Tulane Volleyball is Back at Home to Host SMU
Nov 9, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
The Green Wave volleyball team (6-20) will be back in New Orleans this Friday and Sunday to host the conference front-runner, SMU (19-6).
Game Notes
Tulane versus Rice this Past Weekend:
The Green Wave was bested by the second-ranked team in the AAC, Rice, on Friday and Saturday. In both matches, the Owls defeated Tulane, 3-1.
In Friday's match, Tulane's offense was led by freshman outside hitter, Avery Burks. Burks finished the match with 11 kills and 12.5 total points. Following closely behind was middle blocker, Sabrina Skyers. Skyers finished the match with 10 kills, 11.5 points, and an impressive .471 hitting percentage.
In Saturday's match, Tulane was led offensively, once again, by freshman outside hitter Avery Burks. Burks finished the match with 15 kills and 17 total points. Burks also recorded 15 digs in the match.
Middle blocker Jordan White had six kills in the match which tied the freshman's career high.
Libero Lauryn Burrow had a total of 33 digs in both matches against Rice to lead the defensive efforts for the Green Wave.
Statistics:
The defensive front for Tulane is led by middle blocker Sabrina Skyers and libero Lauryn Burrows. Skyers finds herself third in the AAC in blocks per set averaging 1.12. Burrows is second in the AAC in digs per set with 4.42.
Burks remains in the top 10 in the conference in kills per set. The freshman currently sits at 7th in the AAC in kills per set averaging 3.30.
Defensive specialist Savannah Perry is Tulane's go-to player at the service line. She is second in the AAC in aces per set averaging .41.
SMU Matchup:
SMU comes to New Orleans with a 19-6 record. The Mustangs only have one conference loss which places them in the top of the overall conference standings as well as the West conference standings.
Their sole conference loss came against Wichita State. The Shockers defeated the Mustangs, 3-1 the day after they were swept by SMU.
SMU and Tulane have a long history. The Green Wave and the Mustangs are currently tied 18-18 in the series. They met last season and Tulane was defeated in both matches.
One of SMU's go-to servers, Casey Batenhorst, has close family ties with Avery Burks. Batenhorst and Burk's fathers were former teammates in both basketball and track and field at Nebraska Wesleyan University, a small Division III school in Nebraska. Burks' father was an All-American high jumper.
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