University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Close Out Regular Season Against Memphis, Saint Louis
11/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
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Week 12 Notes
Lady Eagles Close Out Regular Season Against Memphis, Saint Louis
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - With a postseason Conference USA tournament berth already in hand, the Lady Eagle volleyball team wraps up regular season play with a pair of matches this weekend.
Southern Miss (25-5, 9-2 in C-USA) visits Memphis (27-4, 8-3) at 7 p.m., Friday, and then travels to Saint Louis (9-19, 2-9) for Saturday's 7 p.m. match.
The Lady Eagles currently stand in third place in the league after last week's 3-1 win over Tulane. With a win over the Tigers, Southern Miss would finish no worse than third in the league, behind just Cincinnati and Louisville, and would have a first-round bye in the C-USA tournament next week in New Orleans, La.
Southern Miss also is just one win away from matching the school record for wins in a season. The team already sports the best win percentage (.833) in school history, ahead of the previous high (.677) accomplished in 1998.
Much of this season's success has been because of the steady play the three Lady Eagle seniors, Bridget Files, Nicki Tribble and Andrea Bush. Files continues to lead the team with 526 points this season and is tied with Bush for second in kills (408). Files also has team-highs in digs (330) and blocks (130). Tribble is second in points (500) and has a team-high 436 kills. Bush is third with 466.5 points.
Setter Amy Truong leads the team in assists (1,313) and aces (46). Jazzmien Stephens is fourth overall in points scored (261.5).
Memphis comes into the match on a two-game win streak, topping both Charlotte and East Carolina. Tiara Gilkey has a team-best 531.5 points and also leads with 463 kills. Brittany Barnett is second in kills (443) and points (503.5).
The Billikens have struggled this season but defeated East Carolina on Sunday, their first win in five matches. Kayla Kmitta leads all players with 297.5 points (234 kills), while Alexis Cooley is second with 257.5 points.
Following the two matches, the Lady Eagles begin postseason play in the Conference USA Tournament. The 12-team event will be played at Tulane's Fogelman Arena, Friday-Monday, Nov. 21-24.
