CRIMSON TIDE NOTEBOOK: Alabama volleyball kicks off SEC play

The University of Alabama volleyball team squares off against Tennessee and Kentucky in the opening weekend of conference action.

The Crimson Tide will face Tennessee in Knoxville at 7 tonight before traveling to Lexington to face Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

“We feel our preparation up to this point will help us as we enter the SEC regular-season schedule,” UA coach Judy Green said. “Right now every conference team is tied for first so it is an even playing field as of [today]. Our team and coaching staff know we have much work to do but we are up to the challenge.”

Alabama heads into the match 3-6 after its upset over No. 13 Ohio last weekend. The Crimson Tide is led by its defense, ranking No. 51 in the nation in digs per game. Alabama is also second in the SEC in the same category. Libero Amy Pauly leads the team with 4.97 digs per game and is ranked No. 71 in the individual national statistics.

The Crimson Tide is 10-22 all-time against the Lady Vols with the series dating back to 1977. Alabama is on a three-match winning streak against Tennessee after sweeping the series last year.

Tennessee comes into the match 5-2 overall and is unbeaten at home. The Lady Vols are led by sophomore middle blocker Leah Hinkey, who is averaging 2.96 kills per game and 1.54 blocks per game. Hinkey also leads the team in kills and hitting percentage, wracking up 71 kills on 142 attempts for a .345 hitting percentage.

The Tide is 10-17 all-time against the Wildcats. Last season the teams split the series, both teams taking the match at home.

Kentucky is 9-2 overall and 4-0 at home. The Wildcats head into the contest on a two-match winning streak.

Kentucky is led by middle blockers Queen Nzenwa and Nicole Britenriker who lead the team in kills, hitting percentage and total blocks.

Alabama’s match against Tennessee is the first of two televised matches for the Tide. Tonight’s match will be aired on FSN Southwest and is featured as the SEC’s match of the week.

Sykora honored by Golfweek

Daphne native and UA senior golfer Joseph Sykora has been named Golfweek’s Collegiate Player of the Week.

On its Web site announcing the honor Wednesday night, golfweek.com says, “Alabama senior Joseph Sykora posted rounds of 67-66-69 to finish at 14-under 202 to win the Topy Cup of Japan. Sykora, who finished No. 83 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings a year ago, finished four shots clear of Yuta Ikeda of Tohoku University. The victory was his second individual career title — he won the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate title last fall.”

Men’s tennis hits the road

The No. 14 UA men’s tennis team heads to Chicago this weekend to participate in the University of Illinois Olympia Fields Invitational round robin tournament.

“Our team is excited to start the new season and build on the positive steps forward we made last year,” UA coach Billy Pate said. “With a great field in this tournament, it will be a good test to see where we stand.”

Players from Alabama, Illinois, Notre Dame and Miami (Fla.) will play a round-robin format over a three-day period. All four teams were NCAA qualifying teams last season and ended nationally ranked.

Seven nationally ranked singles players and four ranked doubles team are featured in the tournament, including Alabama’s No. 42 Billy Mertz and No. 97 Mathieu Thibaudeau in singles, and No. 5 Thibaudeau and Dan Buikema and No. 42 Mertz and Javier Bes in doubles.

The tournament is held at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago, which played host to the 2003 U.S. Open golf tournament. The club features state-of-the-art facilities, including its newly renovated clay courts.

“Illinois has done a good job putting this event together at Olympia Fields,” Pate said. “It’s a prestigious club and if offers the unique angle of playing on clay but our guys are looking forward to that.”

In preparation for the tournament, the Crimson Tide practiced this week at the Indian Hills Country Club on its clay courts.

David Wasson’s Crimson Tide Notebook appears Fridays. Reach him at david.wasson@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0229