University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, October 25
Lafayette
6:30 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Little Rock
Louisiana Volleyball Ready to Begin Extended Homestand
10/24/2019 1:15:00 PM | Volleyball
Next four matches for the Ragin’ Cajuns are at Earl K. Long Gym
LAFAYETTE – This weekend at Earl K. Long Gym the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball squad starts the second half of Sun Belt Conference play and also begins a four-match homestand.
The Ragin' Cajuns (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) meet Little Rock on Friday, Oct. 25 and Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 26 during the weekend set. Both matches begin at 6:30 p.m.
The matchups with the Trojans (3-16, 1-6 Sun Belt) and Red Wolves (12-7, 3-4 Sun Belt) kicks off the homestand which keeps Louisiana at home through Sunday, Nov. 3.
The home stretch is a welcomed change for the Ragin' Cajuns who spent three of the first four weekends of Sun Belt play on the road.
Little Rock and ASU's visit also starts a stretch in which all remaining matches are against Sun Belt West Division foes – a key factor as the race for one of the division's top two spots (which guarantees a SBC Tournament berth) heats up.
Louisiana aims to continue building upon the momentum gained during last weekend's sweep of Georgia Southern and Georgia State. In claiming the two wins, the Ragin' Cajuns averaged 14.6 kills per set and hit .267 – both weekend-best totals in SBC play.
Dig Pink Weekend is being observed at E.K. Long Gym with donations being accepted for the American Cancer Society during Friday's Dig Pink Match. Saturday is Kids Day with children encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and participate in trick-or-treat.
Fans can follow both of the weekend's matches by accessing the live stats and live video links at RaginCajuns.com/2019VB and with updates posted on the team's Twitter account (@RaginCajunsVB).
THE MATCHES
Match 22: Louisiana (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) vs. Little Rock (3-16, 1-6 Sun Belt)
Friday, Oct. 25 • 6:30 p.m. (CDT) • Earl K. Long Gym (1,121) • Lafayette, La.
Stream: RaginCajuns.com/Watch
Series: Little Rock leads 39-11
Last Meeting: 11/9/18 at Earl K. Long Gym – Little Rock W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
Watch | Live Stats
Match 23: Louisiana (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) vs. Arkansas State (12-7, 3-4 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Oct. 26 • 6:30 p.m. (CDT) • Earl K. Long Gym (1,121) • Lafayette, La.
Stream: RaginCajuns.com/Watch
Series: Arkansas State leads 47-16
Last Meeting: 11/11/18 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-14)
Watch | Live Stats
SET POINTS
ABOUT LOUISIANA
Highlighting the list of returners is junior outside hitter Hali Wisnoskie, a two-time All-Sun Belt selection and preseason all-conference choice for 2019, who owns a pair of 300-plus kills seasons and senior middle blocker Dree'Ana Abram who has dominated at the net with back-to-back seasons of 90-plus blocks.
Other returning starters include right side hitter Desiree Johnson who appeared in every match and set during her rookie campaign and setters Avery Breaux and Milayne Danna who directed the 6-2 offense in 2018.
Tia Jade Smith, who showed she can be a force in the middle during a key two-week stretch in the second half of Sun Belt play last season, is expected to make an impact.
The Ragin' Cajuns welcome a pair of newcomers from the junior college ranks in standout libero Hannah Ramirez from Panola College along with Lafayette native Elise Baranco who returns home after one season at Pratt (Kan.) Community College.
Freshmen team members include Dallas Skyline Juniors standouts Kara Barnes and Celeste Darling and Parker, Colo., product Claire Turner.
UP NEXT
Louisiana welcomes home former Ragin' Cajuns and hosts UT Arlington and Texas State at Earl K. Long Gym during Alumni Weekend set for Friday-Sunday, Nov. 1-3.
On the court the Ragin' Cajuns face UTA on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Texas State on Sunday at Noon. The weekend's festivities will be highlighted by former standout Priscilla Lima's induction into the Louisiana Athletics Hall of Fame which will be celebrated at EKL prior to the start of Sunday's match.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
The Ragin' Cajuns (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) meet Little Rock on Friday, Oct. 25 and Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 26 during the weekend set. Both matches begin at 6:30 p.m.
The matchups with the Trojans (3-16, 1-6 Sun Belt) and Red Wolves (12-7, 3-4 Sun Belt) kicks off the homestand which keeps Louisiana at home through Sunday, Nov. 3.
The home stretch is a welcomed change for the Ragin' Cajuns who spent three of the first four weekends of Sun Belt play on the road.
Little Rock and ASU's visit also starts a stretch in which all remaining matches are against Sun Belt West Division foes – a key factor as the race for one of the division's top two spots (which guarantees a SBC Tournament berth) heats up.
Louisiana aims to continue building upon the momentum gained during last weekend's sweep of Georgia Southern and Georgia State. In claiming the two wins, the Ragin' Cajuns averaged 14.6 kills per set and hit .267 – both weekend-best totals in SBC play.
Dig Pink Weekend is being observed at E.K. Long Gym with donations being accepted for the American Cancer Society during Friday's Dig Pink Match. Saturday is Kids Day with children encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and participate in trick-or-treat.
Fans can follow both of the weekend's matches by accessing the live stats and live video links at RaginCajuns.com/2019VB and with updates posted on the team's Twitter account (@RaginCajunsVB).
THE MATCHES
Match 22: Louisiana (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) vs. Little Rock (3-16, 1-6 Sun Belt)
Friday, Oct. 25 • 6:30 p.m. (CDT) • Earl K. Long Gym (1,121) • Lafayette, La.
Stream: RaginCajuns.com/Watch
Series: Little Rock leads 39-11
Last Meeting: 11/9/18 at Earl K. Long Gym – Little Rock W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
Watch | Live Stats
Match 23: Louisiana (7-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) vs. Arkansas State (12-7, 3-4 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Oct. 26 • 6:30 p.m. (CDT) • Earl K. Long Gym (1,121) • Lafayette, La.
Stream: RaginCajuns.com/Watch
Series: Arkansas State leads 47-16
Last Meeting: 11/11/18 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-14)
Watch | Live Stats
SET POINTS
- Not only are the Ragin' Cajuns at Earl K. Long Gym the next four matches, they do not leave the State of Louisiana until Nov. 15. Following the current four-match homestand, Louisiana meets ULM in a home-and-home weekend set Nov. 8-10.
- As the race for a spot in the Sun Belt Tournament heats up, the Ragin' Cajuns get to enjoy the friendly confines of Earl K. Long Gym in five of the next six matches.
- Saturday's tilt with Arkansas State is a pivotal match. Entering the weekend ASU holds a slight lead over Louisiana for second place in the SBC West, with the two teams separated by a ½-game margin.
- The Ragin' Cajuns two-match win streak is the team's longest since claiming four straight matches Sept. 6-10. The squad aims to match the mark this weekend.
- Hali Wisnoskie charged Louisiana's sweep of the Sun Belt trip through Georgia piling up 33 kills (4.71 per set) on a .368 hitting percentage – a display of the dominance that made her an All-Sun Belt performer the previous two seasons.
- The dominant weekend in Georgia for Hali Wisnoskie was punctuated by 16 kills on only 32 swings without error (.500 percentage) on Sunday at Georgia State.
- The production in Georgia moved Hali Wisnoskie to 200 kills – the third straight season hitting the mark. Wisnoskie, who recorded 300-plus kills as a freshman and sophomore, can hit the 300-mark a third straight year with a strong second half in SBC action.
- In six of the team's eight Sun Belt matches, senior middle blocker Dree'Ana Abram has scored double digits in kills on a .300-plus hitting percentage. She landed 16 kills on a .394 percentage at Georgia Southern, followed by 12 kills at a .455 clip at Georgia State.
- Dree'Ana Abram is 10 blocks shy from becoming only the third player in the rally scoring era to amass 300 career blocks (would join Kim Rodgers and Chanelle Gardner).
- In Sun Belt play, Hali Wisnoskie (3.06) and Dree'Ana Abram (3.00) are both averaging three or more kills per set.
- Junior setter Avery Breaux continues to shine directing Louisiana's 5-1 offensive attack. Last week in Georgia, Breaux handed out a career-best weekend averaged of 12 assists per set and guided the Ragin' Cajuns to Sun Belt-play weekend bests of 14.5 kills per set and a .267 hitting percentage.
- Last weekend in Georgia, Avery Breaux pushed her season digs total to 202 allowing her to reach the 200-mark for the third straight season.
- Kelsey Bennett served up a career-high four aces on Friday at Georgia Southern. With six aces the past three outings, she's added another dimension to her rising play.
- The Ragin' Cajuns service received a boost last weekend in Georgia as the squad out-aced the opposition by a combined 14-4 total.
- Louisiana has made it tough for opposing foes to find the floor, averaging 17.37 digs per set – a figure which ranks Top 20 nationally and leads the Sun Belt Conference. The Ragin' Cajuns have scooped at least 50 digs in all but two matches.
- Louisiana's upswing on offense continued in Georgia as the squad stretched its streak of consecutive matches hitting .200-plus to four straight outings with a .257 showing at Georgia Southern and .279 clip at Georgia State.
- Louisiana quickly built 2-0 match leads at Georgia Southern and Georgia State by posting a .300-plus percentage in each of the first two sets.
- Louisiana features a balanced attack with four players averaging at least two kills per set. Two-time All-Sun Belt performer Hali Wisnoskie leads the group averaging 2.67 kills per set. She's joined by Dree'Ana Abram (2.36 kills/set), Kelsey Bennett (2.33 kills/set) and Celeste Darling (2.12 kills/set).
ABOUT LOUISIANA
Highlighting the list of returners is junior outside hitter Hali Wisnoskie, a two-time All-Sun Belt selection and preseason all-conference choice for 2019, who owns a pair of 300-plus kills seasons and senior middle blocker Dree'Ana Abram who has dominated at the net with back-to-back seasons of 90-plus blocks.
Other returning starters include right side hitter Desiree Johnson who appeared in every match and set during her rookie campaign and setters Avery Breaux and Milayne Danna who directed the 6-2 offense in 2018.
Tia Jade Smith, who showed she can be a force in the middle during a key two-week stretch in the second half of Sun Belt play last season, is expected to make an impact.
The Ragin' Cajuns welcome a pair of newcomers from the junior college ranks in standout libero Hannah Ramirez from Panola College along with Lafayette native Elise Baranco who returns home after one season at Pratt (Kan.) Community College.
Freshmen team members include Dallas Skyline Juniors standouts Kara Barnes and Celeste Darling and Parker, Colo., product Claire Turner.
UP NEXT
Louisiana welcomes home former Ragin' Cajuns and hosts UT Arlington and Texas State at Earl K. Long Gym during Alumni Weekend set for Friday-Sunday, Nov. 1-3.
On the court the Ragin' Cajuns face UTA on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Texas State on Sunday at Noon. The weekend's festivities will be highlighted by former standout Priscilla Lima's induction into the Louisiana Athletics Hall of Fame which will be celebrated at EKL prior to the start of Sunday's match.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Players Mentioned
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