Tournament Central
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Louisiana volleyball team opens the 2014 season Friday with a pair of matches during the first day of the UAB/Samford Volleyball Challenge.
Southeastern faces co-host UAB at 10 a.m. and Michigan State at 2 p.m. Both matches will be played at UAB's Bartow Arena. Saturday the Lady Lions will face Jacksonville State in a 4:30 p.m. match to be played at Samford's Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, Alabama.
"Our non-conference schedule is very tough," head coach
Jim Smoot said. "The tournament at UAB is going to be very difficult, playing three really good teams, but if you're going to improve you have to play stronger teams. We hope by playing stronger teams it will make us better by time we hit conference."
Live stats will be available for all matches during the multi-venue tournament and streaming video of Southeastern's contest against UAB is available for purchase from the Blazers. All links can be found on the volleyball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
SLU returns 12 letterwinners off a squad that won double-digit matches for the second-consecutive season. With a veteran team returning, Smoot is looking to improve upon last year's 11-20 record (4-14 Southland).
The Lady Lions are led by juniors
Mikayla Shippy (9.19 assists per set in 2013),
Tiffany Thomas (2.81 kills per set),
Morgan Todd (4.32 digs per set) and sophomore
Rachael Bunn (.312 attack percentage in 2013).
"All college coaches come across this, but they've played so much club volleyball that you have to get everyone doing what is best for us," Smoot said. "They've learned to buy into the system and got a lot of reps in. That was something we didn't have last season."
UAB wrapped up the 2013 season with a 21-14 record. Senior middle blocker Sara Rishell (3.12 k/set, 1.15 blocks per set), a second team All-Conference USA player, leads the Blazers.
Michigan State finished with a 23-12 record last season, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to eventual national champion Penn State. Senior libero Kori Moster, a two-time All-American and the reigning Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, is the top returner for the Spartans.
Jacksonville State, in its first season under former McNeese State head coach Terry Gamble, finished last season with a 13-18 overall record. The Gamecocks return three starters and a libero off last season's squad.
Georgia State and co-host Samford are the other teams participating in the tournament.
Southeastern returns to the University Center Tuesday to host Southern at 6 p.m. in the 2014 home opener. All home volleyball matches this season are free to the public.
