Southeastern Louisiana Athletics

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana volleyball team will look to close out its 2009 home schedule on a high note, hosting a pair of Southland Conference rivals this week in the University Center.

The Lady Lions (8-15, 4-8 SLC) will host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (7-20, 0-12 SLC) on Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Southeastern closes out its home slate with a 2 p.m. match versus UTSA (10-16, 5-7 SLC). Prior to Saturday’s match, Southeastern will honor Lauren Mayer, Jessica Srajer, Julie Elliott, Margaret Pittman and Katie Collins in a special Senior Day ceremony. Live stats for both matches will be available at www.LionSports.net and admission is free to all Southeastern home volleyball matches.

If the Southland Conference Tournament was today, Southeastern would be the last team in the eight-team field by virtue of its come-from-behind 3-2 win over Nicholls State on Tuesday. The Lady Lions rallied back from two sets down behind the efforts of Mayer (14 kills), freshman Taylor Buckner (12 kills, 19 digs) and sophomore Paige Dollison (eight kills).

Junior Allison Jones leads the team with 2.33 kills per set, followed by Srajer (2.27), Mayer (1.95) and Buckner (1.92) rounding out a balanced Lady Lion attack. Collins (6.35 assists per set) and sophomore Arianne Cruckshank (7.88) are the team’s top setters.

Junior Alex Greer paces the defensive effort with 4.02 digs per set, followed by Mayer (2.73), Cruckshank (2.31) and Buckner (2.23). Elliott leads the team with 44 blocks, followed by freshman Courtney Donald (37), freshman Alexis Braghini (35) and Srajer (33).

Friday’s opponent, A&M-Corpus Christi, will be looking for its first league victory in Hammond. Emma Ridley leads the Islanders with 4.14 kills per set, while Courtney Wypiszynski leads the team with 8.51 assists per set. Wypiszynski also paces the team with 4.00 digs per set, while Ariel Carlson (68 blocks) is also one of the team’s top defenders.

Southeastern is 0-3 all-time versus the Islanders. Last season, Southeastern dropped a 3-0 decision despite nine kills from Srajer.

UTSA will come to Hammond a game up over Southeastern in the Southland Conference standings. Kendra Rowland (2.74 kills per set), Amber Brooks (7.23 assists), Kelsey Jewasko (3.70) and Brianna Mason (85 blocks) are the statistical leaders for the Roadrunners.

Southeastern trails the all-time series, 5-16, to UTSA. The Lady Lions dropped a five-set thriller at UTSA in 2008 in a match that saw Srajer post 15 kills.

Following this weekend’s action, Southeastern will close the regular season on the road, traveling to Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 12 and McNeese State on Nov. 14.