Wake Forest Wraps Up Non-Conference Schedule at Houston Tournament
Deacons to take on Rice, Stephen F. Austin and Houston this weekend
Natalie Mullikin ranks fifth on Wake Forest's career block solos list.

Natalie Mullikin ranks fifth on Wake Forest's career block solos list.

Sept. 13, 2007

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest will wrap the non-conference portion of its schedule this weekend at the University of Houston Tournament. The Demon Deacons will take on Rice, Stephen F. Austin and Houston in the two-day invitational.

Wake opens with Rice on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Deacs will then face Stephen F. Austin at 1 p.m. and Houston at 8 p.m. All times are EDT.

The Deacons come in to the weekend following a 2-1 showing at the Black & Gold Challenge. Wake finished runner-up to nationally-ranked Dayton, who ended the weekend 3-0. The Deacs took down Radford and Jacksonville on Saturday to push their record to 2-4 on the year.

Juniors Jessica Furlong and Natalie Mullikin were both named to the All-Tournament Team. Furlong averaged 5.10 kills per game and 3.10 digs per game on the weekend. Mullikin turned in 3.00 kills per game and 1.09 blocks per game in the tournament.

On the season, Furlong leads the Deacs and is second in the ACC with 4.78 kills per game. Furlong is also second on the squad with 2.83 digs per game.

Freshman Megan Thornberry leads Wake with 3.00 digs per game. Thornberry has also recorded a team-best 10 aces on the year.

Mullikin find herself in the top 10 in the ACC in two categories. She ranks fourth in hitting percentage with a mark of .382 (80-17-165) and is 10th in blocks per game with 1.17. Mullikin has moved into the top five on Wake Forest's career block solos list. She is tied for fifth with 73 block solos and is also fourth all-time with 283 total blocks.

Mullikin and senior Jackie Lucas are averaging 3.33 and 2.44 kills per game respectively. Lucas has averaged 0.78 blocks per game over five matches this season.

 

 

Sophomore Dylan Faulkner leads the Deacs with 10.92 assists per game, while freshman Kelsey Jones is not far behind at 10.14 assists per game.

As a team, the Deacs rank third in the ACC in hitting percentage with a mark of .240.

Wake Forest has never faced any of its three opponents this weekend.

Rice (5-5) comes into the tournament having won three of its last four matches. The Owls defeated Appalachian State and Troy last weekend in Columbia, S.C.

Houston (3-6) has lost three straight and six of its last eight matches. The host Cougars were swept by Texas State, Missouri and Cal State Fullerton last weekend at the CenturyTel Premier in San Marcos, Texas.

Stephen F. Austin (6-4) comes into the tournament as the hottest of the four teams. The Ladyjacks have won five straight after they dropped four of their first five matches of the season. SFA won the Ladyjack Invitational last weekend, defeating Northwestern State, Louisiana-Monroe and Tulsa.

The Deacons will begin their 22-match ACC schedule next week. Wake Forest opens the conference slate on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at defending ACC champion Duke. The Deacs will then host Boston College and Maryland Sept. 21-22.