University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, October 13
Lafayette
6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
South Alabama
Homestanding Cajuns Seek to Continue Recent Success
10/12/2023 3:18:00 PM | Volleyball
Louisiana set to battle Sun Belt West leader South Alabama at E.K. Long Gym
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball hosts the marquee matchup within the Sun Belt West Division this weekend, welcoming co-leader South Alabama to E.K. Long Gym for a two-match series from Friday-Saturday, October 13-14.
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For Louisiana (12-8, 3-3 Sun Belt), it's the opportunity to remain in the top half of the SBC West and gain ground on the Jaguars (15-3, 6-0 Sun Belt).
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First serve in UL-USA series is set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 13) and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 14). Live coverage is available on ESPN+ and CajunStats.com.
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The Cajuns are celebrating Youth Groups Night on Friday, kicking off the festivities with a pre-match tailgate hosted by Hot 107.9 and concluding the night with a Halloween costume contest at intermission. Saturday's match serves as Louisiana's Dig Pink Match with a survivor recognition, pink hair tie giveaway and fans encouraged to wear pink.
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Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.
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Due to Festival Acadiens et Créoles being held simultaneously at Girard Park, volleyball event parking (free of charge) has been adjusted to Zone 7, located between E.K. Long and Dupre Library, and the Olivier Hall Parking Tower only. All other lots on campus will be "pay to park".
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Louisiana enters the USA series riding the momentum gained from a 3-1 road trip at historically tough places to play – Jonesboro, Arkansas and San Marcos, Texas. The trip culminated with the team's first five-set win of the season coming over Texas State in San Marcos.
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During the recent revival, a strong response after a setback SBC opening weekend vs. Troy, the Cajuns are averaging 13.6 kills per set on .217 hitting – with five players averaging two-plus kills per set – and holding foes to 12.5 kills on .172 hitting.
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Through seven weeks of action, Louisiana has seen five different players post 100 kills, led by the duo of Shyia Richardson (231 kills) and Celeste Darling (177 kills) at outside hitter, and four different players collect at least 150 digs, led by the libero combination of Mio Yamamoto (258 digs) and Kennedy Gustafson (214 digs).
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The Ragin' Cajuns will be put to the test by a Jaguars defense that is limiting foes to a paltry .142 hitting percentage for the season and an offense that tops the SBC in points (17.7 per set) and has hit at a crisp .251 percentage. The USA offense is paced by the duo of Maddie Soboleski and Hannah Maddux, with Soboleski averaging 3.7 kills per set and Maddux sitting at 3.6 per set.
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THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Oct. 13 vs. South Alabama // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
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Saturday, Oct. 14 South Alabama // E.K. Long Gym // 1:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
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Match Notes (PDF): Louisiana | South Alabama
Rosters: Louisiana | South Alabama
Schedules: Louisiana | South Alabama
Stats (PDF): Louisiana | South Alabama
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SERIES HISTORY
-Â South Alabama: Louisiana leads, 36-21 | Last match: L, 1-3 on 10/14/2022 in Mobile, Ala.
In Lafayette: UL leads, 18-6 | Sun Belt Matches: UL leads, 25-17Â
Current Streak: USA +3
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SERVICE ACES
>> After two weeks on the road, Louisiana returns home to E.K. Long Gym, hosting SBC West leader South Alabama from Oct. 13-14.
>> UL is starting a stretch where six of the last 10 matches are at home – a change of pace after 15 of the 20 played to date were away from E.K. Long Gym.
>> The Cajuns are playing to stay in the top half of the SBC West and gain ground on co-leader USA.
>> UL returns home after a 3-1 road swing, sweeping Arkansas State and gaining a split at Texas State.
>> The five-set win on Saturday at Texas State was the program's second win in the past three series meetings in San Marcos – a place the Bobcats rarely lose.
>> Mio Yamamoto rounded up 52 digs (5.8/set) and was the only player on either side to reach 20 digs during the series in San Marcos.
>> Abby Cunningham emerged in San Marcos and provided a spark, scoring 22 kills (2.8/set). She landed a season-high 13 kills in Saturday's victory.
>> UL's defense has held foes to a sub-.200 hitting in over half of the season's matches (11 out of 20) – held Arkansas State to a .101 clip for the entire series.
>> Both Cami Hicks and Kara Barnes have notched their 300th career block – the fourth and fifth Cajuns in the rally scoring era (2001-pres.) to hit the mark.
>> Shyia Richardson, sitting at 231 kills, has picked up her third consecutive 200-plus kills season of her collegiate career (started at San Francisco).
>> Setter Siena DeCambra entered SBC Opening Weekend as the national leader in total assists. She currently ranks Top 20 nationally with 684 assists.
>> Siena DeCambra is 82 assists shy of reaching 2,000 with Louisiana (enters USA series at 1,918).
>> Kara Barnes hit .310-plus the previous three seasons, tallying 150-plus kills each time. She's currently hitting .343 and has 136 kills.
>> Averaging a career-best pace 2.7 kills per set and totaling 177 kills, Celeste Darling is on pace to top her career-high mark in total kills (207 in 2022).
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UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana steps outside of the Sun Belt West Division for the first time in conference play, traveling to Norfolk, Virginia to face SBC East member Old Dominion in a two-match series from Thursday-Friday, October 19-20 at the ODU Volleyball Center.
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It'll be the Ragin' Cajuns first appearance in the ODU Volleyball Center. Matches are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (CDT) both nights in Norfolk.
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The ODU series marks the start of the second half of Sun Belt play. The Cajuns-Monarchs matchups will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats available at CajunStats.com.
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.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
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For Louisiana (12-8, 3-3 Sun Belt), it's the opportunity to remain in the top half of the SBC West and gain ground on the Jaguars (15-3, 6-0 Sun Belt).
Â
First serve in UL-USA series is set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 13) and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 14). Live coverage is available on ESPN+ and CajunStats.com.
Â
The Cajuns are celebrating Youth Groups Night on Friday, kicking off the festivities with a pre-match tailgate hosted by Hot 107.9 and concluding the night with a Halloween costume contest at intermission. Saturday's match serves as Louisiana's Dig Pink Match with a survivor recognition, pink hair tie giveaway and fans encouraged to wear pink.
Â
Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.
Â
Due to Festival Acadiens et Créoles being held simultaneously at Girard Park, volleyball event parking (free of charge) has been adjusted to Zone 7, located between E.K. Long and Dupre Library, and the Olivier Hall Parking Tower only. All other lots on campus will be "pay to park".
Â
Louisiana enters the USA series riding the momentum gained from a 3-1 road trip at historically tough places to play – Jonesboro, Arkansas and San Marcos, Texas. The trip culminated with the team's first five-set win of the season coming over Texas State in San Marcos.
Â
During the recent revival, a strong response after a setback SBC opening weekend vs. Troy, the Cajuns are averaging 13.6 kills per set on .217 hitting – with five players averaging two-plus kills per set – and holding foes to 12.5 kills on .172 hitting.
Â
Through seven weeks of action, Louisiana has seen five different players post 100 kills, led by the duo of Shyia Richardson (231 kills) and Celeste Darling (177 kills) at outside hitter, and four different players collect at least 150 digs, led by the libero combination of Mio Yamamoto (258 digs) and Kennedy Gustafson (214 digs).
Â
The Ragin' Cajuns will be put to the test by a Jaguars defense that is limiting foes to a paltry .142 hitting percentage for the season and an offense that tops the SBC in points (17.7 per set) and has hit at a crisp .251 percentage. The USA offense is paced by the duo of Maddie Soboleski and Hannah Maddux, with Soboleski averaging 3.7 kills per set and Maddux sitting at 3.6 per set.
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THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Oct. 13 vs. South Alabama // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
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Saturday, Oct. 14 South Alabama // E.K. Long Gym // 1:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
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Match Notes (PDF): Louisiana | South Alabama
Rosters: Louisiana | South Alabama
Schedules: Louisiana | South Alabama
Stats (PDF): Louisiana | South Alabama
Â
SERIES HISTORY
-Â South Alabama: Louisiana leads, 36-21 | Last match: L, 1-3 on 10/14/2022 in Mobile, Ala.
In Lafayette: UL leads, 18-6 | Sun Belt Matches: UL leads, 25-17Â
Current Streak: USA +3
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SERVICE ACES
>> After two weeks on the road, Louisiana returns home to E.K. Long Gym, hosting SBC West leader South Alabama from Oct. 13-14.
>> UL is starting a stretch where six of the last 10 matches are at home – a change of pace after 15 of the 20 played to date were away from E.K. Long Gym.
>> The Cajuns are playing to stay in the top half of the SBC West and gain ground on co-leader USA.
>> UL returns home after a 3-1 road swing, sweeping Arkansas State and gaining a split at Texas State.
>> The five-set win on Saturday at Texas State was the program's second win in the past three series meetings in San Marcos – a place the Bobcats rarely lose.
>> Mio Yamamoto rounded up 52 digs (5.8/set) and was the only player on either side to reach 20 digs during the series in San Marcos.
>> Abby Cunningham emerged in San Marcos and provided a spark, scoring 22 kills (2.8/set). She landed a season-high 13 kills in Saturday's victory.
>> UL's defense has held foes to a sub-.200 hitting in over half of the season's matches (11 out of 20) – held Arkansas State to a .101 clip for the entire series.
>> Both Cami Hicks and Kara Barnes have notched their 300th career block – the fourth and fifth Cajuns in the rally scoring era (2001-pres.) to hit the mark.
>> Shyia Richardson, sitting at 231 kills, has picked up her third consecutive 200-plus kills season of her collegiate career (started at San Francisco).
>> Setter Siena DeCambra entered SBC Opening Weekend as the national leader in total assists. She currently ranks Top 20 nationally with 684 assists.
>> Siena DeCambra is 82 assists shy of reaching 2,000 with Louisiana (enters USA series at 1,918).
>> Kara Barnes hit .310-plus the previous three seasons, tallying 150-plus kills each time. She's currently hitting .343 and has 136 kills.
>> Averaging a career-best pace 2.7 kills per set and totaling 177 kills, Celeste Darling is on pace to top her career-high mark in total kills (207 in 2022).
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UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana steps outside of the Sun Belt West Division for the first time in conference play, traveling to Norfolk, Virginia to face SBC East member Old Dominion in a two-match series from Thursday-Friday, October 19-20 at the ODU Volleyball Center.
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It'll be the Ragin' Cajuns first appearance in the ODU Volleyball Center. Matches are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (CDT) both nights in Norfolk.
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The ODU series marks the start of the second half of Sun Belt play. The Cajuns-Monarchs matchups will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats available at CajunStats.com.
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.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
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- www.RaginCajuns.com -
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