MONROE, La. – The ULM Warhawks go on the road this weekend for two conference matchups. The Warhawks will take on Troy at 6:30 p.m. on Friday before battling South Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"I love being the underdog," head coach Charlie Olson said. "We're not expected to win, so that allows us to play freely and pull off the upset."
ULM (9-10, 0-4 Sun Belt) has had a tough start to conference play this season, but is looking to turn the tide in its favor after this weekend.
"We don't have an 0-4 locker room," Olson said. "This team is still excited and we're hanging with the top competition in our conference."
The Warhawks' first matchup will be televised on ESPN+ against Troy on Friday. The Trojans (13-3, 3-1 Sun Belt) are coming off of a 3-1 win against Georgia State and are undefeated at home.
"Having the game on ESPN+ is not only great exposure for the team, but great exposure for the sport," Olson said. "It gives us a chance to grow this sport and show fans how much fun and exciting this game is."
Troy will be led by Cheyenne Hayes, who has 251 kills on the season for an average of 4.48 kills per set.
Hayes will be joined by setter Amara Anderson and libero Lacey Jeffcoat. Anderson is averaging 11.25 assists per set while Jeffcoat is averaging 3.77 digs per set and is leading the team with 29 service aces. Halston Hillier and Julia Brooks also have a combined 84 blocks.
"They're a very well-balanced team," Olson said. "Their defense is scrappy and keeps a lot of balls in play."
After the matchup with Troy, ULM will have a quick turnaround and take on South Alabama on Saturday. The Jaguars (12-6, 3-1 Sun Belt) are coming off of back-to-back sweeps of Georgia Southern and Southern Miss. South Alabama is also undefeated at home.
"It's our job to go in there and really focus on the things that we do well," Olson said.
The Jaguars will be led by Kelley Hartman and Ashlyn Roberts. Hartman leads the team with 202 kills for an average of 3.16 kills per set and also has 51 blocks. Roberts is averaging 4.15 digs per set.
South Alabama runs a two-setter offense and will rely on the services of Rachel DeMarcus and Lillie Fromdahl. DeMarcus is averaging 9.80 assists per set while Fromdahl is averaging 6.31 assists per set.
"I can't control what they're going to do, but I can control what we're going to throw at them," Olson said.
Links to live coverage, including video and stats, for Friday's game against Troy and Saturday's game at South Alabama can be found on the volleyball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com. Follow along with all things Warhawk Volleyball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @ULM_VB.
