Home Sweet Home For Cougar Volleyball
10/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
 | "Being at home will give us a chance to get back the momentum, the intensity, and the confidence we had at the beginning of the season." Head Coach Bill Walton |
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Oct. 7, 2005
HOUSTON - It has been 33 days since the University of Houston volleyball team has played a home match. This weekend the Cougars begin a stretch where six of its next eight matches will on the UH campus.
"Being at home will give us a chance to get back the momentum, the intensity, and the confidence we had at the beginning of the season," head coach Bill Walton said.
Houston opens the weekend at Hofheinz Pavilion welcoming new Conference USA foe, SMU, on Friday night. The Cougars return to the friendly confines of the Athletics/Alumni Center against Tulsa on Sunday afternoon.
"This will be our first match in a big area this season," Walton said. "We have spent some time this week practicing over at Hofheinz to get ready for this match."
Becca Sartori is proving why she is one of the top middle blockers in Conference USA over the last two seasons. The Houston native has been instrumental on both offense and defense this season for the Cougars.
Sartori has powered home double-digit kills in 12 of 14 matches this season. She leads the Houston offense with a .279 attack percentage, and is third on the squad ripping 191 kills. Sartori smashed 21 kills connecting on a .472 hitting percentage against Tulane (Oct. 2).
On defense, Sartori paces the Cougars with 50 total blocks averaging a 0.93 per game rate. Sartori rejected five shots at UTEP (Sept. 30), and has blocked five or more shots in four matches this season.
Kariny Ritter has notched 20 or more kills in three of her last five matches, including equalling a career-high pounding 23 kills in a five-game victory over Florida State (Sept. 10). She also put together a double-double (19 kills and 13 digs) against Tulane (Oct. 2). The Brazilian headlines the Houston offense with 226 kills and is sixth in C-USA averaging 4.19 spikes per game. Ritter was named C-USA Player of the Week on Aug. 28 after recording consecutives double-doubles to start the season.
Jaci Gonzalez enters the weekend holder of the C-USA career digs mark after sprawling out for 24 digs against Tulane (Oct. 2). She currently sits seventh all-time, third among active players, on the NCAA list with 2,091 career digs. The San Antonio native is 24 digs away from current Pittsburgh libero Megan McClain and 155 digs shy of Becky Dreher (Oral Roberts, 2001-04) on the all-time list. Gonzalez became only the 13th player in NCAA history to reach the 2,000 dig plateau against South Carolina (Sept. 16). She has already pulled out 331 digs at a 6.13 per game clip. That has her second in C-USA only behind Kelli Dickson of Tulane. She is also third overall in the NCAA rankings.
After missing a majority of last season with an injury, Zuela Adom is making up for lost time. Adom knocked eight kills on 16 swings against Tulane (Oct. 2) registering a .375 attack percentage.
"When we pass well, we can run our middle more," head coach Bill Walton said. "If we don't pass well, it makes it hard for the setters to get Zuela the ball. When the setters try to force it to her, that's when her percentage goes down."
Houston is 5-1 this season when Adom knocks over a .200 attack percentage. Her athleticism is uncanny, forcing the opposition to change shot selection in mid-air with her leaping ability. She is currently third on the team with 41 total blocks.
The Cougars are 4-3 this season in home matches but have dropped its last two contests. Walton enters the weekend only five wins away from 600 career victories. Only 10 other coaches all-time have reached that feat in volleyball.
Houston continues Conference USA action next weekend with road matches at Southern Miss and UCF.
