University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, September 20
Gainesville, Fla.
9 a.m. (CDT)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Northern Arizona
Trip to Gainesville Concludes Non-Conference Play for Louisiana Volleyball
9/19/2019 11:13:00 AM | Volleyball
Gators Invitational marks the Ragin’ Cajuns final test prior to Sun Belt play
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball concludes the non-conference portion of its schedule Friday-Saturday, Sept. 20-21 competing in the Gators Invitational at Florida's Exactech Arena.
During the two-day event the Ragin' Cajuns face Northern Arizona, Liberty and No. 11 Florida.
Louisiana (4-6) takes part in the tournament opener on Friday with a 9 a.m. (CDT) match with Northern Arizona (6-3), then concludes play on the opening day at 4 p.m. (CDT) against Liberty (5-4). The matchup with the nationally ranked Gators (6-2) occurs on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).
Head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot and her group are in the midst of a three-week road trip which began last week at the challenging Oklahoma Nike Invitational where the squad faced off with three Power 5 foes.
The Ragin' Cajuns return to Gainesville for the first time since the 2012 season visit for the Active Ankle Challenge.
Fans can follow the matches by accessing the live stats links at RaginCajuns.com/2019VB and with updates posted on the team's Twitter account (@RaginCajunsVB).
THE MATCHES
Match 11: Louisiana (4-6) vs. Northern Arizona (6-3)
Friday, Sept. 20 • 9:00 a.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: Northern Arizona leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 9/7/07 in Flagstaff, Ariz. – Northern Arizona W, 3-0 (30-21, 30-24, 30-20)
Live Stats
Match 12: Louisiana (4-6) vs. Liberty (5-4)
Friday, Sept. 20 • 4:00 p.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: First Meeting
Live Stats
Match 13: Louisiana (4-6) at No. 11 Florida (6-2)
Saturday, Sept. 21 • 2:30 p.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: Florida leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 9/8/12 in Gainesville, Fla. – Florida W, 3-1 (25-15, 25-14, 23-25, 25-12)
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 travels to Texas for the opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference play Friday-Saturday, Sept. 27-28. The weekend set rounds out the team's present three-week road trip.
The Ragin' Cajuns will meet Texas State on Friday in San Marcos, then travel to Arlington for a Saturday matchup at UT Arlington. Both matches begin at 6:30 p.m.
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.
During the two-day event the Ragin' Cajuns face Northern Arizona, Liberty and No. 11 Florida.
Louisiana (4-6) takes part in the tournament opener on Friday with a 9 a.m. (CDT) match with Northern Arizona (6-3), then concludes play on the opening day at 4 p.m. (CDT) against Liberty (5-4). The matchup with the nationally ranked Gators (6-2) occurs on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).
Head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot and her group are in the midst of a three-week road trip which began last week at the challenging Oklahoma Nike Invitational where the squad faced off with three Power 5 foes.
The Ragin' Cajuns return to Gainesville for the first time since the 2012 season visit for the Active Ankle Challenge.
Fans can follow the matches by accessing the live stats links at RaginCajuns.com/2019VB and with updates posted on the team's Twitter account (@RaginCajunsVB).
THE MATCHES
Match 11: Louisiana (4-6) vs. Northern Arizona (6-3)
Friday, Sept. 20 • 9:00 a.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: Northern Arizona leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 9/7/07 in Flagstaff, Ariz. – Northern Arizona W, 3-0 (30-21, 30-24, 30-20)
Live Stats
Match 12: Louisiana (4-6) vs. Liberty (5-4)
Friday, Sept. 20 • 4:00 p.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: First Meeting
Live Stats
Match 13: Louisiana (4-6) at No. 11 Florida (6-2)
Saturday, Sept. 21 • 2:30 p.m. (CDT) • Exactech Arena (10,500) • Gainesville, Fla.
Series: Florida leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 9/8/12 in Gainesville, Fla. – Florida W, 3-1 (25-15, 25-14, 23-25, 25-12)
Live Stats
SET POINTS
- Due to a change in the tournament schedule, Louisiana now faces Florida in its final match of the Gators Invitational. The switch breaks up a string of consecutive matches vs. Power 5 foes.
- The meeting with Florida marks the Ragin' Cajuns first outing against a ranked foe in the 2019 season.
- JUCO transfer Hannah Ramirez has represented Louisiana on an all-tournament each of the past three weekends.
- Hannah Ramirez enters the Gators Invitational riding a string of eight consecutive matches reaching double figures in digs. She turned in a season-high 24 digs in the OU Invite finale against the host-Sooners.
- Three-plus weeks into the season the Ragin' Cajuns rank Top 10 nationally in digs per set. Louisiana averages 18.1 digs per set and has scooped at least 50 in all but one match.
- Louisiana's offense features a balanced attack with Celeste Darling's 2.59 kills per set leading a group of six players who are averaging at least 1.50 kills per set.
- Dree'Ana Abram and Tia Jade Smith have been Louisiana's leading blockers on the front line. Abram (27) and Smith (20) have combined for 47 blocks.
- Dree'Ana Abram has increased her career blocks total to 262, leaving her 38 blocks shy of becoming just the third individual in the rally scoring era to amass 300 career blocks (would join Kim Rodgers and Chanelle Gardner).
- Last week at the Oklahoma Invitational, freshman setter Claire Turner was inserted into the 6-2 system with Avery Breaux. Turner handed out 17 assists over five sets play against Georgia Tech and Oklahoma.
- Two-time All-Sun Belt performer Hali Wisnoskie has consistently provided the offense with at least six kills each of the past seven matches.
- The six matches with double figures in digs posted by Hali Wisnoskie are second only to libero Hannah Ramirez. Wisnoskie is averaging a career-best 3.12 digs per set.
- Junior setter Avery Breaux leads the Ragin' Cajuns with five double-doubles. She posted double-doubles last weekend against Arizona State and Oklahoma.
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 Texas for the opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference play Friday-Saturday, Sept. 27-28. The weekend set rounds out the team's present three-week road trip.
The Ragin' Cajuns will meet Texas State on Friday in San Marcos, then travel to Arlington for a Saturday matchup at UT Arlington. Both matches begin at 6:30 p.m.
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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