Volleyball Sets 2005 Schedule
6/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
June 8, 2005
Tulsa, Okla. - In 2005, The University of Tulsa volleyball team will play seven teams that won 20-or-more matches last season. With new NCAA legislation allowing teams to start the season earlier than in the past, the Golden Hurricane will have four tournaments on a schedule that also includes three teams that qualified for the NCAA Regionals last season, as announced by head coach Matt Sonnichsen. Tulsa will also host 16 home matches the most in school history.
"Our program is very excited about the 2005 season," said Sonnichsen. "It will be a pleasure to join Conference USA and be a member of such a first rate volleyball conference. Our non-league schedule includes matches against a number of NCAA tournament teams. In addition, we are hosting two tournaments at the Reynolds Center in 2005, giving our fans more chances to see us play at home."
TU will open the season on August 26-27 by hosting a tournament featuring Lamar, Texas-Pan American, Fordham and Utah State. The Hurricane will open with Lamar at 2 p.m. on the 26th, followed by a match with Texas-Pan American at 7 p.m. TU is 1-2 against the Cardinals all-time, but has not played Lamar since 1998. The Broncos and Hurricane have faced each other six times with TU holding a 5-1 advantage. On Saturday, Tulsa will play Fordham for the first time ever, at noon. Utah State and TU will conclude the tournament at 7 p.m., in another first-time meeting.
September will start with a trip to Las Cruces, N.M., for the New Mexico State Tournament on Sept. 2-3. The host Aggies finished last season with a 30-3 record and qualified for the NCAA Regionals. In addition to TU and Texas-Pan American, Cincinnati will also participate in the tournament. The Bearcats completed a 22-11 campaign in 2004. While TU and NMSU have played once, with the Aggies winning in 1997, TU and UC have never played before.
A trip to Denton, Texas, to face North Texas on Sept. 7 will precede a second home tournament for TU. The Hurricane and Mean Green have played 15 times, with Tulsa holding a 10-5 advantage. The series dates back to 1981, however, the teams have played one another each year since 1999.
The Crowne Plaza Invite will give the Hurricane three more home matches in the month, Sept. 9-10. Tulsa will face Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Friday, before taking on Grambling State at noon on Saturday. Tulsa and Stephen F. Austin will conclude the tournament with a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday. TU is 30-4 against teams from Louisiana since 1998, including 3-0 against ULL and 7-0 against GSU. The Hurricane has also won both of its previous matches against the Lumberjacks of SFA in 1983 and 1984.
TU will open Conference USA play on September 13, by traveling to long-time rival SMU. The Mustangs hold a 15-3 advantage in the series, however TU won the last meeting (3-1) in 2005 in Dallas.
One final tournament before conference play really heats up is on tap for the Hurricane, as TU heads to Chicago, Ill., for the Loyola-Chicago Tournament. In addition to facing Columbia and Manhattan, the Hurricane will also face off against the host, and 2004 NCAA qualifier, Ramblers. ULC win 22 of its 31 contest in 2004 while winning the Horizon League.
Southern Miss will help the Hurricane celebrate Homecoming Weekend with a Friday night match on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. The Eagles defeated TU in the schools only meeting, the first match of the1999 season. Following the USM match, TU will fly to Orlando, Fla., for a Sunday match with Central Florida.
Tulsa will then conclude the month of September by hosting UMKC on the 28th at 7 p.m. It will be the 17th time these two teams have met, with Tulsa holding a 9-7 advantage in the series.
SMU will kick-off October in the Reynolds Center, as the Mustangs and Hurricane will play on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. Matches at Rice and Houston will be up next for Tulsa. The Owls have won 18 of the 20 matches with TU, while the Cougars and Hurricane have never met on the volleyball court.
Tulsa will return to the friendly confines of the Tulsa city limits for five consecutive matches in mid-October. Two pairs of C-USA matches against UTEP (Oct. 14), Tulane (Oct. 16), Memphis (Oct. 21) and UAB (Oct. 23) will sandwich a non-conference affair with ORU on Oct. 18. TU and ORU have met 64 times since 1976. However last season marked the first time the squads had played each other since 1998, as TU won, in the Reynolds Center, 3-1.
Trips to Marshall and East Carolina will close out the month of October for the Hurricane. Both the Thundering Herd and the Lady Pirates are first time opponents for TU.
The month of November starts off with a pair of home matches. TU will host Houston on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., then Rice on Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. Trips to Tulane and UTEP will conclude the C-USA portion of the season for Tulsa on Oct. 11 and Oct.13.
