HOUSTON – The end of the 2019 regular season has been tough for North Texas volleyball. Despite the adversity the team has faced with injuries, including losing setter and captain Kaliegh Skopal with five games to go, the Mean Green (16-10, 10-4) finished year 3-2 in the final five games.
 
Beating UTSA on the final day of the regular season locked North Texas in as the No. 3 seed in the Conference USA Volleyball Championships hosted by Rice. Another match with No. 6 UTSA awaits in the first round on Friday at 7 p.m.
 
While feeling the effects of the missing players, the Mean Green have found something that works in the final weeks of the season, and feel confident entering the tournament.
 
"I like where we're at right now," head coach Andrew Palileo said. "We don't have a lot of depth, but we have people stepping in and filling the void of people we've lost. It says something about how we've built the team this year and moving forward."
 
North Texas had some success in last season's tournament. Entering as the five seed in 2018, the Mean Green knocked off FAU in four sets to advance to the second round. The Mean Green fell to eventual champions Rice, who were the top seed last season.
 
The last time North Texas faced UTSA in the tournament came in the 2017 in the semi-finals. The Mean Green downed the Roadrunners in four to advance to its first C-USA championship game in program history.
 
While having a young core, featuring just two seniors, the Mean Green have quite a bit of tournament experience between C-USA tournament play and NIVC play in the last couple seasons. Outside hitter Valerie Valerian thinks she and her teammates are quite comfortable in tournament play.
 
"Knowing that we've won in tournament games before definitely gives us a bit of confidence going in," Valerian said. "We've had certain injuries here and there, but we've fallen back on what we know we do best. Falling back on our culture and the standard we've set in these moments. Pali always says it's not when it's good, it's when it's hard that we can fall back on our culture and push forward."
 
North Texas remains without Sarah Haeussler and Skopal, but has seen upped production from Alysha Johnson and Rhett Robinson while also seeing some players who have had new opportunities to play step up, like Avery McCrillis. McCrillis set a season high in kills with nine on the final day of the regular season.
 
Kailyn O'Neal has been put into the setter role and averaged around nine assists per set. The Mean Green will need big production from its all-conference first team members in Valerian and Robinson during this weekend's tournament.
 
Just one goal is apparent – a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. It would be quite the cap on a season which saw Palileo become the winnigest coach in program history.
 
"It's really been a great experience here," Palileo said. "The administration gives us the tools and resources that we need to continue to have success and build every year. It's been great. Now we've just got to add to that success by going to the NCAA Tournament."
 
All matches are available on ESPN+, with live stats available here. Follow along with @MeanGreenVB on all social channels for live coverage from Rice.