HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Freshman Tara Jenkins and junior Taylor Zaeske each recorded double-doubles as the ULM volleyball team defeated Alabama A&M in four sets (25-21, 13-25, 25-22, 25-17) Tuesday night inside Elmore Gym.
“We certainly didn't play as well as we could have but everybody got to play and we were able to regain focus and momentum when we needed to most,” head coach Patrick Hiltz said. “(Alabama) A&M played very well, as expected on its senior night, and we could not match them emotionally. I think they have a great shot to win their conference tournament, and I wish them the best of luck.”
Jenkins' first career double-double came on 24 assists and 13 digs while Zaeske fired 10 kills and totaled a match-high 14 digs to achieve the feat. Senior Kimberlie Alvarado slammed 12 kills on an impressive .476 clip. Junior Hadley Swartz added 10 digs and junior Hope Pawlik notched seven kills.
“It was nice to see Kim play so well in her last road trip,” Hiltz said. “Kaitlyn (Shearer) and 'H' (Ana Ribeiro) played strong as well. Taylor accepted roles as an outside and libero again and played well in both. Tara was once again fantastic and seems to be finding her comfort zone and place with the team, a very good sign for our future.”
The Lady Bulldogs were led by Ashundria McNeal who smashed a match-high 20 kills. McNeal added 11 digs for a double-double while setter Megan Butler assisted on 35 of 44 kills.
ULM (14-17) took a 9-6 lead in the opening set before an AAMU (10-23) attack error sparked a 6-0 Warhawk run behind the service of sophomore Bayleigh Hoffman. Alvarado and Shearer each recorded two kills in the run.
The Lady Bulldogs countered with a 6-0 run later in the set to make it 18-14 before an Alvarado kill iced the set for the Warhawks at 24-21.
The Warhawks took a 4-1 advantage early in the second set before the Lady Bulldogs ripped off four straight capped by two Tamar Davis kills to make it 5-4. After the set tied at six, AAMU scored seven straight to take a 13-6 lead.
A McNeal kill later in the set at 19-12 lifted the Lady Bulldogs to six straight to force set point at 24-12. A kill from freshman Sarah Woods occurred before Davis fired a kill to tie the match at one set apiece.
The third set came to a three-point standstill before the Warhawks ripped off six straight with three Pawlik kills leading the charge to take a 9-3 lead. The Lady Bulldogs scored four in a row later in the set to make it 20-16, but at 24-22 Swartz shut the door with a kill to put the Warhawks ahead 2-1.
ULM trailed 4-3 in the fourth before an Alvarado kill prompted a 4-0 Warhawk run behind Shearer's serve. The Lady Bulldogs fought back to tie the set at 11 after scoring three straight.
Zaeske smashed a kill later in the set to make it 17-14 and followed up with an ace. ULM would score three more points behind Zaeske's serve on three AAMU errors to make it 21-15. The Warhawks scored the final two points of the set at 23-17 on a kill each from Alvarado and Pawlik.
“We will need to take lessons from this match into practice this week and be ready to take on a Georgia State team that has been playing very well over the past few weeks,” Hiltz said.
ULM returns to action Sunday in Fant-Ewing Coliseum in its final match of the season versus Georgia State. The match will serve as Senior Day for Alvarado and is slated to begin at noon.
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