University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, September 24
Lafayette
6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Georgia State
Homestand Continues, Sun Belt Play Begins for Louisiana Volleyball
9/23/2021 3:12:00 PM | Volleyball
Ragin’ Cajuns meet the Georgia schools on Sun Belt Opening Weekend
LAFAYETTE – The home-opening week at Earl K. Long Gym for Louisiana Volleyball continues from Friday-Saturday, Sept. 24-25 when the Ragin' Cajuns welcome Georgia State and Georgia Southern to start Sun Belt Conference play.
Louisiana (5-3) faces Georgia State on Friday (Sept. 24) to officially kick off the Sun Belt slate, then concludes the opening weekend of conference play meeting Georgia Southern on Saturday (Sept. 25).
First serve for both matches is scheduled for 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 enter the weekend coming off a straight sets sweep of Lamar in the home opener held on Tuesday. The contest also marked the first home match of the Kristi Gray era.
Both the Panthers and Eagles make their first visit to E.K. Long Gym since the 2018 season.
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.
NEXT SERVE
2021 Sun Belt Opening Weekend
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 24-25 | Lafayette, La.
Earl K. Long Gym (1,121)
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Sept. 24
vs. Georgia State // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25
vs. Georgia Southern // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.
Match Notes (PDF): Louisiana
Rosters: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
Schedules: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
Stats: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
TV: ESPN+
Live Video: Friday | Saturday
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsVB
SET POINTS
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
3: The Ragin' Cajuns blocking efforts are led by three individuals who have already surpassed 20 total blocks: Kara Barnes, Cami Hicks and Chinelo Ogogor.
6: Kelsey Bennett owns a team-leading six (6) double-doubles through the season's first eight matches. She's increased her career total to 24 double-doubles.
13: The Ragin' Cajuns offense has finished a match at or above the 13-kill per set mark five times in eight outings. The unit enters Sun Belt play averaging 13.3 kills per set.
UP NEXT
Louisiana starts the month of October traveling to the state of Texas for a pair of road matches against Sun Belt West Division foes UT Arlington and Texas State from Friday-Saturday, Oct. 1-2.
The Ragin' Cajuns will be in Arlington on Friday (Oct. 1) and then San Marcos on Saturday (Oct. 2). First serve both days is scheduled for 6 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.
Louisiana (5-3) faces Georgia State on Friday (Sept. 24) to officially kick off the Sun Belt slate, then concludes the opening weekend of conference play meeting Georgia Southern on Saturday (Sept. 25).
First serve for both matches is scheduled for 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 enter the weekend coming off a straight sets sweep of Lamar in the home opener held on Tuesday. The contest also marked the first home match of the Kristi Gray era.
Both the Panthers and Eagles make their first visit to E.K. Long Gym since the 2018 season.
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.
NEXT SERVE
2021 Sun Belt Opening Weekend
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 24-25 | Lafayette, La.
Earl K. Long Gym (1,121)
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Sept. 24
vs. Georgia State // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25
vs. Georgia Southern // Earl K. Long Gym // 6 p.m.
Match Notes (PDF): Louisiana
Rosters: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
Schedules: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
Stats: Louisiana | Georgia State | Georgia Southern
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.
- Louisiana is continuing a three-match homestand that began on Tuesday (Sept. 21) with a sweep of Lamar in the team's home opener.
- The Ragin' Cajuns are also beginning Sun Belt Conference play. All remaining matches in the 2021 season are against conference foes.
- The matchups with Georgia State and Georgia Southern mark the first regular season matches vs. Sun Belt East Division foes since the 2019 season (played only West Division in 2020 due to COVID).
- During Sun Belt Opening Weekend, Kristi Gray is joined by South Alabama's Jesse Ortiz as head coaches making their debut in the league.
- Kelsey Bennett has emerged as the early leader of Louisiana's offense. Bennett is averaging 4.0 kills per set on a .268 hitting percentage.
- Kelsey Bennett has generated 20-plus kills three times early in the season, including a career-high 27 kills back on Sept. 9 at UTRGV.
- Newcomers Coco Gillett (3.0 kills/set) and Emery Judkins (2.1 kills/set) compliment Bennett on offense.
- Coco Gillett has generated double digits in kills the last three outings. Included in the stretch are season-high totals in kills (14) and hitting percentage (.464) recorded in the home opener vs. Lamar.
- Boosted by a weekend total of 20 blocks at the UTRGV Tournament, Kara Barnes posted 33 blocks in non-conference play.
- Louisiana has hit .200-plus in seven of the first eight matches. The squad's .264 hitting percentage is the top mark in the Sun Belt.
- The Ragin' Cajuns have claimed the first set six times in the season's first eight matches.
- Dating back to 2019, Louisiana has won 15 of the last 20 matches at E.K. Long Gym (with a 50-19 edge in sets won).
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
3: The Ragin' Cajuns blocking efforts are led by three individuals who have already surpassed 20 total blocks: Kara Barnes, Cami Hicks and Chinelo Ogogor.
6: Kelsey Bennett owns a team-leading six (6) double-doubles through the season's first eight matches. She's increased her career total to 24 double-doubles.
13: The Ragin' Cajuns offense has finished a match at or above the 13-kill per set mark five times in eight outings. The unit enters Sun Belt play averaging 13.3 kills per set.
UP NEXT
Louisiana starts the month of October traveling to the state of Texas for a pair of road matches against Sun Belt West Division foes UT Arlington and Texas State from Friday-Saturday, Oct. 1-2.
The Ragin' Cajuns will be in Arlington on Friday (Oct. 1) and then San Marcos on Saturday (Oct. 2). First serve both days is scheduled for 6 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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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
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RS
/ Volleyball
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