgate which begins at 5 p.m.
Millsaps Invitational Schedule
(all games at the Hangar Dome)
Friday, Sept. 2nd
UNO vs. Spring Hill College, 3:30 p.m. – Court 2
UNO vs Millsaps, 7:30 p.m. – Court 1
Saturday, Sept. 3rd
UNO vs Martin Methodist College, 10:30 a.m. – Court 2
UNO vs Rhodes College, 2:30 p.m. – Court 1
