MOBILE, Ala. - Mari O'Neal paced the ULM
offense Sunday afternoon with a career-high 24 kills, but it was the South
Alabama volleyball team that walked away with the 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) Sun
Belt Conference match inside Jag Gym.
O'Neal's previous career-high of 20 kills, set
earlier this season against Grambling State, was surpassed mid-way through the
third set as she with a .439 attacking percentage to lead ULM (3-19, 0-7).
Meghan McCoy and Christy Tribble also recorded 32 assists and 18 digs,
respectively.
Juliana Almeida recorded 13 kills, while
Jennica Hagberg tallied 30 assists for South Alabama (11-10, 2-6). On the
defensive side of the net, Kari Frazier recorded 12 digs and Tereza Bendlova
finished with four blocks assists.
South Alabama used a pair of kills from
Almeida to build a six-point cushion, 13-7, in the middle portion of the opening
frame. ULM chipped away at the deficit but the Jaguars answered every time. The
Warhawks, however, made a late 6-0 rally to pull within a point, 24-23, to make
things interesting down the stretch. In the end it was a ULM attacking error
that gave South Alabama the 25-23 set win.
O'Neal led ULM to a quick 5-2 lead as she
pounded a trio of kills in the second frame. The Jaguars responded with a 3-0
run, but the Warhawks capitalized on a Lacey Dietlin service aces and a pair of
South Alabama attacking errors to reclaim the lead, 8-5. After exchanging points
back-and-forth, the Jaguars took the lead for good behind an Almeida service
ace and three ULM errors. The Jaguars would claim the set, 25-22, after there
were six scoring ties and three lead changes.
The Warhawks used four-consecutive kills,
three by O'Neal and one by Lacy Bates, to put themselves up, 13-9, half way
through the third stanza. ULM held the lead until a Hristina Markova service
ace gave South Alabama a 17-16 lead, one it wouldn't give up for the remainder
of the frame. The Jaguars then used to a 6-0 run to pull away and claim the
set, 25-18, and straight set match win.
ULM finishes its three-match road trip with a
7:00 p.m. showdown against Louisiana-Lafayette inside Earl K. Long Gym on
Monday night.
