* Despite being halted last weekend, Houston remains a force to be reckoned with on the offensive end, especially at the service line. Through their first 19 games of play, the Cougars average 1.66 aces per set which leads the conference and ranks 29th nationally.
* As one of the two commanders of Houston’s offense, sophomore setter Abby Irvine has been on a tear as of late, recording a double-double in all but one American contest. During that four-match stretch, Irvine leads the team with 4.38 assists per set to go along with 2.00 digs a frame.
* To begin conference play, Houston matched up against Temple and UConn, where the Cougars saw a pair of talented freshmen show their promise for years to come in outside hitters Alexis Cheatum and Jordan Lockwood . While they both set career-highs in kills over the weekend, Cheatum led the Cougars with her 2.50 kills per set and contributed to a team-best 26.0 points. Lockwood also surpassed the 20-point with her 20.5 points.
* Another asset to the Cougars’ young talent is freshman middle blocker Kendall Haywood , who has wasted no time adjusting to the collegiate game, emerging as one of the most effective middle blockers in the country. With her .371 hitting percentage ranking 41st in the nation, her 79.0 total blocks sits at 28th in the country.
* To begin the 2018 campaign, the Cougars put together one of their best starts in program history, finishing nonconference play with a 13-2 record. Houston’s undefeated, 8-0, record to start the season was also a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since the 1987 year.
* During that 15-game stretch, Houston garnered its share of All-Tournament honors, racking in a total of eight All-Tournament accolades during nonconference action. Senior setter Katie Krebs and junior outside hitter Megan Duncan earned MVP honors, while junior libero Katie Karbo , junior outside hitter Faith Squier and Haywood each found a spot on an All-Tournament twice.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
* Sophomore Abby Irvine fell one assist shy of tying her career-high. Her 34 helpers in the match marked the second time this season she has surpassed the 30-assist mark.
* Sophomore outside hitter Silvia Pertens tied her career-high with 14 kills in the match. Her nine digs is a career-high, falling one short of her first career double-double.
* Sophomore outside hitter Gabi Zelaya eclipsed the 10-kill mark for the ninth time this year.