Volleyball team looks forward to conference play
By Jay Armstrong
Skiff Staff

The volleyball team begins conference play this weekend at home with a match against Southern Mississippi on Friday and another against Tulane on Saturday.

The games begin to count for more now, and conference play is something the Frogs say they have been waiting for.

“We’re excited to start conference and our team is ready to play,” head coach Prentice Lewis said.

Both Tulane and Southern Miss were ranked ahead of the Frogs in pre-season Conference USA polls. However, the team downplays this fact.

“Rankings are not consistent and precise,” Lewis said.

Players say the non-conference schedule has taught them valuable lessons.

“We pick more stuff up now and we fight harder as the season goes on,” freshman outside hitter Erin Estep said.

The Frogs hope to apply those lessons as they head into the toughest part of their schedule which includes showdowns at home against Louisville and Cincinnati, last season’s Conference USA champion and runner-up, respectively.

Both teams come to town this weekend holding similar records but are not currently ranked in the conference’s top four according to ConferenceUSA.com.

But, so far only the 1997 and 2000 Frogs have better records than TCU’s 8-8 mark after sixteen matches.
Now, the team says the bar has been raised.

“I think now that we’ve played sixteen matches, we know our potential,” freshman setter Jackie Choi said.

Whether the Frogs realize their potential or not will be determined by the next thirteen matches.