Louisiana Volleyball Returns Home, Seeks to Recapture Winning Ways

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Volleyball is back in the friendly confines of Earl K. Long Gym from Friday-Saturday, Oct. 22-23 hosting South Alabama and Troy in Sun Belt Conference matches.

Louisiana (11-6, 6-3 Sun Belt) kicks off Dig Pink Weekend at E.K. Long facing South Alabama (15-6, 8-1 Sun Belt) on Friday followed by the matchup with Troy (11-9, 4-5 Sun Belt) on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

Admission is FREE. Earl K. Long Gym has returned to 100 percent capacity for the 2021 season (face coverings are required). Fans should park in the lot located on the corner of East St. Mary Boulevard and Girard Park Circle (entrance located on Girard Park Circle).

The Ragin' Cajuns are seeking to bounce back after their season-high, five-match win streak was snapped with a pair of losses on the Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina trip last weekend.

Friday's match features the Sun Belt's offense with the top hitting percentage in Louisiana (.241%) dueling with the league's top hitting percentage defense in South Alabama (.149%). On Saturday, it's a battle of two of the Sun Belt's Top 5 point-producing offenses as both the Ragin' Cajuns and Trojans average 13-plus kills per set.

A live stream of both contests is available on ESPN+ with Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Dan McDonald providing play-by-play commentary. Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.

THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Oct. 22
vs. South Alabama // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 23
vs. Troy // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.

Rosters: Louisiana | South Alabama | Troy
Schedules: Louisiana | South Alabama | Troy
Stats: Louisiana | South Alabama | Troy
TV: ESPN+
Live Video: Friday | Saturday
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsVB

SET POINTS

The 2021 season serves as the inaugural campaign for Louisiana with head coach Kristi Gray, who was hired on April 26 after five highly successful seasons at Odessa College.
As the second half of the Sun Belt schedule continues, Louisiana is set to play five of the next seven matches at Earl K. Long Gym.
Friday's match features the Sun Belt's two first-year head coaches: Louisiana's Kristi Gray and South Alabama's Jesse Ortiz.
Louisiana faces Sun Belt East teams for the final time in the regular season. The second round of West Division play begins on Oct. 28 at Arkansas State.
Louisiana and South Alabama are the only Sun Belt teams yet to be dealt a straight sets defeat during the 2021 season.
Dating back to the 2019 season Louisiana has posted a 27-14 record in Sun Belt play.
Since the 2019 season, Louisiana has won 18 of the last 24 matches held at Earl K. Long Gym (with a 61-24 edge in sets won).
Louisiana's season-best, five-match win streak from Oct. 1-12 was the program's fourth Sun Belt win streak of four or more matches since 2019.
The Ragin' Cajuns own a 10-1 record in matches of four sets or less.
Louisiana possesses one of the Sun Belt's most efficient offenses, leading the way with a .241 hitting percentage and ranking Top 5 with 13.1 kills per set.
Kelsey Bennett has emerged as the leader of Louisiana's offense. Bennett is averaging 3.9 kills per set on a .265 hitting percentage.
Kelsey Bennett has produced a third consecutive 200-200 season of kills and digs. The Allen, Texas product has amassed 266 kills and 237 digs.
Coco Gillett totaled at least five kills in the match-clinching set four times during the five-match win streak (UTA, TXST, ASU, ULM).
Middle blockers Kara Barnes and Cami Hicks have surpassed 60 blocks this season, both at 67 blocks. Barnes is five away from a new career-high, while Hicks has established her personal-best.

NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
.200: Louisiana's offense has finished with a .200 or higher hitting percentage in all but four matches. The Ragin' Cajuns are 9-4 when hitting at or above the .200 mark.
11: Kelsey Bennett owns a team-leading 11 double-doubles through the season's first 17 matches. She's increased her career total to 29 double-doubles.
+25: One of the key factors in Louisiana's success has been its positive differential at the service line. The squad owns 25 more service aces (114) than service errors (89).

UP NEXT
It's the final two road matches of the season when Louisiana travels to the state of Arkansas from Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 28-30. The visits to Arkansas State and Little Rock mark the start of the second round of SBC West Division competition.

The Ragin' Cajuns first stop is in Jonesboro on Thursday (Oct. 28) before the trip concludes on Saturday (Oct. 30) in Little Rock. Start time for both matches is 6 p.m.

Louisiana posted a clean sweep of the first round of SBC West Division play including a straight sets sweep of the Red Wolves and a four-set triumph over the Trojans at Earl K. Long Gym from Oct. 8-9.

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 -

Louisiana Volleyball Returns Home, Seeks to Recapture Winning Ways

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kara Barnes

Kelsey Bennett

Coco Gillett

Cami Hicks

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Volleyball Returns Home, Seeks to Recapture Winning Ways

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kara Barnes

Kelsey Bennett

Coco Gillett

Cami Hicks

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