Tulane University
Cincinnati
Volleyball Hits the Road for Final Pair of Weekend Matches, Faces Cincinnati and ECU
Nov 15, 2018 | Women's Volleyball
Match Notes
NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane volleyball team (23-7, 11-4) prepares to hit the road for the Green Wave's last pair of regular season weekend match-ups, facing Cincinnati (22-7, 12-3) on Friday at 11 a.m. and ECU (12-14, 4-11) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
"Our team has worked very hard to put us in this position," said head coach Jim Barnes, who is one win away from 400 in his career. "To think we were picked 10th in the preseason and we now play for second place in the AAC on Friday is a testament to our team's hard work. Cincinnati is a great team in the Top 25. We match up well and we expect a major battle as we go for our second Top 25 win."
Tulane's 2-0 weekend at home against Temple and UConn put the Green Wave in the sole third-place spot in the conference standings, extending the team's winning streak to 11 matches.
The Green Wave lead the conference defensively with an opponent hitting percentage of .149 while standing at sixth in the nation. The team ranks second in the conference in assists, blocks and service aces with 13.13, 2.55 and 1.46 per set, while also ranking third in kills with 13.71 per set.
Individually, junior libero Kaylie McHugh checks in at ninth in the nation and leads the AAC in service aces with 0.48 per set and 52 total, just three away from breaking the conference record. McHugh also ranks sixth in digs in The American with an average of 4.31 per set and a total of 453.
Senior middle hitter Dayna Kern leads the Green Wave with 119 total blocks this season, earning the second-place spot in the conference with an average of 1.26 per set. Kern also sits at eighth in the standings with a .302 hitting percentage.
Junior right side hitter Erika Hansel leads Tulane with 267 total kills, averaging 2.67 per set, while freshman setter Taylor Henigsman posts a team-high 633 assists while averaging 5.81 per set.Â
Cincinnati Bearcats (22-7, 12-3)
Cincinnati owns a second-place conference standing, losing only three AAC matches this season, two to first-place UCF and one to Tulane on the road.
The Bearcats lead The American with a .265 team hitting percentage (17th in the nation), checking in at second in kills with an average of 13.80 per set.
Junior right side hitter Jordan Thompson leads the nation with 6.22 kills per set and 715 total kills this season.
ECU Pirates (12-14, 4-11)
The Pirates are tied with Memphis for an eighth-place standing in The American, owning a 4-11 record, with their four wins coming consecutively at the start of conference play.
Sophomore setter Shelby Martin checks in at fourth place in the AAC with an average of 8.81 assists per set, with 731 total, while junior libero Maggie Hallow takes the seventh place spot in digs with 4.29 per set, totaling 390 this season.
Series History
Tulane defeated Cincinnati in four sets at home this season for the first time in 23 years, with the Green Wave earning their most recent previous win against the Bearcats in 1975. Tulane owns a 3-27 overall record against UC, going 0-11 on the road.
The Green Wave defeated ECU in four sets at home earlier this season, earning a 19-5 career record against the Pirates. Tulane is 8-4 on the road against ECU.
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