Tulane University
ULM
No. 19 Beach Volleyball to Host ULM in First Regular Season Home Duals Since 2016
Apr 3, 2018 | Women's Beach Volleyball
| TULANE GREEN WAVE (12-10, 3-5 CCSA) | |
| Event: | Green Wave Duals |
| When: | Wednesday, April 4 vs ULM - 11 a.m. vs ULM - 1:30 p.m. |
| Where: | White Sands Volleyball Courts | New Orleans, La. |
| Live Results: | Roll Wave! |
| Social Media: | Twitter: @GreenWaveBeach Facebook: @GreenWaveBeach Instagram: @GreenWaveBeach |
| More: | AVCA Collegiate Beach Coaches Poll DiG Magazine Poll |
NEW ORLEANS - Home sweet home.
No. 19 Tulane beach volleyball returns to its home court in the regular season for the first time since 2016 on Wednesday, when it hosts ULM in a doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at White Sands Volleyball Courts. The duals are free to attend.
QUOTE
"ULM played us tough last time. That's a good program. We were able to get a 3-2 victory over them, but they played us tough. We're better prepared this time, and we know how they play. Knowing we're going in against a good opponent, I think we're ready for it. More preparation and being at home, I think it'll be enough for us to play at our best, and we'll need to do that against ULM." -Head Coach Wayne Holly
BACK IN TOWN
After a two-year hiatus, the Green Wave will play host at their home court in New Orleans, welcoming in ULM for a doubleheader. Tulane returns to White Sands for the first time since April 9, 2016, when the team defeated Georgia State, 3-2, and Houston Baptist, 5-0.
"This is the time of the season where players across the league start to get tired," Holly said. "We've been at it for a long time, so it's always great to be home. We don't have to travel, we get to sleep in our own bed, play on courts that we're familiar with in front of people that will cheer for us. There's nothing like the energy boost of playing at home, so I think it's going to be great for us."
The Green Wave will square off against ULM for the second - and third - time this season, having played ULM at the UAB Blazer Beach Duals in March. Tulane defeated ULM in the first dual, winning 3-2.
LAST TIME OUT
Tulane went 2-3 at the Surf 'N' Turf Invitational in Miami Beach, Fla., last weekend, picking up wins against No. 18 FAU and host No. 12 FIU. Following the weekend, the Green Wave earned a No.19 ranking in the AVCAÂ Collegiate Beach Volleyball Coaches Poll.
"I think that the ladies should be playing with a lot of confidence," Holly said. "We won two matches against two opponents that we'd never defeated in the five years I've been here. We played two great teams and were able to beat both of them on the road. It should be a great shot in the arm."
The Green Wave's top duo of senior Madeline Mertz and sophomore Kaylie McHugh notched two wins in day one of the competition, earning a straight-set victory against No. 9 Georgia top pair before recording a gritty win against FAU No. 1 pair. Mertz and McHugh defeated Georgia State's duo of Teegan Van Gunst and Annika Van Gunst by a score of 21-19, 21-12.
Mertz and McHugh nabbed their second win later that day against FAU. After dropping the first set, the pair fought tooth and nail to take sets two and three, win the flight and earn Tulane a dual win. Mertz and McHugh won the second set by a score of 27-25 before rallying to win the third set, 20-18, and clinch the dual win.
ROLL WITH THE WAVE
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