Cajuns Resume Homestand With Sawyer Camillo Classic

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball continues its current homestand and hosts the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic Friday-Saturday, Sept. 2-3 at Earl K. Long Gym.

The Ragin' Cajuns welcome Air Force, Alabama A&M and Nicholls State for the tournament. Matches begin at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Louisiana's tournament opener is at 6:30 p.m. vs. Air Force.

Live statistics for all tournament matches will be available at RaginCajuns.com. Live video is being offered for the Ragin' Cajuns' matches only.

The Ragin' Cajuns (0-4) opened a five-match homestand on Tuesday facing Northwestern State in the 2016 home opener at Long Gym. The Demons prevailed in five sets, bouncing back from an error-filled first set to claim the 3-2 (15-25, 25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 15-9) win.

Head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot's team is participating in its second pre-conference tournament. Last weekend, the Ragin' Cajuns participated in the Marriott Houston Westchase Classic held at Houston Baptist.

The Ragin' Cajuns have enjoyed success in the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, an event named in honor of the freshman member of the 2012 team who passed away at her home in December 2012. Louisiana is 8-2 in the tournament the past three seasons, claiming runner-up honors in 2013 and 2015 and the championship in 2014.

Leading the offense for the Ragin' Cajuns is the duo of Stacey Reilly and Chanelle Gardner. Both have opened the season with double digits in kills all four matches. Reilly averages a team-best 3.72 kills per set, while Gardner has been the most efficient attacker with a .408 hitting percentage.

Gardner, who on Tuesday became just the second player in the rally scoring era to reach 300 career blocks, headlines the frontline defense for Louisiana. The senior middle blocker has accumulated 19 blocks (1.06 blocks/set) and is coming off a career-high tying eight in Tuesday's home opener vs. Northwestern State.

As a team, the Ragin' Cajuns are riding a string of three straight matches with 50-plus kills. Setter Jessica Bartczyszyn averages 9.89 assists per set in guiding an offensive unit that is hitting .168.

In search of their first win of the season, the Ragin' Cajuns have had a few near misses early on. Only 30 points separate the team from the opposition through the first four outings (opponents hold a 406-376 edge).

2016 SAWYER CAMILLO MEMORIAL VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Sept. 2-3, 2016 | Earl K. Long Gym

Friday, September 2, 2016
1:30 p.m. – Air Force vs. Nicholls State
4 p.m. – Nicholls State vs. Alabama A&M
6:30 p.m. – Louisiana vs. Air Force

Saturday, September 3, 2016
10 a.m. – Alabama A&M vs. Louisiana
12:30 p.m. – Air Force vs. Alabama A&M
3 p.m. – Louisiana vs. Nicholls State

SERIES NOTABLES
Air Force: Lone prior meeting occurred in September 2004 when the Falcons visited Earl K. Long Gym for the Hibernia Bank Classic…Air Force claimed the match in four sets.

Alabama A&M: Bulldogs make their first trip to Earl K. Long Gym…Ragin' Cajuns won the only prior two meetings, held in 1988 at the Southern Tournament in Baton Rouge and 2012 at the Tiger Invitational in Memphis.

Nicholls State: Programs are meeting for the fourth straight season, and fifth time in the past seven seasons overall, in a tournament hosted by the Ragin' Cajuns (2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)…Louisiana topped Nicholls State in each of its previous four visits, including a 3-2 (20-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-25, 15-13) win last season on Sept. 5, 2015.

UP NEXT
The Ragin' Cajuns conclude their current five-match homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 6 hosting McNeese State at Earl K. Long Gym. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Jessica Bartczyszyn

Chanelle Gardner

Stacey Reilly