![Freshman setter Luna Rebrovic ranks fifth in Conference USA with 12.00 assists per game. [File photo by Karen Mika]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Ftulanegreenwave.com%2Fimages%2F2005%2F10%2F27%2F328835.jpeg&height=300&type=webp)
Volleyball Prepares For Second Half Of C-USA Slate
Oct 27, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 27, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Tulane University volleyball team returns to action on Friday, Oct. 28, when the Green Wave open the second half of their Conference USA schedule at Houston with first serve slated for 7 p.m. at Athletics/Alumni Center.
Friday's match is the first of two Tulane will play in Houston as the Green Wave battle Rice on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Autrey Court. Tulane dropped matches to the Cougars and Owls to open the C-USA season, but spirits are high as the Green Wave continue to show improvement.
"This is a key time for us," first-year Tulane head coach Liz Kritza said. "While we are not where we want to be in terms of wins and losses, we have gotten better each day. Every time we step onto the court, we have shown marked improvement, and we need to continue to do that as we attempt to gain momentum in preparation for the Conference USA Tournament.
"The familiarity of opponents we gained during the first half of the conference season will be extremely beneficial. We have all played each other once, and now we have to use that knowledge to our advantage."
The last time Tulane played Rice and Houston was on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, respectively, in the C-USA opening weekend for all three teams. The Green Wave had played just three matches at that point, had to evacuate the city of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina, relocated to Texas A&M, and had nine matches cancelled due to the Katrina, Hurricane Rita and the move to College Station, Texas.
Since then, a young Tulane team that features six true freshmen, has had its ups and downs, but has really come together over the past month.
"It has been an interesting season, to say the least," Kritza said. "When you have a young team, that is one thing. But to have a young team and go through what the Tulane Athletics family has gone through in the past couple of months is something altogether different. There have been many challenges along the way, but this is a team that embraces challenge and will be better for them."
The Green Wave enter the weekend 2-9 on the year and 1-7 in C-USA action. As a team, the Green Wave average 14.41 kills, 13.62 assists, 1.78 service aces, 17.24 digs and 1.97 blocks per game.
Freshman outside hitter Sara Radosevic paces the club with 187 kills and a 5.05 kill-per-game average, which ranks second in C-USA and 12th in the NCAA. Senior libero Kelli Dickson, meanwhile, leads the team with 5.49 digs per game, an average that has her sitting second in conference and 16th in the nation.
Rookie middle blocker Lauren Boatwright leads the team defensively at the net with 1.24 blocks per game, which ranks second in C-USA, while fellow freshman Luna Rebrovic averages a team-best 12.00 assists per outing to rank fifth in the league.
Following Tulane's two-match stint in Houston, the Green Wave return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 2, when they play host to C-USA foe UTEP at 7 p.m. at the G. Rollie White Coliseum on the campus of Texas A&M University. Admission to Tulane "home" matches at White Coliseum is free, but a donation box will be at the main ticket window for anyone wishing to make a monetary contribution to the Tulane Athletic Department.
