Tickets// FIRST SERVE
University of Cincinnati volleyball hosts its first home conference matches of the season this weekend as SMU and Houston come to town. The Bearcats play the Mustangs on Friday night at 7 p.m. and the Cougars on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be held at St. Ursula Academy with free admission.
// FOLLOW US
For up to the minute updates, follow UC Volleyball (@GoBearcatsVB) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook (GoBearcatsVB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsVB).
// GOING LIVE
A live stream of the matches will be available at gobearcats.com/watch. Live stats will run at gobearcats.com.
// CONFERENCE CORNER
• Cincinnati is one of five teams that is undefeated in the AAC after the first week of competition. Tulsa, Wichita State and SMU are all 2-0 while UC and UCF sits at 1-0
• UConn and Temple follow at an even 1-1 mark
• USF, Houston, Tulane, ECU and Memphis are all looking for their first conference victory
• Wichita State was selected to win the conference in the preseason coaches' poll with Cincinnati coming in a close second
• SMU was voted on to finish fourth and Houston eighth out of the twelve conference teams
• For the fourth week in a row Jordan Thompson was named the AAC's best offensive player for the week
• Thompson continues to lead the nation in kills, points, kills per set and points per set as she has since the second week of competition concluded this season
// RISING IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Entering this weekend, a trio of Bearcats rank highly in the rally-era UC record book in three main categories
• Jordan Thompson currently ranks fifth in total career kills with 1,399. She needs 99 more to move up to a tie for fourth
• Carly Nolan is close behind in sixth all-time with 1,310 in her career
• Abby Williams ranks third in career digs with 1,462 while Nolan is sixth with 1,128
• Nolan also is in the top ten in career aces with 89
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
SMU is 5-7 overall on the season. The Mustangs opened conference play with 3-1 win against UConn and a 3-0 victory versus Temple, both at home. SMU and UC have a common non-conference opponent in TCU. The Mustangs dropped a four-set match against the Frogs while the Bearcats won in five. SMU is currently ranked third in the AAC in blocks and digs
// SERIES HISTORY: BEARCATS vs. MUSTANGS
Cincinnati is 1-9 all-time against SMU. Last season, UC dropped an intense 3-2 match at home before being defeated 3-1 on the road. In 2016, the Bearcats lost 3-2 on the road before sweeping SMU on home court
// KNOW THE FOE: HOUSTON
Houston sits at 13-4 overall this season but is 0-2 in conference after losses against Temple and UConn last weekend. The Cougars opened their season winning their first eight matches before losing 3-0 against UTSA. They also dropped a non-conference match at Robert Morris in five sets. Houston ranks in the top five in the nation in both digs and assists
// SERIES HISTORY: BEARCATS vs. COUGARS
Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Houston 14-8. Last season the Bearcats won 3-1 at home then swept on the road. UC swept both matches in 2016. The last Houston victory over UC came in 2014 in a 3-0 loss for the Bearcats.
// COMING UP NEXT
• UC hits the road next weekend to play at Temple and at UConn
• The following weekend the Bearcats travel to Tulsa and Wichita State
• Action returns to St. Ursula Academy on Friday, October 19 with a 7 p.m. match versus USF
University of Cincinnati volleyball hosts its first home conference matches of the season this weekend as SMU and Houston come to town. The Bearcats play the Mustangs on Friday night at 7 p.m. and the Cougars on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be held at St. Ursula Academy with free admission.
// FOLLOW US
For up to the minute updates, follow UC Volleyball (@GoBearcatsVB) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook (GoBearcatsVB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsVB).
// GOING LIVE
A live stream of the matches will be available at gobearcats.com/watch. Live stats will run at gobearcats.com.
// CONFERENCE CORNER
• Cincinnati is one of five teams that is undefeated in the AAC after the first week of competition. Tulsa, Wichita State and SMU are all 2-0 while UC and UCF sits at 1-0
• UConn and Temple follow at an even 1-1 mark
• USF, Houston, Tulane, ECU and Memphis are all looking for their first conference victory
• Wichita State was selected to win the conference in the preseason coaches' poll with Cincinnati coming in a close second
• SMU was voted on to finish fourth and Houston eighth out of the twelve conference teams
• For the fourth week in a row Jordan Thompson was named the AAC's best offensive player for the week
• Thompson continues to lead the nation in kills, points, kills per set and points per set as she has since the second week of competition concluded this season
// RISING IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Entering this weekend, a trio of Bearcats rank highly in the rally-era UC record book in three main categories
• Jordan Thompson currently ranks fifth in total career kills with 1,399. She needs 99 more to move up to a tie for fourth
• Carly Nolan is close behind in sixth all-time with 1,310 in her career
• Abby Williams ranks third in career digs with 1,462 while Nolan is sixth with 1,128
• Nolan also is in the top ten in career aces with 89
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
SMU is 5-7 overall on the season. The Mustangs opened conference play with 3-1 win against UConn and a 3-0 victory versus Temple, both at home. SMU and UC have a common non-conference opponent in TCU. The Mustangs dropped a four-set match against the Frogs while the Bearcats won in five. SMU is currently ranked third in the AAC in blocks and digs
// SERIES HISTORY: BEARCATS vs. MUSTANGS
Cincinnati is 1-9 all-time against SMU. Last season, UC dropped an intense 3-2 match at home before being defeated 3-1 on the road. In 2016, the Bearcats lost 3-2 on the road before sweeping SMU on home court
// KNOW THE FOE: HOUSTON
Houston sits at 13-4 overall this season but is 0-2 in conference after losses against Temple and UConn last weekend. The Cougars opened their season winning their first eight matches before losing 3-0 against UTSA. They also dropped a non-conference match at Robert Morris in five sets. Houston ranks in the top five in the nation in both digs and assists
// SERIES HISTORY: BEARCATS vs. COUGARS
Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Houston 14-8. Last season the Bearcats won 3-1 at home then swept on the road. UC swept both matches in 2016. The last Houston victory over UC came in 2014 in a 3-0 loss for the Bearcats.
// COMING UP NEXT
• UC hits the road next weekend to play at Temple and at UConn
• The following weekend the Bearcats travel to Tulsa and Wichita State
• Action returns to St. Ursula Academy on Friday, October 19 with a 7 p.m. match versus USF