Troy University Athletics
Thursday, October 31
Troy, Ala.
6 p.m.
Troy University
vs
ULM
Troy Volleyball Welcomes ULM to Trojan Arena
10/30/2024 2:35:00 PM | Volleyball
TROY, Ala. – After spending last week on the road, Troy volleyball is back in Trojan Arena this Thursday and Friday for a pair of matches against ULM. First serve for both matches is set for 6 p.m.
Troy (8-12, 3-7) lost both of its matches last week in Jonesboro to Arkansas State in five sets. On Thursday, Troy jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Red Wolves won the next three sets to win 3-2. On Friday, it was flipped as the Trojans trailed 2-0 but were able to force it to a fifth set, where it came up just short.
ULM (4-18, 0-10 SBC) is in the midst of an 11-match losing streak, and last picked up a win against Alcorn State on Sept. 21.
Match Information
The Matchup: ULM (4-18, 0-10 SBC) at Troy (8-12, 3-7)
When: Thursday, Oct. 31 | Friday, Nov. 1
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Regular Season Push
With just six matches left in the regular season, the Trojans are in full push-mode right now to secure their spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Foley, Ala., from Nov. 20-24. The top five teams from each division qualify. Troy is currently in fifth place in the West Division with a one-match lead on Louisiana in sixth place.
Troy looks to use this week's matches to solidify its conference record. The Trojans have won seven straight matches against ULM dating back to the 2018 season. Last season in Monroe, Troy won its two matches 3-2 and 3-1. The Trojans are 20-4 all-time against the Warhawks.
Last weekend, the Trojans continued to get impressive offensive production from Tori Hester who totaled 40 kills on the week. She had 21 kills on Thursday night and 19 on Friday. She has 19 or more kills in each of the last six matches, and 20 or more in four of those. Her streak of matches with double-digit kills was extended to 42, and remains the longest known active streak in DI women's volleyball.
Freshman hitter Kalina Calvillo impressed in both matches at Arkansas State, as she totaled 10 kills on Thursday and 17 on Friday. In the last three matches she has 36 kills, an average of 2.4 kills per set.
On the defensive side of things, Jaci Mesa had one of the best two-match stretches of her career while in Jonesboro, as she tied her career high in digs with 23 on Thursday before setting a new career high on Friday with 24.
Scouting ULM
ULM is coming off a pair of losses to Texas State in Monroe last weekend. Sophomore outside hitter Ariana Brown has been the best attacker for the Warhawks in 2024. Her 228 kills (3.17 per set) culminate in 266.0 total points on the season, which beats the next-highest total by 111.0 points. She has double-digit kills in 13 of the 22 matches played this season.
Setting up the ULM offense this year has been Morgan Howard. She has 554 assists for the year (7.29 per set) and has double-digit assists in all but one game in 2024. Her assists per set are the sixth most in the SBC.
Notables
• Outside hitter Amiah Butler is 15 kills away from 1,000 in her career.
• Josh Lauer is in his eighth season at the helm of Troy, and boasts a 115-111 record while leading the Trojans.
• In the newest RPI ranking Troy comes in at No. 113, seven spots lower than its previous ranking (106). It's good for sixth in the Sun Belt, and is one spot ahead of Arkansas State. The Sun Belt has three teams in the top 100 (Ga. Southern, App State and James Madison).
• Troy will play seven matches against teams who qualified for the 2023 Division I NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.
• Troy is averaging 12.64 kills per set this season, which is eighth in the Sun Belt Conference and 150th in the country.
• Leading the offensive charge this season has been outside hitters Tori Hester and Amiah Butler. Both players have earned Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honors this season.
• Tori Hester has reached a number of milestones this season. She is the fourth player in program history – second in the rally era – to have 1,500 kills and 1,000 digs. She is also just 83 kills away from breaking the program record of 1,671 kills set by Cheyenne Hayes.
• Tori Hester's 4.77 kills per set is first in the conference and eighth nationally. She also leads the Sun Belt in points (412.5), kills (358), points per set (5.50), attacks per set (12.43) and total attacks (932).
Troy (8-12, 3-7) lost both of its matches last week in Jonesboro to Arkansas State in five sets. On Thursday, Troy jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Red Wolves won the next three sets to win 3-2. On Friday, it was flipped as the Trojans trailed 2-0 but were able to force it to a fifth set, where it came up just short.
ULM (4-18, 0-10 SBC) is in the midst of an 11-match losing streak, and last picked up a win against Alcorn State on Sept. 21.
Match Information
The Matchup: ULM (4-18, 0-10 SBC) at Troy (8-12, 3-7)
When: Thursday, Oct. 31 | Friday, Nov. 1
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Regular Season Push
With just six matches left in the regular season, the Trojans are in full push-mode right now to secure their spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Foley, Ala., from Nov. 20-24. The top five teams from each division qualify. Troy is currently in fifth place in the West Division with a one-match lead on Louisiana in sixth place.
Troy looks to use this week's matches to solidify its conference record. The Trojans have won seven straight matches against ULM dating back to the 2018 season. Last season in Monroe, Troy won its two matches 3-2 and 3-1. The Trojans are 20-4 all-time against the Warhawks.
Last weekend, the Trojans continued to get impressive offensive production from Tori Hester who totaled 40 kills on the week. She had 21 kills on Thursday night and 19 on Friday. She has 19 or more kills in each of the last six matches, and 20 or more in four of those. Her streak of matches with double-digit kills was extended to 42, and remains the longest known active streak in DI women's volleyball.
Freshman hitter Kalina Calvillo impressed in both matches at Arkansas State, as she totaled 10 kills on Thursday and 17 on Friday. In the last three matches she has 36 kills, an average of 2.4 kills per set.
On the defensive side of things, Jaci Mesa had one of the best two-match stretches of her career while in Jonesboro, as she tied her career high in digs with 23 on Thursday before setting a new career high on Friday with 24.
Scouting ULM
ULM is coming off a pair of losses to Texas State in Monroe last weekend. Sophomore outside hitter Ariana Brown has been the best attacker for the Warhawks in 2024. Her 228 kills (3.17 per set) culminate in 266.0 total points on the season, which beats the next-highest total by 111.0 points. She has double-digit kills in 13 of the 22 matches played this season.
Setting up the ULM offense this year has been Morgan Howard. She has 554 assists for the year (7.29 per set) and has double-digit assists in all but one game in 2024. Her assists per set are the sixth most in the SBC.
Notables
• Outside hitter Amiah Butler is 15 kills away from 1,000 in her career.
• Josh Lauer is in his eighth season at the helm of Troy, and boasts a 115-111 record while leading the Trojans.
• In the newest RPI ranking Troy comes in at No. 113, seven spots lower than its previous ranking (106). It's good for sixth in the Sun Belt, and is one spot ahead of Arkansas State. The Sun Belt has three teams in the top 100 (Ga. Southern, App State and James Madison).
• Troy will play seven matches against teams who qualified for the 2023 Division I NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.
• Troy is averaging 12.64 kills per set this season, which is eighth in the Sun Belt Conference and 150th in the country.
• Leading the offensive charge this season has been outside hitters Tori Hester and Amiah Butler. Both players have earned Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honors this season.
• Tori Hester has reached a number of milestones this season. She is the fourth player in program history – second in the rally era – to have 1,500 kills and 1,000 digs. She is also just 83 kills away from breaking the program record of 1,671 kills set by Cheyenne Hayes.
• Tori Hester's 4.77 kills per set is first in the conference and eighth nationally. She also leads the Sun Belt in points (412.5), kills (358), points per set (5.50), attacks per set (12.43) and total attacks (932).
Players Mentioned
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Player Postgame Press Conference (Luke Hodge, Tray Taylor) - No. 8 Clemson
Sunday, September 07
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - No. 8 Clemson
Sunday, September 07
Troy at No. 8 Clemson (Full Highlights)
Sunday, September 07
Josh Lauer Postgame Press Conference - Jackson State
Saturday, September 06