Aug. 27, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team will get the 2009 season underway on Fri., Aug. 28, when it hosts Evansville in the Memphis Invitational at 7 p.m. at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Tigers will play a doubleheader on Saturday, taking on SEMO at 1 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. matchup versus Arkansas State.

Memphis, who is 22-16 all-time in season-opening matches, will be look to ride the strength of its middle blocking core of Emily Underwood, Carolyn Baker and Casey Sines. Underwood, A 2008 second team All-C-USA pick, led the league and finished the year ranked seventh in the nation in blocking. Baker garnered the program's first All-Freshman honors since 2002 in 2008. Sines put away 114 kills and added 62 total blocks. Rebekah Strickland led the way offensively, hitting .261 with 295 kills. Junior Christine Bach led the club with 528 digs.

Scouting Evansville
Evansville went 14-18 in 2008 and finished sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with an 8-10 league mark. Mike Swan's Purple Aces return nine letterwinners and five starters, while welcoming in three newcomers to the program. EU's roster showcases just two seniors. Junior middle blocker Emily Wandersee will lead the club into the 2009 season. Wandersee led the team with 75 total blocks and ranked third on the squad with 256 kills last year en route to earning Second Team All-MVC accolades. Sophomore setter Ellen Sawin was named to the 2008 MVC All-Freshman Team after putting up 622 assists. Sophomore outside hitter Brook Maher led the team in kills last season with 278 terminations.

All-Time Record vs. Evansville
Memphis and Evansville have not met on the volleyball court since the opening weekend of the 2006 season. The Tigers pulled out a 3-1 victory to improve its overall record against the Purple Aces to 3-0. Memphis handed the Evansville defeats in 1990 and 1993.

EVANSVILLE, Ind.--Junior middle hitter Shelby Burton crushed a match-high 16 kills against Evansville as Memphis wrapped up a perfect weekend with a 3-1 triumph over EU en route to taking the 2006 University of Evansville Aces Invitational in the opening weekend of the season. Burton was named the Invitational's MVP, while Christen Clayton and Melissa Nance also earned all-tournament recognition.

Memphis dropped set one, but returned to form to post three dominant performances in the next three sets to clinch the tournament title. Defensively, Clayton made 21 defensive digs and Ashley Liford posted her second-consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs. Sarah Bury had 11 kills. Laura Côtè ran the offense efficiently, handing out 55 assists, while also adding 10 digs.

Scouting SEMO
Fifth-year head coach Renata Nowacki welcomes nine lettermen from the squad that went 13-14 in 2008. The Redhawks will be led by seniors Sarah Barth, Molly Davis and Karleigh DeLong. Barth, a setter, posted 9.69 assists per set in 2008, while averaging 2.38 digs per set. Davis led the club with 447 digs. Junior outside hitter Claire Keaton led the team with 313 kills. And 349 points scored.

All-Time Record vs. SEMO
Memphis holds a 10-4 lead in the all-time series versus SEMO. However, the Redhawks have won each of the last two contests in 2006 (0-3) and 2007(2-3).

Last Time vs. SEMO
SEMO 3, Memphis 2
Memphis (12-6) 32 18 30 26 12
SEMO (7-8) 30 30 20 30 15

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.--Ashley Liford slammed down 29 kills, and Sarah Bury added 17 kills, but Memphis was unable to hold off Southeast Missouri as it dropped a five-game decision in non-conference action on September 27, 2007. The loss was the second-straight loss for the Tigers, who fell to 12-6. Liford's 29 kills was the most by Tiger since Nancy Nellans totaled 29 strikes against Saint Louis on Oct. 1, 2004.

Memphis got 15 digs from Bury to complete a double-double night. Backrow players Bach and Becky Shaffer made 14 and 10 digs, respectively.

Scouting Arkansas State
Arkansas State went 21-12 last year and finished 4th in the Sun Belt Conference West Division. The Red Wolves should be even stronger this year with the return of 13 letterwinners that include five starters and its libero. First-year head coach Justin Ingram inherits a strong group of core players that are led by senior outside hitter Konae Purcell. Purcell ripped down a team-high 296 kills (3.89 kps) last year despite missing eight matches with an injury. She is joined by 2008 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year honoree Cayla Fielder and defensive specialist Erin Neeley Fielder led the Red Wolves' defensive efforts with 103 total blocks, while slamming 291 kills from the middle blocker position. She finished her freshman season ranked 36th nationally with a .396 attack percentage. Neeley led the way with 441 digs and ranks in the top five on ASU's career digs chart.

All-Time Record vs. Arkansas State
Memphis is 29-24 all-time versus Arkansas State. The Red Wolves have bested the Tigers in four-straight matches. Memphis last defeated Arkansas State in 2002 when they posted a straight-set sweep.

Last Time vs. Arkansas State
Arkansas State 3, Memphis 1
Memphis (12-7) 23 25 20 22
Arkansas State (15-4) 25 18 25 25

JONESBORO, Ark.--Memphis freshman outside hitter Kelsey Knoche came off the bench to down a career-high 10 kills, while Emily Underwood and Rebekah Strickland recorded 13 and 12 kills, respectively, but that wasn't enough for the Tigers in a 3-1 loss to Arkansas State in non-conference action on October 7, 2008.