Next Up: A Pair of Road Games for Volleyball
Nov 10, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 10, 2011
Season Statistics | Conference USA Weekly Release
11/11/11 & 11/13/11
Tulane Green Wave at Memphis Tigers & UAB Blazers
Start Times: 7:00 (Friday), 1:00 (Sunday)
Vs. Memphis: Memphis Leads 21-17
Vs. UAB: Tulane Leads 16-13
Looking at the Green Wave
Tulane lost a pair of three-set matches last weekend to Conference USA leader Tulsa, falling by scores of 10-25, 24-26, 17-25 on Saturday and tallies of 17-25, 20-25, 14-25 on Sunday. The Green Wave averaged 9.67 kills per-set and fell to 9-17 overall and 4-11 in Conference USA play. Cori Martone had a team-high 20 kills and Izabela Grot added 14 to mark the only two TU players that reached double digits in kills.
Mel Mandelbaum has been the primary setter for the Green Wave over the last two weeks. She is eighth on the all-time assists charts with 1,594 and is closing in on the seventh spot. The sophomore is just 146 helpers away from Cappy Meyer's 1,740 from 1994-95.
Tulane has four players that rank among the Conference USA top-ten entering the weekend. Martone is among the top-ten in kills per-set (5th, 3.32) and points per-set (6th, 3.96). Anna Wruck averages 1.07 blocks per-set, ranking eighth in that category, and Nikki Osuna is chipping in 4.43 digs per-set, to enter the weekend seventh on the charts. Mandelbaum currently sits in tenth in assists per-set (6.34).
Scouting the Tigers
Memphis defeated UCF last Friday to snap a six match losing streak and enter the weekend with a 16-12 overall record and a 5-10 mark in C-USA play. The Tigers won the first meeting of the season in New Orleans, claiming the three-set decision by scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-17.
Junior Altrese Hawkins is the team's leading attacker, averaging 4.28 kills per-set, and has accumulated 128 digs and 43 blocks in 101 sets this year. Hajnalka Molnar is leading Conference USA in assists entering the weekend. The junior has handed out 1,186 helpers to go along with 220 digs and 38 service aces. The defense is anchored by redshirt-freshman Aleksandra Petronijevic with 350 digs, or 3.47 digs per-set.
Scouting the Blazers
The Blazers are entering the weekend on a two-game winning streak, after sweeping UTEP in a pair of home matches last weekend, and are 20-7 overall with a 10-5 record in Conference USA action. UAB opened the conference slate with seven straight wins, but have lost five of their last eight matches to fall into a tie for second in the C-USA standings.
Sam Serley paces the offensive attack with 248 kills in 101 sets played, while also owing a team-best 134 blocks and .363 attacking percentage. The junior has only 64 errors in 507 attacks and owns 31 solo blocks and 103 blocking assists. Heather Thomas is among the C-USA leaders in digs, boasting 540 in 101 sets, and the two-setter system of Becca Howard (469 assists) and Alison Woods (564 assists) control the offense.
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