NEW ORLEANS –The University of New Orleans volleyball team concludes its three-match homestand on Saturday, Oct. 22 when the Privateers host the University of Incarnate Word at 2 p.m.
This will be the fourth time that the two sides have faced each other, as the series began in 2013 when both UNO and UIW joined the Southland Conference. The Privateers have yet to best the Cardinals, dropping the previous three decisions. In her two matches against Incarnate Word, junior middle blocker
Rondolyn Bryant averages 2.71 kills off a .350 hitting percentage.
"I'm looking for a home match win tomorrow," head coach
Millicent Van Norden explained. "UIW runs a fast-pace offense that's balanced and spread. They play good floor defense and their attack is an inside-out style, We will have to work hard to win this match by slowing down their offensive attack and playing every situation with poise and confidence."
New Orleans (4-18, 1-8 SLC) faced off against the reigning Southland Conference champions in Texas A&M-Corpus Christ, unable to give the Islanders their first conference blemish of the season in a 3-1 loss. UNO averages 11.49 kills on a .154 hitting percentage with 13.43 digs, 10.83 assists, 1.63 blocks and a Southland Conference-best 1.57 service aces.
On offense, freshman setter
Sarah Thomas (Accounting & Finance) leads the attack with 9.53 assists per set, the third-highest average in the conference, with freshman outside hitter
Jordan Yauch (Biological Science) posting a team-best 2.71 kills per set followed by sophomore
Blessing Dunn (Business Management) and freshman
Brianna Vega (Biological Science) with 2.28 and 2.13 respectively. Junior outside hitter
Cara Sander (Marketing) paces the Privateers service ace game, averaging the second-highest service aces per set in the league with 0.39 while senior middle blocker
Keke Richards (Business Management) boasts the highest hitting percentage on the team at .291, ranking sixth in the Southland Conference.
Defensively, sophomore defensive specialist
Samantha Uline (Exercise Physiology) anchors the royal blue and silver with 3.77 digs, eighth-best average in the SLC, followed by Dunn and Yauch with 2.91 and 2.06 respectively. At the net, sophomore middle blocker
Kaitlyn Grice (Biology) leads the team with 0.84 blocks per set.
Incarnate Word (8-13, 4-5 SLC) enters the match fresh off of a five-set victory over Southeastern Louisiana. UIW averages 11.32 kills on a .184 hitting percentage with 13.01 digs, 10.51 assists, 2.17 blocks and 1.34 service aces.
The Cardinals are led offensively by Autumn Lockley, who averages the third-highest kills per set with 3.37, getting passes from Madison Williams and Sierra Moses who split the setter responsibilities. Lockley also leads Incarnate Word on defense leading the team with 2.75 digs while Shaina Garza and Brittany Muller chip in 2.66 and 2.63 digs respectively. At the net, Lauren Walker leads UIW with 1.06 blocks per set, ranking seventh in the Southland Conference.
Following the conclusion of the homestand, UNO hits the road for the second leg of the regular season series with McNeese State on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. The Privateers return to the Human Performance Center on Tuesday, Nov. 1, when Northwestern State comes to town for a 7 p.m. match. Admission to all home volleyball matches is free.
--www.UNOPrivateers.com--
