University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
UL Returns to Texas for Final Tournament
9/16/2011 1:08:00 AM | Volleyball
The University of Louisiana volleyball team heads to Arlington, Texas, this weekend for the final tournament of the 2011 season. The Ragin' Cajuns are participating in the UT Arlington Hilton Invitational at Texas Hall on the UTA campus.
Louisiana (6-6) opens tournament play on Friday against host-UT Arlington (2-9) at 7 p.m. On Saturday the Cajuns square off with Texas Tech (9-1) at 11 a.m., then close out tournament action at 5 p.m., against Prairie View A&M (0-9).
UL is making its first appearance in the UT Arlington Hilton Invitational since the 2006 campaign. The Cajuns are hoping for better results this time around after going 0-4 in the 2006 event.
The Cajuns are 4-6 in tournament play this season and look to rebound from a winless showing at the CenturyLink Premier in San Marcos, Texas, last weekend.
The squad ended the four-match losing streak they brought home from San Marcos with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-21) sweep of Southern on Tuesday. The sweep of the Jaguars was the Cajuns fourth of the season.
Lesley Mirarchi led the Cajuns with 12 kills against Southern, upping her season average to 2.54 kills per set and increasing her career total to 755 which is fifth-most during the rally scoring era. The senior middle blocker has led UL is kills the last two weekends.
Setter Mandi Gavin is on the verge of entering the program's all-time career Top 5 for assists. Gavin enters the weekend 114 shy of tying Jay Rayman (1993-95) for fifth place.
With an injury to Andrea Hole the Cajuns had to adjust their lineup and as a result Taylor Meade returned to her outside hitter position and freshman Caitlin Auxilien took over at libero. Meade has responded with 11 kills and Auxilien has posted double figures in digs the last two matches.
UT Arlington, which started the season with 11 consecutive matches away from Texas Hall, now opens an eight-match homestand, beginning with Friday's match against the Ragin' Cajuns. The Mavericks went just 2-9 during the first 11 matches, including a 0-4 record in true road matches.
UTA is paced by the duo of Amanda Aguilera and Tara Frantz who have compiled 111 and 110 kills, respectively.
Texas Tech, under the direction of first-year head coach Dan Flora, enters the weekend riding a nine-match winning streak. The Red Raiders' 9-1 start is the program's best start since 2000.
Opponents are only hitting .069 against the Red Raiders on the year while the squad has fired off a .250 season hitting percentage.
Prairie View A&M enters the tournament winless and has claimed only three sets (out of 30) in nine matches. The Panthers have struggled to a .034 hitting percentage averaging only 7.4 kills per set.
Following the tournament the Cajuns conclude non-conference play next Tuesday at Southeastern Louisiana. Louisiana starts Sun Belt Conference play next weekend with the Alabama road swing for matches with South Alabama (Sept. 23) and Troy (Sept. 25).
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
