FIU Match Notes | C-USA Notes

MIAMI (Sept. 18, 2014) – The FIU volleyball team (3-8, 0-1 C-USA) looks to bounce back from its four-match losing streak as it hits the road for its final non-conference tournament at the Crimson-White Invitational hosted by the University of Alabama. The Panthers will play Alabama on Friday at 1 p.m. ET, then take on Clemson and San Diego State, Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.ET

FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ONLINE
Live stats: FIUSports.com
Live Audio: WVUA 90.7 FM or online at wvuafm.ua.edu (Alabama Match Only)
Television: SEC + via espn3.com or the WatchESPN app (Alabama Match Only)

TEAM NOTES
• FIU head coach Rita Buck-Crockett is in her second season with the Panthers and eighth overall as a head coach. With a 3-4 record this season, Buck-Crockett has a 16-25 record at FIU, bringing her career record to 65-146.
• Junior outside hitter Lucia Castro garnered SDSU Challenge all-tournament honors after averaging 3.46 kills-per-set and 3.38 digs-per-set in the three matches ... this is her second all-tournament team honor as she also garnered 3.18 kills-per-set and 3.45 digs-per-set in the three matches at the USF Invitational … after recording a career-high 27 kills and a .533 (27K-3E/45TA) against South Dakota State, Castro finished the three matches with a team-best 45 kills (3.46 kps) and 44 digs (3.38 dps) on the weekend … she also added eight blocks (one solo, seven assisted) and three service aces … Castro leads the Panthers and ranks fifth in C-USA with 127 kills (3.78 kps) through 10 matches … she also leads the team with 122 digs (3.13 dps) … she has five double-doubles on the year, currently posting a three-match streak.
• Sophomore setter Anabela Sataric also earned SDSU Challenge all-tournament honors after averaging 9.15 assists-per-set ... she garnered a career-high 62 assists in the match versus South Dakota State to rank seventh in Panther history in single-match assists ... Sataric also picked up her second double-double on the year against the Jackrabbits with 13 digs to go along with her 62 assists ... the Biberist Switzerland native leads the Panther squad and ranks seventh in C-USA with 377 assists (8.77 aps) … she paced the Panthers with 82 assists in the USF Invitational, to average 7.45 assists-per-set
• Junior middle blocker Gloria Levorin earned USF All-Tournament honors after averaging 1.27 blocks-per-set … Levorin had seven block assists in the win against USF and added six kills.
• Freshman Jennifer Ene continues to make her presence known up front as she recorded 13 blocks (all assisted) at the SDSU Challenge … the freshman garnered a career-high eight blocks (all assisted) against Iowa .

SCOUTING THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama quickly rebounded from back-to-back losses in the Caviler Classic with four-straight sweeps, most recently against Conference USA foe UAB to move to 9-2.

Redshirt sophomore Krystal Rivers leads the way on offense with 165 kills (4.02) and an SEC-leading 23 service aces, followed closely behind by freshman Kat Hutson with 123 kills. Sophomore Brittany Thomas and Kryssi Daniels lead the team with 98 digs. Thomas ranks third in kills with 91 and is tied for the team lead with two double-doubles. A pair of newcomers at the middle, freshman Leah Lawrence and junior Bruna Evangelista, have solidified a stout front-row defense for the Crimson Tide so far this season as they have combined for 82 blocks (10 solo, 72 assisted). 

Ed Allen is in his fourth season as the head women's volleyball coach at Alabama and has tallied a 62-46 record with the Crimson Tide. The Panthers and the Tide have met on 10 previous occasions with Alabama leading FIU, 8-2.

SCOUTING THE CLEMSON TIGERS
Clemson comes in to Saturday's match with an impressive 9-1 record. The Tigers lead the ACC in opponent hitting percentage only allowing a mark of .090. 

Senior Kristin Faust leads the team and ranks fifth in the ACC with 134 kills and 3.83 kills-per-set. Freshman setter Kate Federico ranks second in the ACC with 365 assists (10.43 asp), while senior Karis Watson is third in the conference in blocks with 1.58 blocks-per-set.

Jolene Jordan Hoover is now in her 22nd season as the head coach of the Clemson volleyball program. During the 2012 season, Hoover crossed the 400-win milestone at Clemson, and the 500-win mark in her career. During her time at Clemson, her teams have averaged 21 wins per season and made eight NCAA appearances, and have had 20 or more wins in 14 seasons, including the 2012 campaign. This is the fourth meeting between FIU and Clemson, with the Panthers holding a 3-1 edge.

SCOUTING THE SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS
FIU's final match of its final non-conference tournament will come against the Aztecs of San Diego State. SDSU enters the match on Saturday afternoon winning three of its last four matches. Most recently, the Aztecs fell to cross-town rival San Diego in straight sets.

The San Diego State offensive charge is led by juniors Ciara Brown and Halle Aiken. The dynamic duo combines for a total of 109 kills, good for 2.53 kills-per-set. In addition, Brown adds eight service aces on the year while Aiken contributes 11 blocks. Defensively freshman libero Devyn Pritchard leads the team and ranks sixth in the MWC with 100 digs (3.85).

San Diego State is led by Deitre Collins-Parker, a two-time National Collegiate Player of the Year and AVCA Hall of Fame member. This is only the second meeting between the Aztecs and Panthers with SDSU leading, 1-0.

NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS
Following the Crimson-White Tournament, FIU will continue its road trip with a match at Marshall before returning home to take on Western Kentucky and UAB. The two matches in Miami against WKU and the Blazers are set for 6 p.m. ET.

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).

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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 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.