New Orleans Privateers (0-0) at Campus USA Credit Union Invitational
vs. Western Michigan (2-1) • Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 • 10 a.m. • Live Stats • Live Video
vs. McNeese State (TBD) • Friday, Sept. 6, 2013• 5 p.m. CST • Live Stats • Live Video
at Louisiana Tech (TBD) • Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013 • 12 p.m. CST • Live Stats • Live Video
RUSTON, La. – The New Orleans volleyball team will conclude its seven-match road swing to begin the season with a trio of contests at the Louisiana Tech Invitational this weekend.
UNO (0-4) will face Western Michigan at 10 a.m. on Friday before encountering McNeese State later that day at 5 p.m. A match against Louisiana Tech awaits the Privateers at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Live stats and video of all matches will be available through LaTechSports.com. Fans interested in video will be subject to a subscription fee.
Kelsea Hundtoft enters the weekend with the hot hand offensively for UNO after delivering a 10-kill performance in the team's match this past Tuesday at Southern Miss. The double-digit effort was the most for a Privateer since
Taylor Berry posted 17 in last season's season finale. Hundtoft's outing gives the junior outside hitter a team-leading 1.25 kills per set average.
The team as a whole registered 27 kills and a 0.067 hitting percentage, both season bests and marked improvement for a Privateer squad that brought together eight newcomers and six returning letterwinners just a few weeks ago in preparation for the 2013 campaign.
Other top marks on the season against USM came from the setter and libero positions.
Setters
Ariane Labrzycki and
Celeste Ramirez each topped double-figures for the first time in the assist category. The duo combined for 24 assists, more than the duo had registered in the previous three matches combined.
Defensively, libero
Lauren Levy tallied a season-high 14 digs. The total ranks tied for the fourth highest career total in a three-set match for the sophomore who prepped at Archbishop Chapelle.
UNO head coach Kim Young-Buford hopes the upward trend continues this weekend, beginning with the match-up against a WMU (2-1) program that posted wins against Big Ten foe Northwestern and UW-Milwaukee last weekend before falling to Oklahoma.
The Broncos are 1-0 all-time against the Privateers, handing UNO a loss in the 2003 Bronco Classic. WMU is led by Stephenee Yancy's 4.54 kills per set that accompanies a .465 hitting percentage. Libero Lena Oliver is tops on the defensive end with 5.31 digs a frame.
UNO's second contest on Friday is against Southland foe MSU (3-1). The match will not count towards the league standings, though will provide each squad a preview of what to expect when the teams meet once more on Oct. 5 in a conference tilt.
The Privateers hold a 19-16 advantage against the Cowgirls all-time, though MSU has prevailed in the last five encounters. Led offensively by Malina Sanchez and Sophie Tenbusch with 3.38 and 3.15 kills per set, respectively, the duo provides the Cowgirls with multiple offensive options.
Saturday's weekend finale is the first meeting between UNO and LTU (2-2) since 2002 with the Privateers maintaining an 18-12 edge.
The Techsters already own a loss at the hands of Southland Conference member Abilene Christian. Both of the LTU victories came against Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foes. Rebecca Redgen is tops on the roster with 3.29 kills per set and seven players on squad average at least a dig per set with no player registering more than Jessie Ely's 2.33 digs each stanza.
Following this weekend's competition, UNO will return home for a Wednesday, Sept. 11 encounter at the Human Performance Center against Tulane. Admission is free with first serve slated for 7 p.m.
