NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team (15-15, 9-9) will play in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament on Thursday when they face the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions (10-22, 6-12). First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the University Center in Hammond.
The winner of the match will take on 3-seed McNeese on Friday evening.
INSIDE THE SEASON MEETINGS
New Orleans won both meetings in the regular season and the two teams played seven sets.
Sophia Ewalefo had 16 kills and 12 digs in the first match against the Lions this season.
Maite Solabarrieta collected eight service aces combined.
In the second match, which finished in three sets, New Orleans held Texas A&M-Commerce to an .065 attack percentage. It was the third lowest opponent attack percentage against the Privateers in a match this season.
IN THE SOUTHLAND TOURANMENT
New Orleans will be participating in their fourth Southland Tournament since joining the league in 2013. The Privateers are 0-3 in conference tournament matches. Last season, they took UIW to five sets in the first round of the tournament. New Orleans also qualified for the tournament in 2015 and 2019.
PREVIEW
Sheilah Purcell, who just recently eclipsed 1,000 career digs, is 40
th in the nation in digs per set at 4.71. Purcell leads a defense that ranks 17
th nationally in digs per set at 16.77. Purcell has 462 total digs on the season.
Mauri Carver ranks sixth in the Southland in total blocks with 107 and is first in solo blocks (41). Carver had 14 blocks over the team's last two matches. In the first match against the Lions, Carver recorded seven total blocks.
Trinity Jackson is on a run of four straight double-doubles entering the tournament. In that span, Jackson has 53 kills and 59 digs. Jackson hit .308 in the regular season finale against Southland regular season champion, HCU.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
The Lions come in looking to snap a five-match losing streak. Their last win was on Oct. 29 when they beat UIW in three sets. They were close to breaking through in the last week as they took HCU and Northwestern State to five sets.
Taryn Cast has been consistently one of the top blockers statistically in the league. Cast is sixth in the Southland in blocks per set at 1.02. In two matches against the Privateers, Cast has recorded four total blocks.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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