Match 8 | Southeastern (3-4) vs. Southern (1-6)
Sept. 13, 2024 | 12 p.m. | Thomas Assembly Center (8,000) | Ruston, La.
Series History: Southeastern leads, 38-15
Last Meeting: Southeastern 3, Southern 0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-22) (Sept. 16, 2023 – Natchitoches, La.)
Television: None
 
Match 9 | Southeastern (3-4) at Louisiana Tech (3-4)
Sept. 13, 2024 | 6 p.m. | Thomas Assembly Center (8,000) | Ruston, La.
Series History: Louisiana Tech leads, 13-8
Last Meeting: Southeastern 3, Louisiana Tech 0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-21) (Sept. 16, 2023 – Natchitoches, La.)
Television: None

HAMMOND, La. – The reigning, two-time Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team heads to Ruston, looking to extend its win streak up to five as the Lady Lions take on Southern and Louisiana Tech at the Battle for the Boot on Friday at Louisiana Tech's Thomas Assembly Center.
 
Southeastern (3-4) opens the Battle for the Boot by taking on Southern (1-6) at noon and follows that with a 6 p.m. match against the host, Louisiana Tech (3-4). Neither match will be televised, but live stats will be available for both through the host institution.
 
The Lady Lions have won their last three matches after defeating South Alabama in four sets to open the home portion of the schedule on Tuesday. Cicily Hidalgo had 17 kills in the win over the Jaguars on a .421 attack percentage. The win over South Alabama provided SLU with its second win over a team that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament field during the current three-match win streak.
 
Hidalgo continues as SLU's top scorer so far this season, averaging 3.5 points per set with a 2.96 kill per set average. Her four service aces are climbing the team ranks, currently third-most while her 17 total blocks are fourth-most. Keira Beverly averages 2.53 points per set with 1.75 kills per set while her 23 total blocks are second-most. Alexis Logarbo averages 2.0 kills per set leads her to 2.44 points per set, third-best on the team. The top server is Ashley Richardson with eight service aces on the season. Richardson is also the top assist-getter, averaging 4.85 per set. India Bennett leads the block at 32 total blocks on the season. Lexi Gonzalez is the top digger for the Lady Lions, scoring 2.52 per set.
 
Southern is coming off of its first win of the season, a straight-sets win over another Southland school in New Orleans during the Florida A&M Tournament. Jordan Felix led the Jaguars over the Privateers with 10 kills while Jasmine Okorafor had nine to go with a team-best three total blocks. Kiarra Rosales had three service aces against UNO.
 
Tamara Chavez is Southern's top scorer at 2.62 points per set on 2.14 kills per set, but missed the win over UNO. Alicia Hearn averages 2.42 points per set on 1.67 kills per set while leading Southern in blocks with 18 on the year. Marian Attaway is the Jaguars' top server with 11 service aces on the season. Felix, who had double-digit kills against the Privateers, is the team's top assist-giver, averaging 4.91 per set. Okorafor has added 16 total blocks to the Jaguar team total as well. Najah Harris leads the Jaguars in digs, averaging 3.33 per set.
 
Louisiana Tech returns to action after a tough weekend at the Wooo Pig Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. where the Bulldogs lost all nine sets played, dropping straight-set defeats to Little Rock, Rutgers, and #21 Arkansas. In the finale against the hosting Razorbacks, Izabely Benjamin led the Bulldogs with four kills and two service aces. Charlize Williams had four total blocks to lead the play at the net.
 
Giulia Bonifacio is Tech's top scorer, averaging 3.21 points per set on 3.05 kills per set and a .272 attack percentage. Rori Gray is the next-highest scorer, averaging 2.61 points per set and 2.21 kills per set with a .442 attack percentage. McKenzie Johnson has dropped in the most service aces with nine on the season while also leading the back line with 57 total digs. Williams leads on the block with 20 total blocks while Gray has 12. Lauren Albrecht has the highest assist per set average on the team with 4.6 while Meghan Scharpenberg has the most assists with 72. Riley Steubing has the highest dig per set average on the team with 4.5, though she has missed three matches this season.
 
Following this weekend, there's only one week left of non-conference action, starting back in Hammond, America on Tuesday for a date with Louisiana-Lafayette before turning around to go to Lafayette to play in the Ragin' Cajun Classic.
 
DIGGIN' IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin' It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin' It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB or @JWhiteSLU on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.