Season Finale Provides Volleyball Opportunity To Finish Strong
Nov 14, 2002 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University volleyball team's match against Conference USA foe Memphis Friday at 7 p.m. in Fogelman Arena will no doubt be an emotional one.
After all, it will be the Green Wave's final home game of the season, the final regular season match of the year and the final appearance for record-setting senior outside Britney Hurst in Fogelman Arena. But more importantly, Friday's match will provide the Green Wave with an opportunity to extend its winning streak to seven matches heading into next week's C-USA Tournament in Chicago, Ill.
"We've accomplished a few of our goals for the year," head coach Betsy Becker said. "We've reached 20 wins, we've played well on the road and we've already clinched the No. 5 spot in the conference tournament. However, we're not done yet and we can't afford to sit back and look past Memphis.
"We went to Houston on Tuesday, watched their senior night presentation and then went out there and beat them. We don't want to let that happen tomorrow night. Memphis is a tough team that will no doubt be looking to gain some momentum going into the tournament just like we are. So, we just have to maintain our poise and focus on the task at hand which is to beat Memphis tomorrow night."
Tulane enters the match 20-13 overall and 8-4 in C-USA play. Hurst leads Tulane and the conference while ranking seventh in the NCAA with 5.45 kills per game, and is already the Green Wave's single-season record holder with 643 kills in 2002. With 423 digs on the year, for a 3.58 digs-per-game average which is second on the team, Hurst is only 15 away for the single-season mark of 438 set by Kim Sentmore in 2000.
Sophomore middle blocker Deva Fowler is second on the team in kills with 3.10 per game, and paces the squad with 1.10 blocks per game. Sophomore outside hitter Anastasia Kenon is next with a 2.57 kills-per-game average, and junior middle Kim Swafford follows with a 2.11 average.
Junior libero Karlyn Daly leads the Green Wave with 3.59 digs per game, and her 395 digs currently ranks third in the single-season record book. Freshman setter Kelli Dickson is the Tulane floor leader and is averaging 10.48 assists per game, including an 11.86 average as a starter.
Memphis, meanwhile, comes to Fogelman Arena 19-12 on the year and 4-7 in conference play. Brittany Barnett leads the Tigers with a 4.12 kills per game average and Heather Watts paces Memphis with 2.89 digs per contest.
Following the match against the Tigers, the Green Wave returns to action on Friday, Nov. 22 when they open play against the 12th seed at the Conference USA Tournament in Chicago, Ill.
