MONROE, La. - The ULM volleyball team battled the top-ranked
team in the Sun Belt Conference Middle Tennessee and was swept 3-0 (11-25,
14-25, 13-25) Thursday evening in the ULM Activity Center. The loss extended
the Blue Raiders' winning streak to 10-consecutive matches.
Zuzana Markova was the leading attacker for the Warhawks
with six kills for the contest while Samantha Morse had five. Markova also led
ULM in assists with nine and Marcela Urbina spearheaded the defense with 10
digs. Mahogany Dilonga and Blanca Ocana contributed two blocks each.
Two Blue Raiders reached double-digits in kills as Maria
Szivos smashed a match-best 14 at a .600 rate while Ashley Adams collected 11,
and Szivos picked up a double-double with 10 digs as well. Morgan Peterson had
26 assists on the evening and Brynne Henderson and Halie Vannoy each had 11
digs. Middle Tennessee, which is tied for first overall in the Sun Belt with
Western Kentucky, out-hit ULM .411 to .023.
Middle Tennessee (12-9, 9-1 SBC) grabbed a 10-2 start to the
first set with eight-consecutive points before ULM (9-10, 3-6 SBC) responded with
two kills and a Markova service ace to fuel a four-point spree and make the
score 10-6. The teams traded points until the Blue Raiders took another
eight-point streak to extend their advantage 20-7. A final 5-3 run ended the
first set 25-11.
ULM scored the first point of the second set until a service
error allowed Middle Tennessee to use a seven-point spree to go up 7-1. A 9-7
run allowed the Blue Raiders to double their advantage 16-8 but the Warhawks
battled back to within six points at the 18-12 mark. ULM fought off game-point
two times after Middle Tennessee took a six-point run but a kill by Szivos
ended the set 25-14.
Three ties occurred in the third set before Middle Tennessee
had another streak of six-consecutive points to lead 10-4. A kill by Ocana and
two attack errors allowed ULM to inch within four points 12-8 and the Blue
Raiders answered with a 9-4 run capped by three-straight points to extend their
advantage 21-12. The Warhawks scored once more as Middle Tennessee won the
final set 25-13.
ULM returns to its home court Saturday evening when it hosts
the other top-ranked team in the conference Western Kentucky at 6 p.m. in the
ULM Activity Center.
