Tulane University
USF
Volleyball Heads to Tampa for Weekend Matchups at USF
Mar 18, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
| TULANE GREEN WAVE (7-8ย OVERALL, 5-3 AMERICAN) | |
| When: | Friday, March 19 | 10 a.m. at USFย (5-3ย Overall, 3-3ย American) Saturday, March 20 | 10 a.m. at USFย (5-3ย Overall, 3-3ย American) |
| Where: | Tampa, Fla. | The Corral |
| Stats: | USF (Match 1) | USF (Match 2) |
| Watch: | ESPN+ (Match 1) | ESPN+ (Match 2) |
| Notes: | Week 8 Game Notes |
| Social: | Twitterย |ย Instagramย |ย Facebook |
NEW ORLEANS โย The Tulane volleyball team (7-8, 5-3 AAC) is set to head back on the road this weekend, traveling to Tampa, Florida for two non-conference matches against American Athletic Conference East Division opponent USF (5-3, 3-3 AAC).
The Green Wave will face the Bulls on Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Corral. Both matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
In their last time out, the Olive and Blue swept Wichita State at home, earning a 3-1 win Friday before recording a five-set win Saturday to move up to second in the AAC West Division with a 5-3 conference record.
In Tulane's four-set win over the Shockers on Friday, the Green Wave hit .358 -- the team's highest hitting percentage this season.ย
Leading the Green Wave's offense this year is senior Lexie Douglas, who has recorded 214 kills in 2021 to average 3.75 per set, ranking fourth in the conference in kills per set and fourth in points per set (4.26). Douglas has notched double-digit kills in 13 of Tulane's 15 matches this season, totaling seven double-doubles in her final season Uptown.ย
A force for the Green Wave at the net in 2021 is junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins. Dinkins has totaled 71.0 blocks this season, averaging 1.20 to rank third in the conference. The third-year middle has earned five or more blocks in seven matches this year, being named to the AAC honor roll on Monday after totaling 25 kills while hitting .365 and recording nine blocks and three service aces in two matches against the Shockers.
Tulane's freshmen are making their way to the top of the offensive stats this year, as freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Martin recorded two consecutive double-doubles last weekend at home to total five in 2021, earning 127 kills and 139 digs in her first year in Olive and Blue. Freshman middle hitter Anna Davis notched 11 kills in both matches against WSU, hitting .625 and .303, respectively, while adding two blocks, to total 109 kills and 25.0 blocks this season.
Defensively, freshman libero Sophia Ervanian ranks fifth in the conference with an average of 4.57 digs per set in her first season with the Wave, totaling 201 digs in 44 sets of action. The Green Wave newcomer has recorded double-digit digs in eight straight matches, recording 30 or more digs in two matches.
Junior setter Taylor Henigsman has stepped up big for the Green Wave this season, notching a career-high 54 assists in the team's win over Wichita State on Friday before totaling 46 in Tulane's five-set victory Saturday. The junior ranks eighth in the conference with an average of 7.49 assists per set, totaling 397 this season.
The Green Wave were picked to finish second in the West Division in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Dinkins and Douglas were both named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
USF is 5-5 overall and 3-3 in The American in 2021, most recently falling to Cincinnati in back-to-back five-set matches at home. The Green Wave are 7-30 all time against the Bulls, owing a 3-17 record on the road. In their last meeting, Tulane swept USF on the road in 2019.
Freshman outside hitter Marta Cvitkovic ranks third in the AAC in kills per set, averaging 3.84, and also stands third in the conference in points per set (4.53) and first in service aces per set (0.40). Junior defensive specialist Cc Clausen leads the Bulls defensively with 4.27 digs per set while sophomore middle blocker Ally Barnhart has notched 0.93 blocks per set this year to lead South Florida.
Follow Tulane volleyball on social media at @GreenWaveVBย onย Twitter,ย Instagramย andย Facebook. Follow Tulane Athletics onย Twitter,ย Facebook,ย Instagram.
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