University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, November 15
Jonesboro, Ark.
5 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Arkansas State
Louisiana Bound for Arkansas to Complete Regular Season Play
11/14/2019 2:28:00 PM | Volleyball
@RaginCajunsVB seeks to continue building momentum in advance of Sun Belt Tournament
LAFAYETTE – One more weekend of regular season play remains for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball – prior to the start of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament – and it features rematches on the road in the state of Arkansas.
The Ragin' Cajuns first stop is in Jonesboro on Friday for a 5 p.m. meeting with the Red Wolves at First National Bank Arena. The trip concludes Saturday evening in Little Rock at the Jack Stephens Center with first serve against the Trojans set for 6:30 p.m.
Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) posted straight set sweeps of both the Red Wolves (15-11, 6-8 Sun Belt) and Trojans (6-20, 4-10 Sun Belt) three weeks back at Earl K. Long Gym.
Winners of seven of the last eight matches, the Ragin' Cajuns secured their spot in the SBC Tournament with last weekend's sweep of the home-and-home with ULM. Now, the squad plays for seeding in the event – aiming to maintain its present No. 5 seed slot.
The Ragin' Cajuns have found success on the road in SBC play, coming away successful in the previous three attempts and claiming four road wins overall.
Improved offensive efficiency, hitting .211 in SBC play, and an even more fortified defense, limiting league foes to a .182 percentage, have been the catalysts for Louisiana's success in conference action.
Individual milestones could be reached on the trip, as Hali Winsoskie needs three kills for a third consecutive 300-kills campaign and head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot is two wins shy of her 400th career collegiate victory.
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 28: Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) at Arkansas State (15-11, 6-8 Sun Belt)
Friday, Nov. 15 • 5:00 p.m. (CST) • First National Bank Arena (10,563) • Jonesboro, Ark.
Stream: Facebook.com/AStateVB
Series: Arkansas State leads 47-17
Last Meeting: 10/26/19 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-22)
Watch | Live Stats
Match 29: Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) at Little Rock (6-20, 4-10 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Nov. 16 • 6:30 p.m. (CST) • Jack Stephens Center (5,600) • Little Rock, Ark.
Stream: LRTrojans.com/Watch
Series: Little Rock leads 39-12
Last Meeting: 10/25/19 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-14)
Watch | Live Stats
COACH MAZEITIS-FONTENOT'S THOUGHTS
On the key to the team's turnaround
"Hali Wisnoskie … she's been incredible and is really coming into her own. She has singularly become our best passer. She's also getting a lot more shots than she had been, and that is due to Avery (Breaux) understanding our offense much better now, that she's giving Hali openings.
The other thing Hali doing well is she is seeing the court as she is jumping, so her shot selection is extremely varied. That's been the biggest difference."
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 travels to San Marcos, Texas for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 21-24 at Strahan Arena on the campus of Texas State University.
The Ragin' Cajuns official seeding for the event, plus the matchup for Thursday's opening round, will be revealed after the conclusion of matches on Sunday, Nov. 17.
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 first stop is in Jonesboro on Friday for a 5 p.m. meeting with the Red Wolves at First National Bank Arena. The trip concludes Saturday evening in Little Rock at the Jack Stephens Center with first serve against the Trojans set for 6:30 p.m.
Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) posted straight set sweeps of both the Red Wolves (15-11, 6-8 Sun Belt) and Trojans (6-20, 4-10 Sun Belt) three weeks back at Earl K. Long Gym.
Winners of seven of the last eight matches, the Ragin' Cajuns secured their spot in the SBC Tournament with last weekend's sweep of the home-and-home with ULM. Now, the squad plays for seeding in the event – aiming to maintain its present No. 5 seed slot.
The Ragin' Cajuns have found success on the road in SBC play, coming away successful in the previous three attempts and claiming four road wins overall.
Improved offensive efficiency, hitting .211 in SBC play, and an even more fortified defense, limiting league foes to a .182 percentage, have been the catalysts for Louisiana's success in conference action.
Individual milestones could be reached on the trip, as Hali Winsoskie needs three kills for a third consecutive 300-kills campaign and head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot is two wins shy of her 400th career collegiate victory.
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 28: Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) at Arkansas State (15-11, 6-8 Sun Belt)
Friday, Nov. 15 • 5:00 p.m. (CST) • First National Bank Arena (10,563) • Jonesboro, Ark.
Stream: Facebook.com/AStateVB
Series: Arkansas State leads 47-17
Last Meeting: 10/26/19 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-22)
Watch | Live Stats
Match 29: Louisiana (12-15, 8-6 Sun Belt) at Little Rock (6-20, 4-10 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Nov. 16 • 6:30 p.m. (CST) • Jack Stephens Center (5,600) • Little Rock, Ark.
Stream: LRTrojans.com/Watch
Series: Little Rock leads 39-12
Last Meeting: 10/25/19 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-14)
Watch | Live Stats
COACH MAZEITIS-FONTENOT'S THOUGHTS
On the key to the team's turnaround
"Hali Wisnoskie … she's been incredible and is really coming into her own. She has singularly become our best passer. She's also getting a lot more shots than she had been, and that is due to Avery (Breaux) understanding our offense much better now, that she's giving Hali openings.
The other thing Hali doing well is she is seeing the court as she is jumping, so her shot selection is extremely varied. That's been the biggest difference."
SET POINTS
- Louisiana is two wins shy of reaching double figures in Sun Belt Conference wins for the second in the past three seasons (went 13-3 in 2017).
- The Ragin' Cajuns can claim a second-place finish in the Sun Belt West Division with at least one win on the Arkansas trip, or a UT Arlington loss to Texas State.
- In meetings with Arkansas State and Little Rock at Earl K. Long Gym the weekend of Oct. 25-26, the Ragin' Cajuns limited the two squads to a combined .038 hitting percentage.
- Louisiana's present two-match win streak over Arkansas State is the longest in the series since sweeping the 2013 season series (last three-match win streak was from 2000-02).
- The 10 wins vs. Little Rock with Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot are the most wins by any coach in program history in the series.
- The Ragin' Cajuns averaged an astounding 23.7 digs per set during the ULM weekend. The 104 digs on Friday in Monroe marked the most by a Sun Belt squad in conference play this season.
- Hannah Ramirez led the charge vs. ULM, averaging 6.0 digs per set against the Warhawks. The junior libero scooped a career-high 29 digs in Monroe, including an eye-popping 13 digs in the match-clinching fourth set.
- Louisiana has ranked Top 20 nationally – and led the Sun Belt Conference – in digs per set the entire season. The present average of 17.83 digs per set ranks 14th in the latest NCAA stats report. The Ragin' Cajuns have scooped at least 50 digs in all but two matches.
- Avery Breaux is coming off her best weekend since taking over Louisiana's 5-1 attack, averaging 11.5 assists and 5.0 digs per set in the sweep of ULM. She tallied two double-doubles, the most impressive a 46-assist, 20-dig effort on Friday.
- Hali Wisnoskie produced match-highs of 19 kills and 12 kills in the ULM sweep, extending her stretch of matches with double digit kills to eight straight. Since the hot streak began on Oct. 18, she is averaging 4.33 kills per set on a .276 hitting percentage.
- Continuing the revival of her All-Sun Belt caliber play from the previous two seasons, Hali Wisnoskie has averaged over 4.0 kills per set each of the past two weekends, and three times in the past four weekends.
- With three kills, Hali Wisnoskie would join program-great Nia Kiggundu as the only two players in the 44-year history of Louisiana Volleyball to record three consecutive 300-kill seasons.
- Hali Wisnoskie is 40 kills shy of her 1,000th career kill. A foregone conclusion before her career ends, she has the Arkansas trip and SBC Tournament remaining to hit the mark in her junior season.
- Last Friday in Monroe, senior Dree'Ana Abram became just the third Ragin' Cajun to reach 300 career blocks in the rally scoring era. She's averaged 96 blocks over the past three seasons to reach the mark.
- Tia Jade Smith has enjoyed a breakout season on the front line, presently ranking third in the Sun Belt in blocks per set in conference play (1.09 blocks/set). Overall, she has increased her season blocks total by 60 from her freshman campaign.
- Tia Jade Smith has the knack for providing timely kills, producing at least five kills on less than 20 swings in 10 of 14 Sun Belt matches. For the season, she has scored 142 kills off only 331 swings and a .302 hitting percentage.
- In her collegiate debut season, Celeste Darling is on the verge of delivering a 200-kills campaign for Louisiana. In doing so, she has scored at least five kills in 15 matches, reaching double digits six times.
- Celeste Darling is finishing strong, recording 13 kills without error and a .419 percentage in a win over Texas State on Nov. 3, followed by a 17-kill showing at ULM.
- During the ULM weekend set, Kelsey Bennett scored 10 kills and collected 29 digs – the fifth time in SBC play she posted a weekend of 10-plus kills with 20-plus digs.
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 travels to San Marcos, Texas for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 21-24 at Strahan Arena on the campus of Texas State University.
The Ragin' Cajuns official seeding for the event, plus the matchup for Thursday's opening round, will be revealed after the conclusion of matches on Sunday, Nov. 17.
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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