MONROE, La. – The ULM volleyball squad displayed a balanced offensive attack with a .329 (37-9-85) clip en route to a sweep (25-10. 25-14, 25-9) over Grambling State Monday inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
“Any win is a good win and one of the things we were focused on tonight was staying positive – getting after it every single point,” head coach Patrick Hiltz said. “We do those things – it does not matter who we are playing – we are going to be playing at the highest level that we are capable of.”
After a GSU (7-18) kill cut the ULM (12-12) lead to one at 5-4 in the first set, the Warhawks ripped off nine straight points sparked by a Kaitlyn Shearer. Shearer slammed three kills while junior Hadley Swartz recorded back-to-back-to-back aces during the 9-0 ULM run.
The Warhawks made four-point and three-point runs to eventually close out the set versus the Lady Tigers. Shearer had a perfect five-for-five kills in the first set. ULM recorded seven aces in the opening stanza, three from Shearer and two each from Swartz and fellow junior Taylor Zaeske.
ULM scored the first three points of the second set and leading 12-10 made an eight-point run capped off by a kill from senior Kimberlie Alvarado to put the set out of reach at 20-10. Junior Hope Pawlik and sophomore Jennifer McClendon combined for a block on GSU attacker Kevreion Ward to seal the second set 25-14.
After the Lady Tigers opened with a point in the third set, the Warhawks countered with seven straight points in which Shearer, Swartz and freshman Sarah Woods all recorded a kill. Still leading 8-4, ULM made a 6-0 run after a Woods kill gave the serve to fellow freshman Presleigh Williams.
Freshman Tara Jenkins saw action at the setter position, setting up three straight kills from Alvarado, Swartz and junior Ana Ribeiro during the six-point scoring barrage. After the Lady Tigers scored two straight points, the Warhawks closed the set and the match by scoring nine of the next 10 points.
Swartz led all attackers with eight kills while Shearer (.750) and Woods (.308) fired six kills apiece. Pawlik and Alvarado also slammed four kills each. Zaeske notched a match-high 13 digs after playing the last two sets in the libero position. The trio of Jenkins, Hoffman and Williams combined for 32 assists as Jenkins dished out a match-high 18.
The Warhawks will start a four-game Sun Belt Conference road stretch at Arkansas State Friday at 6:30 p.m. before traveling to Little Rock for a match Sunday at noon.
“We are going to have to step it up a notch going into Arkansas State and Little Rock, both winnable games for us. I am looking forward to a good week of practice and a road trip with a couple of strong opponents,” Hiltz said.
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