Volleyball To Wrap 2014 Season With Trips To Temple, UConn
Nov 25, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane University volleyball team will close out the 2014 season with American Athletic Conference road matches at Temple and UConn on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Both matches are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. (CST).
The Green Wave enter the final week of the season 5-25 on the year, 3-15 in American action and looking to snap a 11-match skid dating back to a 3-0 loss to Temple back on Oct. 19. Tulane will have an opportunity to avenge the defeat on Wednesday against the Owls, and will look to complete the season sweep of the Huskies after posting a 3-2 win over UConn on Oct. 17 in Devlin Fieldhouse.
Sophomore Tea Juric leads the team with 3.23 kills per set while freshman Sarah Ray is close behind with a 3.03 average. Sophomores Ally Frank and Lauren Etta have shared time at the setter position throughout the season and sport respective averages of 8.74 and 7.00 assists per set and Ray paces the squad with 24 aces. On the defensive end, sophomore libero Miah Diirell leads Tulane with 4.04 digs per set and sophomore middle blocker Sarah Strasner headlines the front-line unit with 1.01 blocks per contest.
Temple enters the weekend 22-8 overall, 13-5 in American play and looking to snap a two-match losing streak after dropping road matches at Tulsa, 3-2, and SMU, 3-1, last weekend. As a team, the Owls are averaging 13.67 kills, 12.80 assists, 1.19 service aces, 17.09 digs and 2.00 blocks per set while hitting .240 courtesy of 1,545 kills and 520 errors in 4,275 swings.
Caroline Grattan leads the Owls with 3.38 kills per set with Tyler Davis and Dara Peric following with averages of 3.07 and 2.54, respectively. Sandra Sydlik paces the team with 10.85 assists per set and Jennifer Iacobini leads the squad with 30 aces. Alyssa Drachslin leads Temple with 4.68 digs per set and Kirsten Overton paces the defense with 0.86 blocks per outing.
UConn, which will host Houston on Wednesday, enters the week 10-19 on the year, 3-15 in conference action and losers of its last six contests. As a team, the Huskies are averaging 12.46 kills, 11.41 assists, 1.08 service aces, 16.23 digs and 1.70 blocks per set while connecting at a .166 clip with 1,433 kills and 695 errors in 4,433 total attempts.
Kenya Cason leads a balanced offensive attack with 2.76 kills per set followed by Devon Maugle at 2.63 and Immanuella Anagu at 2.46. Rebecca Rivera and Sage Esposito share setting responsibilities and sport respective assist-per-set averages of 5.62 and 4.58, and Brianna Datti Fairs holds team-high ace honors with 28 to go with a squad-leading 4.37 digs per set. Anagu, meanwhile, paces the defense with 0.88 blocks per contest.
Green Wave fans can follow all the action for free on-line as live stats for the Temple contest will be provided by Sidearm Sports and the UConn contest is available courtesy of GameTracker.
