2001 Healthy Choice Conference USA Volleyball Tournament to Start Thursday
11/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2001
HOUSTON, Texas - Some of the region's best volleyball will be played in Houston starting Thursday as the University of Houston plays host to the 2001 Healthy Choice Conference USA Volleyball Tournament.
The Cougars, who enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed, are joined by 11 other teams from around the league for the four-day postseason event.
Tickets are still available. Youth tickets are $3 for day sessions and $10 for tournament booklets, while adult tickets are $5 for day sessions and $15 for tournament booklets. Group rates are available in advance for adults at $3 per match and youth at $1 per match. For more information or to order tickets, call Preston Robinson at 713-743-9477.
The tournament starts with four matches Thursday, with No. 10 seed Charlotte facing No. 7 seed Saint Louis in a 1 p.m. match. At 3 p.m., No. 11 seed Southern Miss meets No. 6 seed Marquette. No. 9 seed Tulane and No 8 seed Memphis square off at 6 p.m., while No. 12 seed East Carolina looks for the upset against No. 5 seed DePaul at 8 p.m. to close out the first day.
On Friday, the tournament's second round begins with the Charlotte-Saint Louis winner meeting No. 2 seed Louisville at 1 p.m. No. 3 seed South Florida, under the leadership of former Cougar assistant coach Nancy Mueller, faces the winner of the Southern Miss-Marquette match at 3 p.m.
Regular season champion and No. 1 seed Cincinnati, which reeled off a school-record 16 consecutive victories toward the end of the year, starts its tournament at 6 p.m. against the winner of the Tulane-Memphis match.
The tournament's second day concludes as the hometown favorite Cougars take the court at 8 p.m. to face the winner of the DePaul-East Carolina match.
The semifinals of the tournament are slated to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday. The championship match will be played at 2 p.m. Sunday with the winner earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
This is the second time in the last five years that Houston has hosted the league's annual postseason event, and the Cougars will be looking for the same magic during the first time around. In 1997, the Cougars registered three straight victories, including a 3-1 win over Cincinnati in the championship match, to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
2001 HEALTHY CHOICE CONFERENCE USA VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
November 15-18, 2001
Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, Texas
THURSDAY'S SCHEDULE
Match 1 -- (10) Charlotte vs. (7) Saint Louis 1 p.m.
Match 2 -- (11) Southern Miss vs. (6) Marquette 3 p.m.
Match 3 -- (9) Tulane vs. (8) Memphis 6 p.m.
Match 4 -- (12) East Carolina vs. (5) DePaul 8 p.m.
FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE
Match 5 -- Match 1 Winner vs. (2) Louisville 1 p.m.
Match 6 -- Match 2 Winner vs. (3) South Florida 3 p.m.
Match 7 -- Match 3 Winner vs. (1) Cincinnati 6 p.m.
Match 8 -- Match 4 Winner vs. (4) Houston 8 p.m.
SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE
Match 5 Winner vs. Match 6 Winner 1 p.m.
Match 7 Winner vs. Match 8 Winner 3 p.m.
SUNDAY'S SCHEDULE
Championship 2 p.m.