Oct. 6, 2005

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Tulane University volleyball team returns to action on Friday, Oct. 7, when the Green Wave travel to West Texas to take on Conference USA foe UTEP at 8 p.m. (CDT) at Memorial Gym.

Tulane will be looking to continue the steady improvement it has shown since being relocated to the campus of Texas A&M following Hurricane Katrina. The Green Wave are also looking to stop a four-match skid and claim their first C-USA win of the season.

"UTEP is a formidable opponent coming off a good weekend, and we're looking forward to a good match," Tulane head coach Liz Kritza said. "We're progressing day by day and looking forward to seeing that hard work pay dividends in matches."

The Green Wave enter Friday's contest 1-4 on the year and 0-2 in C-USA play. As a team, Tulane averages 15.0 kills, 14.0 assists, 19.4 digs and 1.47 blocks per game and are led offensively by freshman outside hitter Sara Radosevic, who ranks seventh nationally with 5.59 kills per game. Senior libero Kelli Dickson paces the team, conference and country with 7.00 digs per game, and rookie setter Luna Rebrovic leads the Green Wave with 12.59 assists per stanza.

UTEP, meanwhile, comes into the weekend matchup 12-4 overall and 2-2 in league action and are averaging 15.3 kills, 13.3 assists, 15.6 digs and 2.1 blocks per outing. Kari Stacy leads the club with 4.51 kills per game while Brittany Stowers paces the defense with 4.72 digs a contest.

While Tulane has played all but one match this season away from Fogelman Arena as the Green Wave are calling the G. Rollie White Coliseum on the A&M campus home for the remainder of the 2005 season, Friday's contest will be its first official "road" game.

"This is our first road match, and while we're not exactly home right now, and we're looking forward to see how we play on the road," Kritza said. "After not being able to practice for almost three weeks, we've gotten better with each passing day since arriving in College Station. The team is hungry for a win, and I think our best matches are ahead of us."

Friday's contest is the first of a three-match road swing for the Green Wave as Tulane plays at SMU and Tulsa next Friday and Sunday, respectively. Tulane's next home match is slated for Friday, Oct. 21, when the Green Wave battle Southern Miss at 7 p.m. at the G. Rollie White Coliseum.