Nov. 11, 2005

Final Stats

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Freshman outside hitter Sara Radosevic had 20 kills and senior libero Kelli Dickson posted 26 digs, but it was not enough as the Tulane University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Conference USA foe Tulsa Friday evening at the G. Rollie White Coliseum on the campus of Texas A&M University.

Tulane won game one 30-26 and held a 28-26 advantage late in game two before Tulsa scored the final four points of the second stanza and went on to take the final two contests with identical 30-18 scores. With the loss, Tulane falls to 3-14 on the year and 2-12 in C-USA play. Tulsa, meanwhile, improves to 23-6 overall and 10-4 in league action.

"Tonight we proved that volleyball is a game of momentum," first-year Tulane head coach Liz Kritza said. "When you let a team off the hook the way we did in game two, it really shifts the momentum of the match. Instead of being in the driver's seat ahead two games to none, we were forced back to square one and did not bounce back the way we would have hoped."

Freshman Luna Rebrovic, who injured her left ankle late in a morning practice, had an admirable performance with 47 assists, 10 digs and four kills. She was joined in the double-double club by Radosevic, who had 16 digs, and senior Blair Moon, who posted 14 kills and 12 digs.

Rookie middle blocker Lauren Boatwright hit a career-best .429 with seven kills and just 1 error in 14 swings, and also chipped in with five blocks. Fellow freshman middle Jen Linder had six kills and three service aces to go along with four digs and a block.

"As we've learned throughout the season, we need to take the positives from this match and move forward," Kritza said. "Luna battled through an injury sustained earlier in the day to run an evenly-distributed offense. Lauren Boatwright had a productive hitting night, and Kelli Dickson put forth another solid defensive effort."

Kassiana Urnau was one of four Tulsa players to post double-digit kill totals with 16. Amy Meyer and Germana Hilario were next with 12, and Sam Rutherford followed with 10. Evyn Wills paced the Golden Hurricane with a match-high 27 digs, while Urnau and Julia Silva followed with 16 and 12, respectively.

The Green Wave return to action on Sunday, Nov. 13, when Tulane closes out the regular season vs. C-USA foe SMU at 1 p.m. at the G. Rollie White Coliseum. Admission to this weekend's contests is free, but a donation box will be at the main ticket window for anyone wishing to make a monetary contribution to the Tulane Athletic Department. Fans not able to make the trip to College Station can follow the action live on the internet via GameTracker on the official website of Tulane Athletics, www.tulanegreenwave.com.

SUNDAY FESTIVITIES: Tulane's regular-season finale vs. SMU will be part of a special Sunday as the Green Wave plan a host of activities in conjunction with the match. Green Wave Athletics Director Rick Dickson will be on hand for a pre-match ceremony recognizing Tulane seniors Kelli Dickson and Blair Moon, and he will also participate in a mid-match ceremony to present the 2005 Conference USA Swimming & Diving Champion Green Wave team. Following the match, fans are invited to attend a Tulane cookout sponsored by the Ray Hester Booster Club in the parking lot of the Olson Baseball Field on the campus of Texas A&M.