CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team will set their sights on the opening round of the Southland Tournament. The 7-seed Privateers will face the 6-seed UIW Cardinals on Thursday evening at Dugan Wellness Center. The match is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start and will be streamed on ESPN Plus.
The Privateers had a solid finish to the regular season in which they won four of their last six matches. They scored victories over Texas A&M-Commerce, UIW, Nicholls and Lamar to not only secure their spot in the tournament but also move up a spot in the final standings.
Courtney Roundtree had a strong finish to the season with a .491 attack percentage over the last seven matches. That included a .594 attack percentage in the last week as the Privateers swept Nicholls and Lamar. Roundtree went for double-digit kills in five of those matches. In that stretch, Roundtree had a career-high 17 kills against Texas A&M-Commerce.
Karen Cordero Barr finished in the top five in the league in kills per set, aces per set, and total points per set for the regular season. Cordero had five double-doubles and the first match of 20-plus kills and digs by a Privateer since 2009.
New Orleans and UIW split the regular season series with each team defending their home court. The Cardinals won in three sets in San Antonio but the Privateers came back with a resounding five-set victory at the Human Performance Center.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
UIW (15-15) finished 7-11 in Southland play during the regular season. The Cardinals also ended the season with a 2-0 week as they beat Texas A&M-Commerce and Northwestern State.
Annamarie Alvarez led the Southland in hitting percentage for the season with a .409. Kade Thomas also cracked the top ten in that department with a .301 hitting percentage. The Cardinals allowed the fourth fewest kills per set in conference play.
WE ARE YOUR KREWE
For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests. Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win. Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day. Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe!
Visit UNOPrivateers.com/signup to stay connected and follow us @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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