First Road Trip and Sun Belt Opener Arrives for Louisiana Volleyball

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball team starts Sun Belt Conference play and competes on the road for the first time in the 2020 season during a three-match series with Little Rock Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26 at the Jack Stephens Center.

The two teams are scheduled to play Friday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., then wrap up the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. All three matches can be viewed live on ESPN+.

Louisiana (6-0) is beginning its 30th season of competition in the Sun Belt Conference, one in which competition consists of matchups with division foes only.

The Ragin' Cajuns aim to continue the program's best undefeated start to a season since the 2014 team's season-opening, 10-match win streak.

The Matchup: Louisiana (6-0, 0-0 SBC) at Little Rock (0-1, 0-0 SBC)
Where: Little Rock, Ark. – Jack Stephens Center
When: Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 – 1:00 p.m.
Television: ESPN+ | Talent: Dorian Craft, PxP; Graham Doty, analyst
Live Video Links: Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3
Live Stats: Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsVB
Match Notes (PDF): Louisiana

RALLY POINTS

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to several changes as schools and conferences adapt. For the Sun Belt, that includes a new three-match series for conference play which Louisiana and Little Rock will utilize for the first time this weekend.
This season it will be a true race for the Sun Belt West Division title as the conference schedule is comprised of division matches only.
Senior outside hitter Hali Wisnoskie took possession of the rally scoring era record for career kills during the South Alabama series. Last week, she became the first in the rally era to surpass 1,100 career kills. She heads to Little Rock with 1,116 career kills.
Avery Breaux is coming off a weekend-high average of 12.83 assists per set vs. Lamar in which she guided Louisiana to 14.8 kills per set and a .340 hitting percentage. Breaux, who leads the Sun Belt averaging 11.7 assists per set, has handed out 30-plus helpers every match.
Freshman Taylor Gates enters conference play as the only honoree and a back-to-back recipient of the Sun Belt Freshman of the Week award. Louisiana's right side hitter has posted two-plus kills per set and hit .300-plus each of the past two weekends.
The Ragin' Cajuns have hit above .300 in four straight matches. For the season, the squad averages 14.42 kills per set on a .301 hitting percentage.
Defensively, led by libero Hannah Ramirez who has averaged five-plus digs per set in two of three weekends, Louisiana has held foes to less than 10 kills per set and a .100 percentage.

NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
4.95: Sun Belt-leading kills per set average for senior outside hitter Hali Wisnoskie.
5: Louisiana has the luxury of five key starters (Hali Wisnoskie, Avery Breaux, Kelsey Bennett, Tia Jade Smith, Hannah Ramirez) from last season's strong second-half finish to count on.
11: Senior setter Avery Breaux averaged 11-plus assists per set each of the first three weekends of the 2020 season.
15: Consecutive sets won by Louisiana since the opening-set loss on Saturday of the Houston Baptist weekend. The squad sports an 18-1 mark in sets this season.
15-1: Louisiana's regular season record over the last 16 matches dating back to last Oct. 18. The mark includes last season's 9-1 finish to the 2019 regular season, carried out by a group of five key starters who are back in 2020.
18: Consecutive matches reaching double digits in digs for senior libero Hannah Ramirez, a streak which dates back to last Oct. 11.

KNEAUX YOUR OPPONENT
- Little Rock entered the 2020 season with 10 newcomers listed on its roster, seven of which are freshmen. Three other newcomers are transfers including Leigh Maher from Louisiana State.
- The Trojans officially began their 2020 season last weekend facing Missouri State at the Jack Stephens Center in a pair of contests, one of which was an exhibition match.
- The Trojans starting lineup featured four true freshmen vs. Missouri State.
- Freshmen Nicole Medlin and Zanobia Willis each registered five blocks while Laura Jansen put down 12 kills in the regular season opener on Sunday. Leigh Maher recorded a career-high 21 digs.

The Series
Overall: Little Rock leads, 39-13
In Little Rock: Little Rock leads, 19-6
Streak: Louisiana +2
Last Season: 10/25/2019 at Earl K. Long Gym – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-14)
11/16/2019 in Little Rock – Louisiana W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-16)

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 -

First Road Trip and Sun Belt Opener Arrives for Louisiana Volleyball

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Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bennett

Avery Breaux

Taylor Gates

Hannah Ramirez

Tia Jade Smith

Hali Wisnoskie

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

First Road Trip and Sun Belt Opener Arrives for Louisiana Volleyball

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bennett

Avery Breaux

Taylor Gates

Hannah Ramirez

Tia Jade Smith

Hali Wisnoskie

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