Aug. 31, 2014
DENTON--The Mean Green volleyball team, looking to improve to 2-0 against Southland Conference opponents, hits the road to take on Stephen F. Austin on Monday night at 6:30 p.m at Shelton Gym in Nacogdoches.
After a heartbreaking loss in five sets to No. 15 ranked Missouri in essentially the North Texas Invitational championship match on Saturday night, the young North Texas squad was forced to recover quickly and start preparing for a short turnaround to travel.
"The good news is Stephen F. Austin is having to travel back from Arkansas," head coach
Andrew Palileo said. "We don't have to travel [as far]. Both teams are preparing the same way. We just have to be ready to go."
The Lumberjacks are returning back home to friendly confines from the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark where they were challenged by tough competition. SFA fell to (RV) Michigan in four sets to open the season before later being swept in three by SEC member Arkansas (NT faces the Razorbacks Sept. 19 on a neutral court in Lawrence, KS.). The Lady Jacks were able to bounce back and close out the tournament with a three set triumph over Tennessee State to avoid starting the season at 0-3.
North Texas is 18-23 all-time against Stephen F. Austin in a series that dates back to 1976, the inaugural year of the Mean Green volleyball program. The two teams have alternated wins each year since 2008, with the latest tilt being won by North Texas under coach Palileo in 2013. The Mean Green swept the Lady Lumberjacks in three sets, 25-19, 25-22 and 25-22.
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