NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The ULM volleyball team rallied from a two-set deficit to
force a deciding fifth frame at Stephen F. Austin Tuesday night, but the Warhawks came up just short as
the Ladyjacks escaped with a 3-2 (25-23, 25-11, 24-26, 17-25, 15-5) victory.
Four Warhawks had career-best
performances, including double-doubles by Stephanie Wardach, Blanca Ocana and
Meghan McCoy. It was McCoy's second double-double in three matches this season.
McCoy, a Baytown, Texas, native had a team-high 32 assists and tied with
Tetiana Sukach for third on the team with 12 digs. Ocana banged out a team-best
15 kills while also collecting 19 digs on the way to the first double-double of
her career. Libero Christy Tribble notched a match-high 32 digs while Wardach finished
the evening with 10 kills and 11 digs to register the first double-double of
her career.
SFA's Kelsey Owens was the only other player with a double-double on the night as
she finished with 10 kills and 14 digs, while Mary Caitlin Bottles led all
players with 20 kills.
After trading points in the beginning of the first set, ULM (0-3) went on a
10-4 run to jump out to a 12-6 advantage. However, a service ace by Madison
Hanlan and back-to-back kills by Bottles helped spark a 7-2 run that brought
the Ladyjacks within two, 15-13. The Warhawks appeared to have control of the
opening set with a 22-20 lead, but SFA scored five of the final six points to
win the opening frame 25-23.
SFA took control on the second set from the beginning as it jumped out to a
quick 15-4 lead. The Warhawks got to within nine, 15-6, but could get no closer
as the Ladyjacks took the set 25-11 to stake a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set started much
like the first before a kill and four service aces by Wardach fueled a 7-0 run
to give the Warhawks a 9-3 advantage. The Ladyjacks slowly chipped away at the
lead and eventually fought back to within one point, 17-16. Three straight
points by the Warhawks stretched the lead out to four before SFA charged back
with four straight to tie the game at 20-20. A SFA service error and a kill by
Marissa Davis broke a 24-24 tie and sent the match into a fourth set.
After falling behind 5-2 to
open the fourth set, ULM went on a 14-5 streak to overtake the Ladyjacks 16-10.
The Warhawks didn't let the Ladyjacks any closer than four points over the
remainder of the set and cruised to a 25-17 victory to force the fifth and
deciding set.
SFA was quick to take the lead in the fifth set as it jumped out to a 10-3
advantage before the Warhawks had a chance to find their rhythm. Two errors
put the ball back in ULM's hands, but two kills from both Owens and Gideon and
a final ULM error ended the set and the match in SFA's favor, 15-5.
The Warhawks will take a 10-day break from competition before facing Northwestern
State at the McNeese State Tournament on Sept. 10 at 4:30
p.m. The following day, ULM will play former Sun Belt
Conference rival New Orleans at 10 a.m. before concluding the tournament
against host McNeese State at 6 p.m.
