University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
UL Ready for SBC Quarterfinals
11/17/2010 5:28:00 PM | Volleyball
The No. 7 seed Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team will face the No. 2 seed Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 18 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
First serve is slated for Noon at Alumni Memorial Gym on the Middle Tennessee campus.
The SBC Tournament appearance is the first for the Rain' Cajuns (17-15, 7-9 Sun Belt) since 2002. Louisiana dropped a 3-1 (30-26, 20-30, 28-30, 22-30) decision to UALR in that contest. The previous win for the Cajuns in the tournament came in 2001 when UL knocked off UALR 3-1 (30-23, 26-30, 30-27, 30-17).
There have been a lot of firsts for the Ragin' Cajuns this season, including reaching 10 wins at home for the first time since 1988 and securing the team's first winning season since 2002.
Leading the way for UL's offense this season is Lesley Mirarchi. The junior led the squad with 358 kills for an average of 3.01 kills per set during the regular season. She has tallied the most kills of any UL player since 2002. Mirarchi also managed a UL-best 103 blocks, posting 0.87 blocks per set.
Libero Lindsay Brown is just four digs away from recording the most digs in a single season at UL and becoming the first ever to reach 600-plus digs. Brown, a senior from Yorba Linda, Calif., has posted 596 digs (5.01 per set) in 119 sets this season, ranking 42nd in the country and second in the Sun Belt. Brown set the school's rally-era record for digs earlier this year, currently has 1,854 digs in her career.
Anchoring the offense for Louisiana has been setter Mandi Gavin. In 119 sets played this season, Gavin has totaled 1,183 assists. Her assists per set average of 9.56 ranks fourth in the Sun Belt. The sophomore has served 43 service aces (0.36 per set), which ranks second in the SBC.
Caroline Dufrene has made a lasting impression in her senior season. The Lake Charles native finished second on the team with a career-best 267 kills (2.28 kills per set). She inked 63 total blocks and 21 assists.
Freshman Taylor Meade's versatile play has helped the Cajuns this season. In 32 matches, Meade accumulated 253 kills for 2.13 kills per set. Meade ranks 35th in the nation and first in the Sun Belt with 47 service aces (0.39 per set). Defensively, she is second on the team with 308 digs (2.59 per set).
Louisiana meets Western Kentucky for the second time this season. The Hilltoppers swept the Cajuns (25-11, 25-12, 25-9) in Bowling Green, Ky., earlier this year.
Thursday's match will be the third time WKU and UL have met in Sun Belt Tournament action. In 1991, WKU defeated Louisiana 3-0 (15-6, 15-5, 15-9), and again edged the Cajuns in 2001 with a 3-1 win (30-28, 30-28, 24-30, 30-28) in the semifinals.
The Sun Belt Conference Tournament runs through Saturday, Nov. 20 and all matches will be available for webstream on SBC Extra. Fans can purchase a tournament pass for only $9.95 to tune-in. The championship match at 3 p.m. (CT) will also be broadcast by the Sun Belt Network (times subject to change due to television demands).
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
