Oct. 20, 2005
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ORLANDO - The UCF volleyball team will play a pair of Conference USA matches in Texas this weekend. The squad visits UTEP for an 8 p.m. match on Friday and then will face Tulane in College Station on Sunday at 2 p.m.
UCF (4-12, 2-7 C-USA) will play the first of four consecutive road matches when they meet the Miners on Friday.
ABOUT UCF UCF returns to action after falling to Tulsa, 3-1 (30-26, 30-26, 26-30, 30-28), at home on Tuesday. That match was originally slated for Sept. 25, but was postponed due to Hurricane Rita. Schanell Neiderworder had a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs in the losing effort. Five Golden Knights finished with double-digits in digs, led by Lindsay Randazzo with 16. On the season, Maina Heming is averaging a team-best 3.03 kills per game. Jana Mitchell is averaging 2.67 kills per game and is hitting a team-best .292. Randazzo leads the way with 3.08 digs per game.
Head coach Meg Colado is in her seventh season at UCF. She has a 130-94 (.580) overall coaching mark and is 115-78 (.596) with the Golden Knights.
ABOUT UTEP (13-7, 3-4 C-USA) The Miners last played on Sunday, falling 3-1 (30-24, 24-30, 30-19, 30-26) to host SMU. Kari Stacy led UTEP with 21 kills against the Mustangs, while Brooke Peugh added 15 kills. On the year, Stacy paces the team, averaging 4.35 kills per game. Peugh is averaging 3.15 kills per game. Two players - Jaymie Swift (7.82) and Katie Smith (7.12) are averaging over seven digs per game. Brittany Stowers is UTEP's top libero, averaging 4.85 digs per game. Head coach Scott Swanson is 42-58 in four years with the Miners.
UCF AGAINST THE MINERS The Golden Knights will be facing UTEP for the second time. In 1990, the visiting Miners claimed a 3-1 (8-15, 15-10, 15-9, 15-10) match in Orlando.
ABOUT THE GREEN WAVE (1-7, 0-5 C-USA) Due to Hurricane Katrina, Tulane is playing its home matches on the Texas A&M campus in College Station. The Green Wave won their season opener in New Orleans on Aug. 26, but have had to play the rest of their home contests in Texas. The squad has lost six straight matches, including five in conference play. On Sunday, Tulane dropped a 3-0 (30-20, 30-24, 30-28) contest at Tulsa. Blair Moon totaled 11 kills and Lauren Boatwright posted nine total blocks in the losing effort. Kelli Dickson, who is averaging 6.00 digs per game, had 20 assists against the Golden Hurricane. Tulane hosts Southern Miss on Friday evening. Head coach Liz Kritza is in her first season at Tulane.
UCF AGAINST THE GREEN WAVE UCF leads the all-time series with Tulane, 6-2. The last series meeting was in 1999 when the teams met at the LSU Tournament in Baton Rouge, La. The Green Wave claimed the match, 3-0 (15-9, 15-7, 15-7). The 1999 season marked head coach Meg Colado's first year at UCF.
WHAT A WEEK! Leah Alexander has shined at the setter position as of late. The junior college transfer has recorded three consecutive double-doubles. Against Tulsa on Tuesday, she totaled 48 assists and a career-high 11 digs. Alexander registered 48 assists and 10 digs against Rice on Oct. 14 and followed that performance with a career-high 59 assists and 10 digs versus Houston on Oct. 16. She also totaled nine service aces in the three matches. On the year, Alexander leads UCF, averaging 9.19 assists per game.
ON DECK The Golden Knights remain on the road to visit UAB on Oct. 28... UCF owns a 3-1 series edge against the Blazers... In the last meeting in 2002, UCF claimed a 3-2 (31-29, 27-30, 30-18, 25-30, 15-8) victory at home. That season, the Golden Knights posted a 22-13 mark and appeared in the NCAA Championship.