Volleyball closes home schedule against Philander Smith, SUNO
The Wiley University volleyball team will play its final home matches of the 2024 season against Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) schools Philander Smith University at 6 p.m. Thursday and Southern University at New Orleans at 1 p.m. Saturday inside Alumni Gymnasium.
The matches will be broadcast on HBCU-Plus, which can be viewed online or download the free app on your mobile device or Smart TV. Seniors Fatima Ortega and Annie Narvaez will be honored before Saturday's match.
The Lady Wildcats (0-5, 0-2 HBCUAC) are searching for their first victory and haven't played since falling to Tougaloo College on September 8. Rachelle Santos leads the team with 28 kills, averaging 1.87 per set. Lynnetra Taylor has been the top setter through five matches with 29 assists. Leah Monsegue follows with 28. Nadia Cortez leads the team with five service aces. T'aja Hardy has been the top defender with 26 digs and an average of 1.73 per set. Madisyn Moore has four blocks with three solos.
Philander Smith (7-2, 1-1 HBCUAC) has won six of its last seven matches. Zarea Winn leads the Lady Panthers with 78 kills and averages 3.12 per set, which is second in the HBCUAC. Essence Wren is second in the conference with 228 assists and leads with 9.12 per set. Ja'Niya Sanders is fourth in the conference with 0.52 service aces per set. On defense, the Lady Panthers are led by Christlove Lauture, who has 103 digs and averages 3.68 per set - ranks fifth in the conference. Kiah Rucker has 20 block assists with an average of 0.80 per set. The Lady Panthers are in their first season under Mariah Yarborough.
Southern University at New Orleans (0-9, 0-2 HBCUAC) is also searching for its first win since the program returned in 2023. Taszia Adkinson leads the team with 48 kills for an average of 1.71 per set. A'Lon Clark has gotten the most time as the setter, leading the Lady Knights with 93 assists. Armoni Harris has 113 digs with an average of 4.04 per set. She has claimed one of the HBCUAC Defender of the Week awards. Alaina Obianozie leads in blocks with 15 total. Nigeria Williams follows with 14.
Wiley will meet Philander Smith for the 12th time since 2006. It won seven of the previous 11 but all four conference meetings have gone to the Lady Panthers. Saturday will mark the fifth meeting between the Lady Wildcats and Lady Knights. The previous four have gone to Wiley, including both meetings last season.
For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats visit Women's Volleyball Home - Wiley University (wileyathletics.com)
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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