University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Volleyball Set for Pivotal Sun Belt Weekend
10/11/2007 5:00:00 AM | Volleyball
LAFAYETTE - Following a dominating performance Monday night, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team will look to continue its winning direction when it welcomes Denver and North Texas to Earl K. Long Gym this weekend. UL fans can follow the action online with Live Stats on RaginCajuns.com. In addition, fans can watch LIVE streaming video of the game exclusively on Ragin' Station, the Official Broadband Video Channel of the Ragin' Cajuns.
Louisiana (3-20, 2-6 Sun Belt) will face the Pioneers (10-9, 4-2) Friday at 7 p.m., following Denver's Thursday night match at Louisiana-Monroe. The Mean Green of North Texas (7-13, 3-3) will invade Cajun Country Saturday at 7 p.m.
Monday, the Cajuns snapped their six-match losing streak, while continuing Louisiana-Monroe's winless season in the process as UL eased past the Warhawks 3-0 (30-14, 30-16, 30-15). UL had arguably its best performance of the season against ULM as the Cajuns registered just four attack errors, recording a season-best .470 attack percentage (43k, 4e, 83ta).
Freshman Caroline Dufrene (Lake Charles, La.) tallied a match-high 12 kills, recording an impressive .706 attack percentage (12k, 0e, 17ta), while junior Elizabeth Inman (Fort Worth, Texas) added 10 kills.
Denver has won its last two matches - both home Sun Belt contests against Florida Atlantic and Florida International. The Pioneers, however, are winless on the road in the Sun Belt this season and have only three matches away from Magness Arena. DU has five players with 100 or more kills this season, including Holly Benson and Kim Muller who have compiled 260 and 250 kills, respectively. Benson leads the squad with 3.82 kills per game, while Muller owns a team-best .315 attack percentage.
Two-time Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week Kacie Wikierak trails Louisiana's Erika Castro (San Antonio, Texas) by one dig for the league lead. Castro, a SBC Defensive Player of the Week honoree herself, leads the Sun Belt with 336 digs in 71 games, while Wikierak is second with 335 digs in 68 games.
Denver holds a 10-5 all-time series advantage, including victories in the last seven matches. Louisiana has not defeated the Pioneers since Nov. 10, 2002 when the Cajuns swept Denver 3-0 at E.K. Long Gym.
After starting the season 0-6, North Texas has been playing .500 volleyball ever since, owning a 7-13 overall mark. Like the Pioneers, the Mean Green was victorious last weekend against FIU and FAU. North Texas is also winless on the road in Sun Belt Conference play. Katy Prokof leads the Mean Green with 203 kills, averaging 3.38 kills per game. Four other Mean Green players have at least 100 kills, as well.
The Mean Green is 16-6 all-time against the Cajuns and has won 10 straight in the series. Louisiana's last win over North Texas came in five games on Nov. 4, 2001, at Denton.
Following this weekend's home Sun Belt Conference twin bill, Louisiana will continue its six-match homestand next weekend, hosting Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.
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