JACKSON, Miss. – The ULM volleyball team secured its first 10-win season in three years on Tuesday night (Oct. 30) when the Warhawks swept the Tigers of Jackson State, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-23). ULM's 10-win season is the first since 2015, and only the third in the past decade.
 
"Ten wins is big for us and this program, doubling up on last year's win total," said first-year head coach Russ Friedland. "Ten was a goal that we set before season even began so I'm really proud of these young ladies for getting to that mark. We will celebrate this win tonight, and with an off day tomorrow, rest up and prepare for a big weekend ahead."
 
ULM (10-16, 2-10) finished the match with a .239 hitting percentage, reaching a set-high 17 kills in the second set. The Warhawks tallied 113 total attempts and recorded 46 kills and 40 assists over the course of the night.
 
Leading the pack was redshirt junior Catherine Griffith, who earned 14 kills against the Tigers. Her 14 kills marks the fifth time this season that Griffith reached double-digit kills. Her single error in 23 attacks left Griffith with an impressive .565 hitting percentage at the net.
 
The Warhawks held the Tigers to only 35 kills in the match, while posting 50 digs and five team blocks. Griffith also led ULM with four blocks, while junior Katie McKay and freshman Kate Blasingame added 14 and 10 digs respectively.
 
"Yesterday we worked in pursuing balls better and I thought we did a nice job with that adjustment," said Friedland. "Hopefully we can use this as a springboard into our final four regular season matches."
 
McKay also helped put some points on the board for ULM, with three service aces for the Warhawks. In all, ULM earned six service aces.
 
"We had some solid play tonight from Cat, Cali and Sarah offensively. Katie did a nice job in the backcourt with her digs and aces as well."
 
Senior setters Tara Jenkins and Presleigh Williams both contributed to the Warhawk offense. Jenkins recorded 16 assists while Williams set it up 14 times for her teammates.
 
ULM has improved on its performance since the two teams last met, recording 12 additional kills and increasing its hitting percentage at the net by .083.
 
The Warhawks won back-to-back demanding first and second sets, never letting the Tigers get the lead or control of the match. ULM held its biggest lead of the first set after a kill by senior Taylor Wood and a service ace by McKay gave the Warhawks a 22-15 lead and eventually a 25-21 win.
 
ULM wasted no time in set two jumping out to a 6-0 lead after kills by freshman Cali Assaley and Griffith. An attack error by Jackson State mid-way through the set gave the Warhawks a healthy 10-point lead and put the Tigers too far out to recover as ULM went on to win set two, 25-18.
 
Jackson State returned from the intermission trying to avoid the sweep but ULM had other plans and made a successful push late in the third set to overcome the JSU attack and win the final set 25-23.
 
 
"It's great to get a win, especially on the road," Friedland said. "We did a good job in the first two sets of terminating rallies efficiently and played really high energy. Jackson State came out strong in the third and we were able to steady their attack to come back and earn the sweep and I'm proud of us for that."
 
The Warhawks will hit the road one more time this season when they travel to Lafayette, Louisiana on Friday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. to face the Ragin Cajuns. ULM will then return home to host the Ragin Cajuns on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.