MIAMI (Nov. 15, 2014) – FIU (6-23, 3-12 C-USA) returns to FIU Arena for its final match of the season. FIU hosts the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (9-19, 1-13 C-USA) on Sunday, with first serve scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The match will be the final home match for seniors Martyna Gluchowicz, Kristine Monforte and Tina Toghiyani. FIU will honor the three seniors in a ceremony prior to the start of the match.
 
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ONLINE
Live Webcast: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
 
SCOUTING FIU
With the two losses at UTEP and UTSA last week, FIU has officially been eliminated from the Conference USA Tournament. The Panthers are currently riding a 10-match losing streak following a nonconference match at Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday. In the match against the Eagles, FIU posted 14.5 kills-per-set with a .207 hitting percentage. For the season, the Panthers are hitting .158 as a team, while averaging 11.4 kills-per-set, 10.4 assists-per-set, 1.01 aces-per-set, 15.3 digs-per-set and 2.18 blocks-per-set. FIU is third in the league with 2.18 blocks-per-set and rank seventh in C-USA with 15.13 digs-per-set.
 
With four-straight matches with 17 kills, Lucia Castro has now registered 901 career-kills. Castro has garnered six-straight double-digit kill figures and three-consecutive double-doubles. She continues to climb up FIU's career-kills ladder as she needs 16 more to sneak into the top 10. This season, Castro has 350 kills in 29 matches and is averaging 3.21 kills-per-set to rank ninth in the conference.
 
Freshman middle blocker Jennifer Ene continues to make her presence known on the front row. The Carrolton, Texas native leads the Panthers in conference play with a .309 hitting percentage, while posting 2.21 kills-per-set to rank second on the team. She also is second on the Panther squad with 44 blocks (0.77 bps) in C-USA action. Ene has notched over a .300 hitting percentage in eight of FIU's 15 conference matches including the three of the Panthers' last four matches.
 
SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
Louisiana Tech enters the final week of the season with a 9-19 overall record, while posting a 1-13 mark against Conference USA opponents to rank last in the conference. The Lady Techsters have dropped their last five matches overall, with their last win coming on Oct. 24 in a four-set victory on the road against Charlotte. Tech enters the match averaging 11.64 kills-per-set with a .160 hitting percentage. The Lady Techsters average 14.24 digs, 0.92 aces and 1.90 blocks-per-set.
 
Individually, Louisiana Tech is led by senior outside hitter Rebecca Redgen, who averaged 3.67 kills and 2.03 digs-per-set. Angela Papach is second on the team with 2.00 kills-per-set, while Alejandra Aviles leads the team on the back row with 3.85 digs-per-set. Emilee Dechant has a team-high 62 blocks and Dalane Guidry is second on the team with 50 rejections.
 
Sunday's match will mark the 10^th meeting all-time between the two schools. Despite posting a 3-0 win in their first meeting of the season, the Lady Techsters hold a 4-5 advantage in the series. FIU is 2-2 all-time when playing in Miami.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for all the latest FIU volleyball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
                          #
 
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean BankField at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 4-00 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.