University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Tigers Close Home Campaign with Houston and Tulane
Nov 17, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Tigers (12-16, 5-11) will close out their 2021 home schedule this weekend with matches against the Houston Cougars (23-5, 13-3) and the Tulane Green Wave (16-12, 9-7) Friday and Sunday respectively at the Larry O. Finch Center. Sunday will be Senior Day for Memphis, as the Tigers honor Sabrina Bianco and Elizabeth Orf. Memphis will seek revenge against both programs, as the Tigers fell in four sets to Tulane in mid-October and were swept at Houston two days later.
The Cougars are once again one of the top teams in the conference and the only AAC team to defeat the UCF Knights this season. Houston has won six straight and eight of the past nine matches, with the only loss in that stretch a five-set defeat at East Carolina. The Cougars lead the AAC in opponent hitting percentage (.176) and sit fourth on the attack (.230). Houston ranks in the top four in the conference in assists, kills, blocks, aces, and digs, ranking no lower than fifth in any team category. Junior Rachel Tullos (.336) and senior Isabel Theut (.321) sit fourth and eighth respectively in the AAC in hitting percentage, while junior Abbie Jackson is third in the conference in kills per set (4.07). Sophomore Annie Cooke is fourth in the league with 10.01 assists per set, while Jackson and Cook are both in the conference's top five in service aces per set. Tullos is second in the AAC in blocks per set, while sophomore Kate Georgiades paces the league with 5.21 digs per set, nearly 0.50 more than Memphis' Bailey Houlihan, who sits second.
Friday's matchup will be the 47th meeting between the Cougars and Tigers since 1987, with Houston holding a 30-16 edge. The Cougars have won six straight meetings since the Tigers took them down in four sets, Oct. 12, 2018, in Memphis. In the matchup between the programs earlier this season, Houston got a match-high 11 kills from Jackson, a match-best 15 digs from Georgiades, and hit .315 as a team compared to Memphis' .055. Autumn Hamilton led the way for Memphis with six kills.
As the Tigers honor Bianco and Orf to cap off the 2021 home schedule, they'll look for payback from their four-set loss at Tulane in October. The Green Wave enter this weekend off of a win vs. East Carolina that snapped a brief two match losing streak. Tulane is just 3-4 in its past seven matches and 4-5 since the win over Memphis. The Green Wave rank second in the AAC in hitting percentage (.241) and fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.212). Senior Kayla Dinkins and sophomore Anna Davis sit sixth and 12th respectively in the conference in hitting percentage, while senior Taylor Henigsman leads the AAC in assists per set (10.15).
Memphis holds a 30-22 edge in the all-time series with the Green Wave dating back to 1979. The Tigers have dropped three straight to Tulane since a Nov. 2019 win at home, but hold an overall record of 15-5 against the Green Wave in Memphis. In the match between the two schools in October, the Tigers won the first set before Tulane rattled off three straight set wins. Alexis Lewis posted 10 kills for the Tigers, while Houlihan led the way with 14 digs. Freshman Michelle Urquhart had a match-high 17 kills for the Green Wave, while Dinkins added 11 kills and a match-best .476 hitting percentage.
NOTABLES
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Volleyball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Cougars are once again one of the top teams in the conference and the only AAC team to defeat the UCF Knights this season. Houston has won six straight and eight of the past nine matches, with the only loss in that stretch a five-set defeat at East Carolina. The Cougars lead the AAC in opponent hitting percentage (.176) and sit fourth on the attack (.230). Houston ranks in the top four in the conference in assists, kills, blocks, aces, and digs, ranking no lower than fifth in any team category. Junior Rachel Tullos (.336) and senior Isabel Theut (.321) sit fourth and eighth respectively in the AAC in hitting percentage, while junior Abbie Jackson is third in the conference in kills per set (4.07). Sophomore Annie Cooke is fourth in the league with 10.01 assists per set, while Jackson and Cook are both in the conference's top five in service aces per set. Tullos is second in the AAC in blocks per set, while sophomore Kate Georgiades paces the league with 5.21 digs per set, nearly 0.50 more than Memphis' Bailey Houlihan, who sits second.
Friday's matchup will be the 47th meeting between the Cougars and Tigers since 1987, with Houston holding a 30-16 edge. The Cougars have won six straight meetings since the Tigers took them down in four sets, Oct. 12, 2018, in Memphis. In the matchup between the programs earlier this season, Houston got a match-high 11 kills from Jackson, a match-best 15 digs from Georgiades, and hit .315 as a team compared to Memphis' .055. Autumn Hamilton led the way for Memphis with six kills.
As the Tigers honor Bianco and Orf to cap off the 2021 home schedule, they'll look for payback from their four-set loss at Tulane in October. The Green Wave enter this weekend off of a win vs. East Carolina that snapped a brief two match losing streak. Tulane is just 3-4 in its past seven matches and 4-5 since the win over Memphis. The Green Wave rank second in the AAC in hitting percentage (.241) and fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.212). Senior Kayla Dinkins and sophomore Anna Davis sit sixth and 12th respectively in the conference in hitting percentage, while senior Taylor Henigsman leads the AAC in assists per set (10.15).
Memphis holds a 30-22 edge in the all-time series with the Green Wave dating back to 1979. The Tigers have dropped three straight to Tulane since a Nov. 2019 win at home, but hold an overall record of 15-5 against the Green Wave in Memphis. In the match between the two schools in October, the Tigers won the first set before Tulane rattled off three straight set wins. Alexis Lewis posted 10 kills for the Tigers, while Houlihan led the way with 14 digs. Freshman Michelle Urquhart had a match-high 17 kills for the Green Wave, while Dinkins added 11 kills and a match-best .476 hitting percentage.
NOTABLES
- Memphis has held opponents to a .211 hitting percentage, the fourth best mark in the AAC
- The Tigers are second in the AAC with 16.28 digs per set, paced by sophomore Bailey Houlihan, who is second in the AAC with 4.57 digs per set
- Senior Sabrina Bianco sits third in the conference in assists per set (10.04), while senior Miaya Smith is among the top 15 in the AAC in both hitting percentage and kills per set
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Volleyball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MH
/ Women's Volleyball
MH
/ Women's VolleyballWolfchase Toyota Insider: Volleyball Edition - October 25, 2023
Wednesday, October 25
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Volleyball Edition - October 11, 2023
Wednesday, October 11
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Volleyball 12/1/22
Thursday, December 01
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Volleyball 10/24/22
Tuesday, October 25