University of North Texas
UAB
Home Stand Closes With Beginning Of CUSA Play
9/25/2019 10:34:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
DENTON - North Texas volleyball opens Conference USA play with home games on Friday and Sunday.Â
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The Mean Green (6-6) will face UAB (8-5) to open the C-USA schedule Friday at 7 p.m., before No. 22 Rice (11-1) comes to Denton Sunday for a 1 p.m. match. Rice will travel to Denton just more than a week after taking down No. 3 Texas at home.Â
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"The top half of our conference is pretty strong," UNT head coach Andrew Palileo said. "There's a lot of good players and coaches. We're pretty excited to get conference play started. There's parity this year and we're looking forward to it. We've got a couple of nice wins, but now we're going into an area where everybody knows each other."Â
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Rice is led by Nicole Lennon, who has been named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week for the first four weeks of the season. She currently leads C-USA in kills per set (5.12) and total kills (215). She also leads the conference in points. North Texas outside hitter Valerie Valerian sits behind her in kills with 201, and is third in kills per set in C-USA with 4.28. Valerian is looking forward to the battle of two of the top outside hitters in the conference.Â
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"I have a lot of respect for Nicole as a player," Valerian said. "I'm excited to compete. When it comes down to it, it comes time to compete and be an athlete. We've been talking about our mental toughness and grit. We want to play for our team and play for our culture."Â
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The Mean Green started conference play 1-1 in 2018, and finished strong to go 11-3. This weekend will be no easy task, however. The Owls are poised to return to the NCAA Tournament after being ranked in the AVCA Coaches Poll Top 25 for the first time in program history.
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The Blazers are fresh off a 2-1 tournament. Senior Jill Duffin, who missed all of last season, is ready to contribute in conference play in her final chance for the Mean Green.Â
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"It's just sinking in that this is my last season," Duffin said. "I think we've been lacking a bit of grit. Playing UAB and Rice starts the conference schedule off tough, so if we just fight, I think we can be that team to beat."
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Friday and Sunday wrap up a five-game home stand. Don't miss this chance to see the Mean Green in action. Tickets for either Friday at 7 p.m., against UAB or Sunday at 1 p.m., against Rice are available online. Live stats and a stream will be available as well.Â
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