Tulane University
New Orleans
Beach Volleyball Set to Open 2021 Season at Home in Green Wave Invitational
Feb 25, 2021 | Women's Beach Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS — Tulane beach volleyball is set to kick off its 2021 season this weekend as the team opens action at home in the Green Wave Invitational.
The Olive and Blue will face UNO at 8:30 a.m. and UABÂ at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at the White Sands Volleyball Courts before matching up against Pac-12 opponent Utah at 10:30 a.m. and Southeastern Louisiana at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"We are elated to get the unique 2021 season started at home this weekend," head coach Eyal Zimet said. "Our squad can't wait to face off, safely, against other schools again. It feels like ages ago since the 2020 season was cut short and we are grateful to be given the opportunity to compete again this weekend. Emotions are running high as we welcome UNO, UAB, SELA, and Utah to Tulane and our facility at White Sands. Proud of our team's work and focus this spring preseason and excited to see us in action finally."
The Green Wave Invitational is the first of three home tournaments for Tulane this season, with the team also hosting the Bayou Beach Duals on March 5-6 and the NOLA Classic on March 19-20.
In head coach Eyal Zimet's second season in New Orleans, alongside assistant coach Katie Horton, the team welcomes back 10 returners and adds nine newcomers.
In a 2020 season that was cut short, the Green Wave finished with an 8-3 overall record and a 2-1 record in Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) play. Tulane defeated North Alabama, RV UAB, Spring Hill College, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, RV Houston Baptist, Louisiana Monroe, Texas A&M Kingsville and UNO, falling only to No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 LSU and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Tulane's No. 1 pair last year — in now graduate student Tarin Mergener and sophomore Kendall Peters — went 3-0 from court one and 5-3 from court two, sweeping their opponent in all eight wins. Mergener enters her final season Uptown after earning a spot on the CCSA Preseason Watch List.
UNO earned a 7-3 record last season on the sand, with Tulane most recently defeating the Privateers 4-1 in the New Orleans Invitational. The Olive and Blue are undefeated against their New Orleans rival, holding an 11-0 all-time record against UNO.
Going 5-4 in 2020 was UAB, falling to the Green Wave in a 4-1 decision in the team's last meeting to open the 2020 season. Tulane owns a 12-4 career record against the Blazers.
Utah went 1-9 in 2020 while Southeastern Louisiana finished with an 0-3 record. Tulane's matches against the Utes and the Lions this weekend will be the first-ever meetings between the two teams.
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