Tigers Volleyball Opens Conference Play This Weekend

Friday, September 23

Orlando, Fla.

6 pm

University of Memphis

UCF

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Volleyball Opens Conference Play This Weekend

Sep 22, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Memphis at UCF Friday, at USF Sunday.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis volleyball squad is on the road again for a third-consecutive weekend, and that could be a good sign for the Tigers.

After playing in tournaments at Auburn and UAB the past two weekends, Memphis opens American Athletic Conference play with a road trip to Florida Sept. 23-25. The Tigers play at UCF Friday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. (CT), and then travels down Interstate 4 to face USF Sunday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. (CT).

The last time Memphis played three-straight weekends on the road was back in the 2014 campaign. That season, the Tigers went 9-1 on those three road trips which propelled Memphis to a 23-11 overall record and a 13-7 league mark. The 20-win season was the Tigers' first since 2011, and the 23 victories were the most since 2006.

Memphis enters this weekend's league action with an 8-4 pre-conference record, including winning two invitational crowns. The Tigers won their own Tiger Invitational Sept. 2-3 and also finished first in UAB's Fight Like Hal Memorial Invitational Sept. 16-17.

However, as head coach April Jauregui knows, the action and intensity is ramped up even more when the conference portion of the schedule begins.

"I'm excited for conference play to start, but it's a whole different animal," said Jauragui. "Our conference is competitive from top to bottom.

"We play 20 matches in 10-straight weeks with matches every Friday and Sunday. We have shortened weeks, so our practice time is limited. We must be efficient with our time and training. We have the embrace the grind. The teams that embrace the grind will be successful."

The Tigers have embraced conference play the last two seasons. Memphis posted double-digit victories in 2014 (13) and 2015 (10) and finished among the league's top-five both campaigns. The key is getting started on the right foot, and Memphis did that the past two seasons with conference-opening wins. The Tigers won conference road openers at Tulane in 2014 and at Cincinnati in 2015.

Earlier this season, Jauregui stated that the Tigers will go as far as the senior class takes them. To date, the senior quartet of McKenzie Hayes, Catlin Lilly, Summer Morgan and Michaella Moss has performed well. Lilly (113 kills), Morgan (93) and Hayes (88) are the Tigers' top-three kills leaders, and Moss, who was moved to libero for the first time in her career earlier this season, has a team-high 169 digs. Moss also is ranked fifth in the league in digs.

Morgan is seventh in blocks in The American, and junior Regan Comperry leads the league in service aces and is fifth in assists.

Memphis faces UCF and USF, both of which won recent home tournaments. The Knights (11-3 record) bring a five-match win streak into Friday's encounter, including taking its own Holiday Inn Orlando East/UCF Challenge championship. The Bulls (9-4 record) have won three of their last four and placed first their own USF Classic last weekend.

"This is a big opening weekend test," Jauregui said. "There are no more easy matches. UCF is very athletic and dynamic and will be well prepared. We have to approach the match with aggressive but smart play.

"USF is off to its best start in years. They have a strong and balanced attack, and we know they will keep battling point-for-point."