SAN MARCOS, Texas -- Following a comeback victory over Troy on Friday, the ULM volleyball team was unable to ride that momentum into its second straight win as Texas State topped the Warhawks, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18) Sunday afternoon at the Strahan Coliseum in San Marcos, Texas.
Sophomore Taylor Zaeske led the ULM (7-15, 1-8 Sun Belt) attack with seven kills on 23 swings and eight digs. Junior Kimberlie Alvarado tallied six kills on 20 swings and two blocks.
In a back-and-forth first set that included 11 tie scores and five lead changes, ULM fell off late in the first stanza to go down one set early.
Over the next set, the Warhawks and Bobcats (13-8, 8-1 Sun Belt) would trade points as the two teams combined for nine tie scores and six lead changes. Tied at 20-20, Texas State capitalized on some clutch hitting to overcome ULM and go up two sets before putting the match away.
Freshman Bayleigh Hoffman finished just shy of her seventh career double-double with 14 assists and nine digs. Marcela Araya chipped in for nine digs and three assists, marking only the second time this season the senior failed to reach double-digit digs.
Second year starter Hope Pawlik registered four kills, seven digs and three blocks, while freshman Kalena Caruthers totaled five kills and two digs. Sophomore Kaitlyn Shearer paced the squad with five blocks on the defensive end.
The Warhawks will continue their three-match road stand next weekend as ULM is set to take on Georgia Southern (3-15, 3-6 Sun Belt) Friday before facing off with Appalachian State (15-2, 5-2 Sun Belt) on Sunday.
