Oct. 4, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -
The Memphis volleyball team looks to feed off of the momentum of its 3-1 win at UCA on Tuesday, and snap a two-game Conference USA losing streak, when they play host to Southern Miss in the first of two home matches this weekend. First serve is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5. Memphis will play UCF at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Tuesday's win in Conway, Ark., snapped a three-match losing for the Tigers, who come into the weekend with a 13-7 mark with 13 regular-season contests remaining. Memphis has struggled in its last two league matches, falling to Tulane and UAB in consecutive C-USA tilts to drop from a tie for first to seventh in the league standings.
Memphis is led by Shelby Burton, Laura Côté and Ashley Liford. Burton leads the team and ranks second in the league with a .412 hitting percentage. She also ranks ninth in C-USA with 3.85 kills per game. On the defensive side of the net, Burton is league's top blocker, making a league-best 84 blocks (1.44 per game). Côté is second in the conference with 12.45 assists per set. Liford leads the Tiger offense in C-USA action. The senior, who is second on the squad in kills, is averaging 4.0 kills per game--good for 10th in the league.
As a team, the Tigers lead the league in blocking, with 297 blocks and a 2.56 blocks per game average. They are second in the league in hitting, opponent's average, assists and kills.
Southern Miss comes to Memphis with a 10-10 overall mark and a 1-3 record in league play. The Golden Eagles dropped their first three league matches, before outlasting East Carolina in five in its last contest.
USM is paced by Morgan Johnson on both sides of the net. Johnson leads the team in kills (206), kills per game (3.07), attack percentage (.231) and blocks (58). Ashley Petrinic is the second option for the Golden Eagles, checking in with 194 kills (2.90 kills per game). Mari Ruddick has 135 kills and leads USM with 25 service aces.
The Southern Miss defense has gotten a team-high 287 digs from Maia Ivanova. That number is good for fifth in Conference USA.
Memphis leads the all-time series between the two institutions, 20-11. The Tigers have defeated the Golden Eagles in each of the last five meetings dating back to the 2004 season. Memphis has not lost to USM since the 2003 season, when the Golden Eagles outlasted them in a five-game match.
