MOBILE, Ala. - Double-digit kills by attackers Hope Pawlik and Hadley Swartz was not enough to push the ULM volleyball team past South Alabama as the Warhawks dropped a 3-1 (18-25, 22-25, 25-21, 18-25) decision Friday night at the Jag Gym in Mobile, Ala.
Pawlik led the Warhawks (9-23, 3-16 Sun Belt) offense, picking up 17 kills in addition to eight digs, one block and one service ace.
Fellow sophomore Hadley Swartz was the other player in double-digits for ULM. The York, Pa. native collected her fourth double-double of the season with 10 kills, 14 digs and two blocks.
Marcela Araya continues to dominate on the defensive end. The senior ranked eighth in the NCAA in digs per set totaled 22 digs to go with three assists and an ace.
Bayleigh Hoffman assisted on 35 of the team's 42 kills, adding six digs and two kills in the process.
Kaitlyn Shearer tallied five kills and led the team with three blocks, while Jennifer McClendon accumulated four kills and two blocks.
Despite playing tight in the first two sets forcing 10 tie scores and three lead changes, South Alabama (12-17, 7-12 Sun Belt) was able to take a two set lead into intermission.
ULM refused to go away easy, firing out of the gate in the fourth stanza. In a back-and-forth third set, both teams combined for 12 ties and five lead changes.
Tied at 20-20, ULM went on to score five of the next six points to capture their first set of the evening, 25-21 over the Jaguars. Alannah Cullum was key down the stretch with a huge kill and block for two of those five points.
However, South Alabama clinched its seventh Sun Belt victory after taking the fourth set.
The Warhawks will close out their season with a noon showdown on the road at UL-Lafayette on Sunday.
