NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team will take their first conference road trip this week when they head to Stephen F. Austin and Lamar on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
The Privateers (6-9) went 1-1 through a pair of grueling five-set matches at home to open Southland play against Nicholls and McNeese.
Alessandra Meoni hit .458 with 30 kills while
Defne Eciroglu piled up 100 assists and
Peyton Cole led the way in digs with 33.
Through the first week of conference play, New Orleans had the fourth-best hitting percentage of any conference team at .278. They were also tied with Stephen F. Austin for the fewest blocks per set conceded.
In total this season, New Orleans is third in the Southland in kills per set at 12.53, trailing only Southeastern and Stephen F. Austin.
Courtney Roundtree is at 158 kills this season while Meoni has 123.
Laura Piva is nearing the century mark for kills this season at well with 97 heading into the week.
Since returning to the lineup,
Ava Kennon has been highly efficient in her swings. Kennon has a .522 attack percentage in 23 attempts over three matches. She had five kills in six swings last Saturday against McNeese. For her career, Kennon has a .320 attack percentage in 316 attempts.
New Orleans is 5-18 all-time against Stephen F. Austin. Their last win against the LadyJacks was in 1994. The Privateers are 22-31 all-time against Lamar and the teams have evenly split the last 12 meetings dating back to 2018.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Stephen F. Austin (7-6) played one nationally ranked opponent (SMU) and another who received votes in the poll (Indiana) during their pre-conference schedule. The LadyJacks beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV in the first week of conference play. Kyanna Creecy, Jordan Henderson and Molly Cravens all rank in the top ten in the Southland in blocks per set.
Lamar (7-10) lost to UTRGV and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the opening week of Southland play. The Cardinals are third in the Southland in opponent hitting percentage and second in total blocks per set allowed. Maja Malinowska ranks fifth in the Southland in kills per set at 3.25.
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