The Florida Atlantic volleyball team will return home this weekend when the Owls host Conference USA rivals UAB and Western Kentucky. After hosting the FAU Invitational to open the season, the Owls spent the entire month of September on the road.
The Owls (11-5, 2-1 C-USA) split their two match road trip to Texas, losing to UTSA in four and sweeping UTEP on Sunday. Sophomore Genesis Viera leads the team is assists at 10.21 per set. Junior Brittney Brown is one of four FAU players averaging more than two kills per set. Brown averages a team best 2.66 kills per set, Kristina Rankovic, Katarina Stepanovic and Kristi Tekavec are the others.
Friday’s opponent, UAB (4-12, 1-1) opened its C-USA schedule by splitting its matches, losing to Charlotte on Friday and sweeping Louisiana Tech on Sunday. The Blazers have three players averaging at least two kills per set, led by Sydney Nelson’s 2.64, with a fourth player averaging 1.93 kills per set. UAB swept the Owls last season in Boca Raton.
Western Kentucky (14-4, 2-0) will be Sunday’s opponent. WKU had to rally from two sets to defeat Rice on Sunday. C-USA Preseason Player of the Year Noelle Langenkamp had 13 kills in the victory. Langenkamp is third on the team with 2.47 kills per set and has a team high .357 hitting percentage. The Hilltoppers swept the Owls in their last visit to FAU Arena, on Oct. 27, 2012, when both schools were members of the Sun Belt conference.