Privateers Square Off Against Islanders

NEW ORLEANS AT TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
SATURDAY-1 PM
DUGAN WELLNESS CENTER | CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

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FIRST SERVE
The New Orleans Privateers (8-6, 0-1) will face a staunch test to close their first weekend of Southland play when they battle the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (13-4, 1-0) on Saturday at the Dugan Wellness Center. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
New Orleans will look to bounce back from a loss on Thursday in the conference opener against Houston Baptist. The Privateers fell behind early in each of the first two sets before taking the third against the Huskies. The match finished in four sets when Houston Baptist broke open a 7-7 tie in the fourth set with a 15-3 run.
 
Celeste Ramirez had seven of the team's 11 service aces along with five kills, 24 assists, and nine digs. Ramirez is one of three Privateers with 19 aces, joining Samantha Uline and Blessing Dunn. Ramirez is eighth in the conference in assists per set.
 
Lauren Levy has continued to pile up the digs, going for at least 10 digs in six of her last eight matches. On Thursday, Levy registered 11 digs against the Huskies. Levy leads the team with 133 digs on the season (2.66 per set).
 
QUICK HITS
-The Privateers won the first ever meeting against the Islanders in 2000. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has won both matches since New Orleans joined the Southland (2013).
-Kaitlyn Grice has moved up to third in the conference in hitting percentage after hitting at a .389 clip against HBU.
-Keke Irby was in on a season-best five blocks (all assist). Irby has posted 12 total blocks in her last four matches.
 
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Islanders are coached by Tony Graystone who is in his sixth season with the school. Graystone passed the 100-win mark at Corpus Christi earlier this season against Texas Southern. Graystone has 422 career wins as a head coach.
 
Several players scatter the Southland leaderboard in different categories. Kristyn Nicholson leads the conference in assists (10.65 per set) while Kate Klepetka is at the top of the list in digs (6.04 per set). Ivy Baresh is tied for fourth in the conference in kills with 159 total and 3.38 per set. As a team, the Islanders lead the conference in digs, kills, assists, and opponent hitting percentage.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is undefeated (7-0) at home this season. In those matches, they have dropped just one set (vs. Rice). On Thursday, the Islanders breezed past Southeastern, winning 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-14). The Islanders have also already defeated Central Arkansas in a tournament setting back on Sept. 17.
 
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.