NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team sets for a busy week with three matches including two at the Human Performance Center. The Privateers will start the week against Nicholls on Tuesday and Southeastern on Thursday. Both matches will take place at 6:30 p.m. The week concludes at McNeese on Saturday at 1 p.m.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION NIGHT
The match against Nicholls will highlight the importance of equality not just in the sport of volleyball but across campus. The Privateers will be wearing "Block Out Racism" shirts before Tuesday's match. There will also be free pizza and an opportunity to win door prizes in partnership with the UNO National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
THIS WEEK
The Privateers are coming off a grueling five-set win against UIW that went to extra rallies to move to 1-1 in conference play after the opening week.
Kristi Gomez recorded her first double-double of the season (15 kills, 13 digs) and
Irene Kitson had eight kills with six blocks.
This week's slate of matches features three in-state rivals. The Privateers have winning all-time records against Nicholls (40-33) and Southeastern (43-24). McNeese is 30-20 against New Orleans all-time.
New Orleans has the fourth lowest opponent hitting percentage in the conference at .185. The Privateers held UIW to a .135 attack percentage in last Saturday's victory.
Defensively,
Rita Zecchin and
Sheilah Purcell are both in the top 10 in digs per set in the Southland. Zecchin has 3.76 digs per set while Purcell sits at 3.43.
THE COMPETITION
Nicholls also split their opening conference week. The Colonels beat UIW and lost a five-set match at HCU on Saturday. Offensively, Paris Dixon leads the team and is sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.288).
Southeastern (12-3) was swept by HCU on Thursday but turned around and swept their match 3-0 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. All three of the Lions' losses this year have come on the road.
McNeese (5-11) also split their opening week in conference. The Cowgirls played two five-set matches against Texas A&M-Commerce (win) and Northwestern State (loss). Bailey Tillman is second in the conference in digs per set with 4.77.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow
@PrivateersVB on Twitter,
@PrivateersVB on Instagram, like
/PrivateersVB on Facebook and subscribe to the
PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.
