Privateers Play Third Match in Five Days Against UT-Rio Grande Valley

TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY AT NEW ORLEANS
MONDAY-7 P.M.
HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTER | NEW ORLEANS, LA.

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FIRST SERVE
The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team (11-11, 2-5 Southland) will play their third match in five days when they face the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (8-13, 1-6 WAC) on Monday evening. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Human Performance Center.
 
The Privateers lost 3-1 to Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. New Orleans lost the first two sets, but commenced a rally from down 24-20 to take the third set in extra rallies. The Lady Jacks ended the match with a 25-19 victory in the fourth set. Takierra Boughton and Blessing Dunn each had 11 kills on the game.
 
This will be the 18^th meeting between the two schools. Texas-Rio Grande Valley was formerly known as Texas-Pan American. The Privateers suffered their first loss against the school last year by a 3-1 score in the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
 
Kaitlyn Grice notched five solo blocks on the afternoon against Stephen F. Austin. Grice had seven solo blocks entering the match. Saturday also marked the 10^th time Grice scored double digit points, posting 10.5 in the loss. Grice leads the team in total blocks with 58.
 
QUICK HITS
-Boughton has 43 kills in her last seven matches after co-leading the team in kills on Saturday.
-The Privateers have been held without a service ace in a match just once this season (at Southern Miss).
-In 11 matches that have gone beyond three sets, New Orleans is 6-5 (4-5 in 4-set matches, 2-0 in 5 sets).
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Texas-Rio Grande Valley enters on a four-match losing streak with all of those coming in conference play. In their last out, the Vaqueros were defeated 3-1 by Utah Valley on Saturday. No set went shorter than 46 rallies and both teams were even in points (65 each). Bojana Mitrovic had 18 kills, eight digs, three aces, and three total blocks on the match.
 
Todd Lowery is in his first season at UTRGV after previously coaching Texas-Brownsville. Lowery never lost a conference match in six years at Brownsville (75-0) and took home two NAIA national championships. Lowery also won two national titles in his prior stop at National American University. Lowery won 92 percent of his games before coming to the Vaqueros. UTRGV is a consolidation of Brownsville and Texas-Pan American, which went into full effect in 2015.
 
Haley Durham is second in career total blocks (313) and first in block assists (255). Durham leads the team in blocks this season with 64 total. Durham is 10 blocks behind the all-time school record holder (Lisa Yanez: 1993-96).
 
The last win for UTRGV came against Chicago State on Oct. 3. As a team, the Vaqueros are second in the WAC in service aces (1.41 per set). Mitrovic leads the conference in kills per set with 4.10. The Vaqueros are 1-7 in true road matches this season.

To keep up with the latest New Orleans volleyball news, follow the team on Twitter @UNOPrivateers and @Privateers_VB or by liking New Orleans Privateers on Facebook.