NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team (4-3) will hit the road for two consecutive weekend tournaments starting with the Louisiana Tech Invitational. The tournament begins on Friday, Sept. 12 in Ruston and the Privateers will face the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (3-5), the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (2-4), and the Texas-Pan American Broncs (1-6).
The Privateers dropped a decision in three sets in their most recent outing on Tuesday night against Southern Miss, which snapped a three-match winning streak. In the match, New Orleans was held to their lowest attack percentage in a match this season, hitting .037.
New Orleans' attack has been aided by the play of
Mikayla Sellers-Wiebe who has contributed 48 kills. Sellers-Wiebe co-led the kills column for the Privateers on Tuesday with six. Defensively, Sellers-Wiebe has added 63 digs, which ranks second on the team.
On the year, the Privateers hold a 291-274 cumulative advantage in kills over their first seven opponents this season. New Orleans has 45 aces, which averages out to 1.8 aces per set, second-most in the Southland and only trailing McNeese State.
Ashley Everett has been a force at the net in the last two matches with eight total blocks. Everett accounted for all four blocks the Privateers notched against Southern Miss (two solo, two assist). Everett has started in each of the last two matches on the Privateers' front line.
Against Texas-Pan American, New Orleans is undefeated all-time in 16 career meetings. The match against Stephen F. Austin will open the Privateers' crusade in the tournament on Friday at 5 p.m. New Orleans will face the host Lady Techsters at 10 a.m. on Saturday and close with Texas-Pan American later in the day at 4:30 p.m.
