Oct. 15, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Winners of three of its last four matches, the University of Memphis will look to continue it string of success this weekend with a pair of Conference USA road matches at Tulsa and SMU. The Tigers will matchup with the Golden Hurricane, Fri., Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Saturday's contest at SMU is also slated for a 7 p.m. first serve.

Memphis has enjoyed success over the last week, with wins over Central Arkansas, East Carolina and UT Martin. Behind career-performances by Christine Bach, Altrese Hawkins and Lauren Thompson, the Tigers outlast UT Martin for a 3-2 win in their last outing on Tuesday.

Hawkins, who connected for a career-best 25 kills in Tuesday's win, leads the team with 231 kills and 3.00 kills per set. She has put together one of the strongest offense performances by a freshman in program history and currently ranks 11th on the Tigers list of kills by a freshman. In addition to leading the team in kills, Hawkins hits .300 on the year--also a team-high and good for a top-10 ranking in C-USA. She is joined by fellow-frosh Marija Jovanovic. The rookie southpaw has connected for 101 kills and leads the Memphis offense with 3.88 kills per frame. Junior setter Christine Bach's numbers have improved over the Tiger's last four matches. Bach, who averages 8.30 assists per set, handed out a career-best 64 assists on Tuesday. She has set an average of 12 assists per game in the last four matches, while Memphis hits .319 in the stretch.

The Tiger defense has picked up the pace to help the offense post 43 more kills the opponent in the last four contests. Memphis will look to the back row play of Becky Shaffer to maintain that success this weekend. Shaffer, who is closing in on a top-10 single-season mark, leads the team with 324 digs. Bach is the only other Tigers with as many as 200 digs, with 214. Memphis averages over 2.00 blocks per set.

Scouting the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Currently 14-5 overall and 4-2 in league play, Tulsa sits in fifth-place in the league standings. The Golden Hurricane has won four-straight and has put up some of the nation's top numbers, ranking 13th with a .272 team hitting percentage and 19th in assists and kills per set.

Current C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, Tyler Henderson ranks second in the league and 23rd nationally with a team-high 4.30 kills per set. She has terminated 297 sets and also ranks 47th in the country with 4.51 points per set. She gets ample assistance from Jennifer Eichler, who is 50 in the nation and third in C-USA with 3.93 kills per set and 275 total kills. Hannah Stout is a strong third option for setter Rachel Vukson. Eichler, Henderson and Julie Kenealy all rank in the top-10 in the league in hitting percentage. Stout leads Conference USA and is ranked 11th nationally with a scorching .414 attack percentage. Vukson, along with Jordan Clampitt average 13.09 assists per set.

The TU defense is led by two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week Jessica Adams. Adams ranks second in the league and 31st in the nation with 4.93 digs per set.

All-Time Series vs. Tulsa
Memphis is 8-5 all-time versus Tulsa. Tulsa has claimed each of the last two matches against the Tigers and three of the last four. Tulsa is 4-1 since the Golden Hurricane joined C-USA. The series began in 1983 season. Memphis won seven of the first eight meetings, including five straight from 1986-98.

Scouting SMU Mustangs
Like Memphis, SMU has won thereof its last four matches. The Mustangs are 13-7, 3-3 in C-USA. SMU is undefeated in seven home matches this year.

Defense is what drives the Mustang's success this year. They rank second in league in blocks and third in digs. The team's 15.81 digs per set clip also rates in the nation's top-60. SMU has four players with over 200 digs and five that average over 2.0 digs per set. Sidney Stewart leads the club and is fourth in the league with 4.57 digs per game (370 total). Kathryn Wilkerson and Dana Powell boast averages of 2.85 and 2.84 digs per set, respectively. Powell is third in the league with 12 double-doubles. Meanwhile, Kendra Kahanek and Courtney Manning have recorded at least 1.00 blocks per set each. Kahanek's 1.14 blocks per set is second in the C-USA.

Powell leads the offense with 300 kills (3.90 kps). She has over 75 more kills than the next closest SMU attacker. Kahanek is the squad's most efficient hitter, connect at a .277 percentage. Wilkerson has 233 kills, but is also a threat from the service line where she ranks second in the league with 29 aces. Setter Kelli Becerra has 832 assists and is tied for fourth in the conference with 11 double-double outings.

All-Time Series vs. SMU
Memphis has fared well in the all-time series with SMU, holding a 3-1 advantage. The Tigers dismantled the Mustangs 3-1 in Memphis last season. Christine Bach set a program record with 35 digs as the Tigers cruised to a four-set victory the last time the two met in Dallas in late 2007. SMU's lone win over Memphis came in 2005, when the Mustangs swept Memphis in Dallas.

Up Next
Memphis will stay on the road for the second-straight weekend when it makes the long trip to UTEP on Fri., Oct. 23 at 7 p.m., before taking on Tulane in New Orleans on Sun., Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.