Rebel Invitational Up Next For Little Rock

Little Rock vs. Samford
Date	Aug. 31, 2018
Time	3:30 p.m.
Location	Oxford, Miss.
Arena	Gillom Performance Center
Stats	StatBroadcast
Video	N/A

OPENING SERVE
After a perfect start to the 2018 season, Little Rock volleyball heads back on the road looking to build on its blistering start to the year. The Trojans head to Oxford, Mississippi, competing in the Rebel Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Little Rock opens the event facing Samford at 3:30 p.m. Friday, August 31, then take on Southern Miss on Saturday, September 1 at 9:30 a.m. The Trojans close out the event taking on host Ole Miss at 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon,

Little Rock vs. Southern Miss
Date	Sept. 1, 2018
Time	9:30 a.m.
Location	Oxford, Miss.
Arena	Gillom Performance Center
Stats	StatBroadcast
Video	N/A

a match that will stream live on SEC Network +.

HISTORIC START
Little Rock raced out of the starting blocks in the opening weekend of the 2018 season, earning 3-0 sweeps over North Alabama, Mercer, Lamar and Jacksonville State at the Gamecock Invitational last weekend. In winning all 12 sets over the opening weekend, Little Rock held their opponents under 20 points in all but one while allowing their opponents to score 10 or less in four sets.

Little Rock at Ole Miss
Date	Sept. 1, 2018
Time	2:30 p.m.
Location	Oxford, Miss.
Arena	Gillom Performance Center
Stats	StatBroadcast
Video	SEC Network +

The Trojans' 4-0 start is its best in a season since starting 5-0 in the 1998 season and is just the second time in program history Little Rock has started a season winning at least its first four matches. Additionally, in winning 12-straight sets on opening weekend, it marked the Trojans most consecutive sets won to begin a season, besting the seven set victories to open the 1996 season. The 1998 team won 15 of its first 16 sets on the year, dropping one in its 3-1 victory over UMKC in the second match of the season.
 
RECORD CHASERS
With her 77 assists over the weekend, Taylor Lindberg upped her career assist total to 2,343, moving into fourth-place all-time in Little Rock program history. She enters the weekend 100 assists shy of passing Giuliana De Francesco's (2008-09) 2,432 assists to move into third all-time.
 
Over the weekend, Sydnee Martin registered 35 digs to bring her career total to 1,040, moving her into a seventh-place tie with Amila Barakovic (2005-08). She currently sits two digs shy of Amy Hafner's 1,042 digs from 2007-08, which ranks sixth all-time. Additionally, Martin had six service aces in the opening weekend, upping her career total to 139 and moving into sole possession of seventh-place all-time in program history. Martin enters the weekend one back of Tajana Andric's 140 aces from 1996-98 for sixth all-time.
 
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
A number of Trojans had impressive Little Rock debuts in the opening weekend, highlighted by Carol Barbosa's 20 blocks over the four matches in Jacksonville, Alabama. Barbosa also added 24 kills while hitting .378 offensively. Laura Jansen saw action in all 12 sets and registered 22 kills and a .308 hitting percentage with 11 blocks while Pamela Zuluaga dished out 55 assists with 12 digs in her Trojan debut.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
2018 Record: 2-1 (.667).
Last Three Matches: W vs. McNeese (3-0); W vs. Loyola-Chicago (3-1); L vs. Kennesaw State (3-2)
All-Time Series: Series tied, 1-1. First: Oct. 23, 1993 (W, 3-1).  Last: Sept. 19, 2009 (L, 3-0)
Head Coach: Keylor Chan (Third season at Samford)
Kills Leaders: #8 Kelsi Hobbs (43), #5 Lauren Deaton (42), #4 Krista Boesing (39)
Hitting Pct. Leaders: #13 Briana Holmes (.538), #8 Kelsi Hobbs (.357), #3 Shayla Phillip (.317)
Assist Leader: #2 Taylor Anderson (132)
Digs Leaders: #12 Grace Tiesman (45), #5 Lauren Deaton (35), #2 Taylor Anderton (32)
Blocks Leaders: #3 Shayla Phillip (13), #13 Briana Holmes (11), #8 Kelsi Hobbs (7)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
2018 Record: 3-0 (1.000)
Last Three Matches: W vs. Spring Hill (3-0); W vs. Alcorn (3-1); W vs. East Carolina (3-0)
All-Time Series: Series tied, 2-2. First: Sept. 13, 1991 (L, 3-1).  Last: Sept. 19, 2003 (L, 3-1)
Head Coach: Stephanie Radecki (First season at Southern Miss)
Kills Leaders: #6 Kylie Grandy (38), #12 Catherine Repsher (33), #20 Chandler Marshall (21)
Hitting Pct. Leaders: #12 Catherine Repsher (.622), #6 Kylie Grandy (.413), #4 Alexis Coombs (.400)
Assist Leader: #2 Sarah Bell (106)
Digs Leaders: #1 Madison Lawler (31), #2 Sarah Bell (31), #6 Kylie Grandy (26)
Blocks Leaders: #4 Alexis Coombs (10), #12 Catherine Repsher (6), #9 Ashley Berry (5)
 
SCOUTING THE REBELS
2018 Record: 2-1 (.667)
Last Three Matches: W vs. Virginia (3-1), L at Iowa State (3-0), W vs. Oregon State (3-2)
All-Time Series: Ole Miss leads, 4-3. First: Sept. 12, 1992 (L, 3-0).  Last: Sept. 9, 2011 (L, 3-0)
Head Coach: Steven McRoberts (Fifth season at Ole Miss)
Kills Leaders: #13 Emily Stroup (54), #9 Caitlin Wernentin (25), #2 Leah Mulkey (21)
Hitting Pct. Leaders: #13 Emily Stroup (.211), #15 Aubrey Sultemeier (.196), #6 Bayleigh Scott (.190)
Assist Leaders: #1 Lauren Bars (66), #3 Jordan Fate (58)
Digs Leaders: #12 Caroline Adams (58), #13 Emily Stroup (36), #5 Nicole Purcell (25)
Blocks Leaders: #15 Aubrey Sultemeier (14), #1 Lauren Bars (8), #2 Leah Mulkey (5)
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Following Little Rock's trip to Oxford this weekend, the Trojans will remain close to home for its third non-conference tournament of the year next weekend. Little Rock will make the short drive to Conway for the Central Arkansas Invitational September 6-8, beginning with the volleyball installment of the Governor's I-40 Showdown against UCA on Thursday, September 6. The Trojans then face Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, September 7, before closing out the event against South Dakota on Saturday, September 8.
 
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