Oct. 18, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University volleyball team will be playing for much more than simply a check mark in the victory column on Tuesday when the Green Wave travels across town to take on rival UNO at 7 p.m. at the Lakefront Arena - this one is for bragging rights.

Unlike years past when the Green Wave and Privateers played twice a year, Tuesday night's showdown marks the only meeting between the two teams during the 2004 season. History, however, is on Tulane's side as the team in olive green and sky blue has won each of the last six meetings and has now won 13 consecutive matches against in-state opponents.

"This is always a big match for us every year," head coach Betsy Becker said. "You can throw away the records, you can forget about how successful you may have been, and you can forget about any sort of winning streaks you may have. This comes down to city bragging rights, and it's always fun to play rivalry matches like the one that has developed between Tulane and UNO over the years."

Perhaps no one has more experience in the rivalry than Becker, who served as the head coach at UNO from 1995-98 before taking over the reigns of the Green Wave program prior to the 1999 season. In Tulane/UNO matchups, Becker is 14-4, including an 8-2 record with the Green Wave.

"We've had some success recently against UNO, but that is not going to be a factor tomorrow night," Becker said. "We've got to come out focused and ready to play against what I feel is a very good team. UNO is far better than they have been in a couple of years, and it will take a solid all-around game from everyone involved for us to go into their home gym and come away with a win."

Tulane enters the contest 11-4 on the year and fresh off a 3-0 victory over Conference USA foe Southern Miss on Saturday evening. Senior outside hitter Anastasia Kenon paces the Green Wave with 4.48 kills per game while senior middle blocker Deva Fowler leads the way with 199 total kills. Fowler also heads up the Tulane front-row defense with 1.49 blocks per outing, and junior libero Kelli Dickson paces the back-row unit with 4.38 digs per contest.

UNO, meanwhile, comes into Tuesday night's match 14-5 overall, but looking to overcome the slump of an 0-2 home weekend that saw the Privateers drop a four-game match to Arkansas-Little Rock on Friday and a five-game contest to Arkansas State on Saturday. Jennifer Cruz leads UNO with 4.47 kills per game, Hillary Carr heads the club with 1.17 blocks per contest, and Christine Zimmer paces the Privateers with 4.34 digs per outing.

As a team, Tulane is hitting .248 on the strength of 828 kills and 319 errors in 2,054 swings. The UNO defense, meanwhile, is holding opponents to a .137 attack percentage with 897 kills and 493 errors in 2,940 attempts. Conversely, the Privateers have a .206 attack percentage (1,082 - 461 - 3,010) and will be facing a Green Wave defense that has help its foes to a .152 mark (685 - 377 - 2,033).

Following Tuesday's contest at the Lakefront Arena, Tulane returns to action on Friday, Oct. 22, when the Green Wave travels to Greenville, N.C., for a C-USA showdown with East Carolina. Tulane will take on Charlotte on Saturday, Oct. 23, before returning home on Friday, Oct. 29, when it battles league foe Louisville at 7 p.m. in Fogelman Arena.