Old Dominion (9-13, 1-7 Sun Belt) vs. Louisiana (12-10, 3-5 Sun Belt)
Match Info – Thursday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Location – ODU Volleyball Center (Norfolk, Va.)
Watch – ESPN+ (Thursday | Friday)
Live Stats – CLICK HERE
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion volleyball is back home this week as the Monarchs welcome Sun Belt West Division member Louisiana for a pair of matches at the ODU Volleyball Center this Thursday and Friday. Both matches are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. starts.
Fans unable to attend can watch both contests on ESPN+ or follow along with live stats. Friday's match marks Big Blue's Kids Club Night, as well as Championship Effort and Halloween Night. Fans are encouraged to come in the best costumes and children are welcome to come early for a trick-or-treating event inside the Volleyball Center when doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Series History
Louisiana is ahead 2-0 in the all-time series after winning both matches in Lafayette, Louisiana last season. In the first meeting on Oct. 20, 2022, ODU nearly overcame an 11-1 deficit in the fourth set, but the Ragin' Cajuns held for a 25-23 final. The Monarchs then fell in straight sets the next day.
About ODU
The Monarchs (9-13, 1-7 Sun Belt) are looking to snap a seven-match skid after dropping both of their matches at Coastal Carolina last weekend. ODU was up two sets to one on Friday, but the Chanticleers took the fourth set 25-17 and edged the Monarchs 15-13 in the decisive set. On Saturday, ODU won the second set 25-22, but dropped the next two sets for a 3-1 setback.
Myah Conway is currently 12th in the country with 318 kills and also ranks 19th nationally with 363.5 points. She needs 19 more kills to reach 900 for her career. Alice Munari is next with 164 kills, and Bryanna Jones is third on the team with 122 kills. Teresa Atilano enters the series with 782 assists, good for second in the conference and 16th in Division I. She's also served a team-high 32 aces, followed by Munari with 23. On defense, Kate Kilpatrick is up to 262 digs and Bailey Burgess leads the team at the net with 80 blocks (18 solo).
ODU still leads the league and ranks 15th in the country with 198 total blocks. The team is also third in the Sun Belt in both team assists (963) and team kills (1,029). The latest RPI rankings, released on Oct. 16, has the Monarchs listed 165th.
About Louisiana
The Cajuns (12-10, 3-5) are coming off a pair of losses to South Alabama, falling 3-2 to the Jaguars last Friday and 3-1 on Saturday. In the first match, Louisiana erased a 2-0 match deficit, but USA led wire-to-wire in the fifth set for a 15-9 decision. The next day saw the teams trade the lead 17 times with the Cajuns up 25-24 in the second set, however the visitors secured the next three points. Louisiana then won the third set 25-23, but dropped the fourth 25-10.
Shyia Richardson is the go-to option on offense with 258 kills and 278 points, both team highs. Celeste Darling is second in kills with 190 and Kara Barnes is third with 154. Setter Siena DeCambra owns 769 assists, Cami Hicks has served 20 aces, Mio Yamamoto has served 19, and Chelsea George and Kennedy Gustafson have served 18 each. On the other side of the net, Gustafson has tallied 231 digs with Richardson and DeCambra at 171 and 170 digs, respectively. Hicks is the team's best blocker with 76 (10 solo).
Through matches played on Oct. 17, Louisiana is atop the Sun Belt and ranks 11th in the country with 996 assists and is 15th with 1,067 kills. The Cajuns are also second in the league and 18th nationally in total attacks (2,900). Louisiana is listed at the No. 135 spot in the RPI rankings.
Up Next
ODU will make the trip to Boone, North Carolina next week for a conference series at App State. The teams will play a pair of 6 p.m. matches at the Holmes Convocation Center on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27.
Volleyball at Home Against Louisiana This Thursday and Friday
