LAFAYETTE, La. – Three-straight points in a back-and-forth fifth set that involved five tie scores and five lead changes was the difference maker as the ULM volleyball team dropped a 3-2 (25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 25-16, 12-15) heartbreaker on the final match of the season Sunday afternoon from the Earl K. Long Gym in Lafayette, La.
ULM (9-24, 3-17 Sun Belt) finishes the season with its most overall (9) and conference (3) win totals since 2011 despite a roster that is one of the youngest in the Sun Belt, featuring nine underclassmen and only two seniors.
“I am so proud of this team,” head coach Patrick Hiltz said. “I wish the season could continue as we are playing really nice volleyball and competing hard every day. The best part is that we are only getting better. This group is doing great things here at ULM.”
Three players for ULM accounted double-digits kills as the team collected 54 kills on 49 assists, while scooping up 66 digs.
In her final match, Marcela Araya posted 23 digs to complete a phenomenal Warhawk career as the single season digs record holder with 655 digs. Araya ended each of the four seasons she played in as the team leader in digs and leaves ULM as the program record holder with 1,916 total digs.
Fellow senior, Alannah Cullum logged two kills on .667 hitting during her final match with the Warhawks.
“About the only thing that's hard to accept right now is that Alannah and Marcela have played their last match in a ULM uniform,” Hiltz added. “It was clear the girls wanted to send them out with a win over our rivals but it wasn't in the cards for us today.”
Hope Pawlik earned her sixth double-double of the season, pacing the Warhawks with 17 kills on .250 hitting. The sophomore outside hitter also added 13 digs and led the team with four blocks. Pawlik capped off a sensational campaign leading the team in kills (325) and kills per set (2.75).
Ending the year on a high note, Hadley Swartz recorded her third straight 10 kill game and fifth in the last six matches. Swartz accumulated 10 kills, eight digs and two service aces, going over 300 kills in a single season for the second time in her career.
In a back-and-forth highly intense battle between the in-state rivals, the Ragin' Cajuns (20-12, 9-11 Sun Belt) and Warhawks combined for 31 tie scores and 15 lead changes.
Firing out of the gate allowed ULM to score a first set victory (25-23) before ULL retaliated with an equalizer in the second set (25-14).
The Warhawks answered with a third set triumph set up by four consecutive points with the score tied at 21-21. Taylor Zaeske secured the third stanza with an overwhelming kill on a perfect pass from Bayleigh Hoffman.
Nevertheless, the Ragin' Cajuns were able to secure a spot in the Sun Belt tournament with their ninth conference win following victories in sets four and five.
Hoffman was all over the stat sheet, accumulating 46 assists, seven digs, two blocks and two kills. Hoffman completed her first ever intercollegiate season leading all freshman in the conference with 989 assists for an average of 8.38 assists per set. She also led the team with 37 service aces and second on the squad with 241 digs (2.04 digs/set).
For the eighth time this season, Zaeske registered double-digit kills as the sophomore tallied 13 kills and nine digs, falling just shy of her second career double-double.
Freshman Jennifer McClendon amassed seven kills and a career-high six blocks, while sophomore Kaitlyn Shearer garnered three kills and three blocks.
“I am happy with the effort that was shown today by these young women,” Hiltz said. “The future is outstandingly bright for Warhawk volleyball.
