ATLANTA - ULM split a pair of matches during
the final day of the Great 8 Volleyball Challenge on Saturday. It fell in the
opening match of the day to Georgia State 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18)
before claiming its first win of the season in a 3-0 sweep over North Carolina
A&T (16-25, 13-25, 19-25).
ULM (1-6) overpowered North Carolina A&T (0-7)
to claim its first win of the season, a 3-0 match sweep after it finished
with a .258 attacking percentage, while the Aggies couldn't finish with a
positive attacking percentage (-.058).
Overall for the tournament, Mari O'Neal
finished with 34 kills, while three other ULM attackers had double-digit kills.
Meghan McCoy totaled 81 assists, while Lacey Dietlin served seven aces. On the
defensive side, Christy Tribble had 45 digs and Mahogany Dilonga blocked a
total of 13 attempts.
ULM vs.
North Carolina A&T Recap:
North Carolina A&T jumped out to an early lead in the first frame, before
ULM charged back in the set and throughout the remaining two frames. The
Warhawks took full advantage of a negative attacking percentage (-.058) to
claim their first win.
The Aggies used three service aces to begin
the opening frame, before numerous attacking errors allowed the Warhawks to
respond in a big way. Following a 6-6 tie, ULM finished the set with a 25-16
win to take a 1-0 match lead.
The second frame was all Warhawks as they
quickly pushed their lead out to double-digits. At one point, they led by 12
points before claiming the second set 25-10.
North Carolina A&T held with ULM in the
third set, before a Warhawk 6-0 run propelled themselves to a 3-0 match sweep.
Breanne Dotstry led North Carolina A&T
with six kills and was the only attacker to finish with a positive attacking
percent (.056). Kaneisha Winfield chipped in 10 assists, while a trio of Aggies
added double-digit digs.
ULM's O'Neal smashed 10 kills, McCoy tallied
24 assists, and Tribble finished with 20 digs in the match.
ULM vs.
Georgia State Recap:
ULM began its first match of the day with an
opening frame win, before Georgia State (5-1) rattled off three straight set
wins for the match victory. The Panthers ended with a .328 attacking percentage
compared to the Warhawks .091 attacking percentage.
Dilonga led all ULM attackers with eight
kills, while setter McCoy finished with 19 assists and six digs. Tribble also
added 10 digs.
Georgia State was led by Ashley Jones who
accumulated the games only double-double with 17 kills and 28 assists. Vineece
Verdun added 10 digs, while Rachel Boryc chipped in 25 assists. On the
defensive side of the ball, Audrey Cantrell and Jamie Freeman collected 17 and
10 digs, respectively.
With both teams tied at 20-20 during the
opening frame, ULM put together a 5-2 run to finish with an opening frame win.
In the run, Ashley Bland and McCoy each tallied a kill, while the Warhawks took
advantage of a pair of Panther service errors.
GSU put distance between ULM mid-way through
the second frame with a 14-7 run to place itself up 20-13. The Panthers amassed
a .364 hitting percentage, while the Warhawks could only muster a .091
attacking percent in the set.
During the third and fourth sets, ULM held
early leads, but a sub -.100 attacking percentage proved to be too much overcome.
GSU finished with a .250 and .423 attacking percentage in the frames.
ULM returns to action on Sept. 11 at the Central Arkansas Sugar Bear Classic. The Warhawks first opponent will be Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 10:00 am.
