University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
UL Opens Home Slate with Tournament
9/1/2011 8:32:00 PM | Volleyball
The Ragin' Cajuns host Texas Southern on Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, UL plays Mississippi Valley State at Noon before closing out the tournament with in-state foe Nicholls State at 6 p.m.
UL is coming off a 2-2 opening weekend at the LSU Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge. The Cajuns clinched a five set victory (23-25, 25-18, 13-25, 25-23,15-13) over Jacksonville State and picked up a 3-0 sweep of Alcorn State (25-10, 25-10, 25-8). The Cajuns fell 3-0 in a pair of losses to LSU and Miami.
Junior Blair Claypoole was named to the LSU Tiger Classic All-Tournament team, throwing down 36 kills and inking a team-best five blocks. Lesley Mirarchi also helped the Cajuns' offense, recording 33 kills with three blocks.
Defensively, Taylor Meade collected 55 digs in her first weekend as libero. Meade averaged 3.93 digs per set after four matches played.
Live stats and video of this weekend's tournament can be found at www.RaginCajuns.com. Click here to access the Bon Temps Invitational Tournament Central page.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
MISS. VALLEY STATE (2-0)
MVSU collected a pair of 3-0 sweeps of Philander Smith College in Fayetteville, Ark., last weekend. Junior Jane Peterson was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 43 digs in her first two matches of the season.
The Devilettes are led offensively by Emily Hnatiw who recorded 25 kills in her first two matches this season.
NICHOLLS STATE (1-3)
Nicholls State is 1-3 after spending their opening weekend at the El Paso Sports Commission Invitational. NSU opened the season, falling 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-15) to Portland State. Their first victory of the season came against Southern 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-9) on Aug. 27. The Colonels were then swept by host UTEP and New Mexico State to close out the tourney.
Rachel Yezak leads the Colonels with 26 kills in 12 sets, while Jasmine Harris has 13 total blocks in four matches played this season.
UL holds a 53-18 advantage against Nicholls, including a 3-1 victory over the Colonels to capture the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational championship last season.
TEXAS SOUTHERN (0-3)
TSU dropped their first three matches of the year at the Lamar Tournament. The Lady Tigers were swept in straight sets by Houston Baptist, Lamar and North Texas. Precious Spenser led the team with 12 kills and a block in three matches played. TSU has 46 kills in nine sets played for a total of 5.11 kills per set.
The Ragin' Cajuns are 5-0 against the Lady Tigers. The last two teams met on Oct. 15, 1998 when UL swept Texas Southern, 3-0.
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