Volleyball Hosts UTEP and Tulane This Weekend
Oct 20 | Volleyball
Oct. 19, 2006
DALLAS (SMU) - The Mustangs volleyball team is hosting UTEP and Tulane this weekend in Conference USA action. SMU has been on the road and will return home for matches Friday night at 7:00 p.m. against UTEP and Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. against Tulane.
The Mustangs are 12-11 on the season and 3-6 in C-USA play. SMU is led by Rachel Giubilato who ranks in the top 20 in the nation in kills per game as she averages 4.80 kpg. She has totaled 413 kills this season and 287 digs, averaging out to 3.34 digs per game. Caitlin Rainbird adds another outside hitting threat as she has totaled 301 kills for the season, averaging to 3.50 per game. In addition, she has posted 3.24 digs per game for a total of 279. Stefanie Kons averages 11.43 assist per game while Candice Davis posts 4.02 digs per game. Kendra Kahanek leads in the blocking department with a total of 81 blocks for the season while Natalie Peters averages 1.04 block per game.
UTEP is 5-17 overall and 1-7 in conference play. The two squads meet previously this season and the Mustangs took the win, 3-2. The Miners are led by Christie Murphy and Keisha Hyman-Gifth. Murphy averages 3.10 kills per game while Hyman-Gifth has averaged 2.76 kills per game. Hyman-Gigth also leads in blocking with a total of 65 for an average of 0.76 per game. Katie Smith directs the offense for an average of 10.86 assists per game while Elsa Reyes averages 5.36 digs per game.
Tulane is 10-7 on the season and 6-2 in conference. They will take on Tulsa before coming to the metroplex to face SMU. In an earlier meeting between the teams this season, the Mustangs swept the Green Wave, 3-0. Sara Radosevic and Ksenija Vlaskovic make the kills for Tulane as Radosevic notches 5.26 kills per game and Vlaskovic posts 3.93 per game. Luna Rebrovic averages 8.28 digs per game while Lauren Boatwright knocks down 1.16 blocks per game. Jenn Miller makes 5.21 digs per game.
After this weekend, the Mustangs will hit the road one more time as they head to Rice, Houston and Tulsa. SMU will host Houston and Rice at home before heading to the C-USA Championships in mid-November.
